St Ives Town 5 Harpenden Town 2
Emirates FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round Replay 02-09-2024
Nigel Howlett Reports
A three goal burst in the ten minutes before half time finally killed off the gallant Harps to take Ives through to the 2nd Qualifying Round of Emirates FA Cup where they will host Southern League Division One Central Berkhamsted Town.
Prior to that avalanche of goals Ives had got themselves in front courtesy of a screamer from Kobe Chong midway through the first half only to switch off for a moment 90 seconds later to gift their visitors an equaliser.
With this replay only 48 hours after Saturday’s hard fought goal less draw in Hertfordshire it was not surprising that both sides made changes for the game. Manager Ricky Marheineke made three bringing in David Adegbola, Byron Lawrence and Silvano Obeng for their first starts of the season in place of Jernade Meade who is away on international duty playing in the CONCACAF Nations Cup with Monserrat, the injured Ed Hotter and rested Theo Alexandrou respectively. Harps manager Micky Nathan also made three changes bringing in Taylor Keeley, Alfie Osborne and Isaiah Hilaire in place of Lawrence Wiffin, Dave Keenleyside and Jake Collins respectively.
As on Saturday Ives were first team out of the traps enjoying some good early pressure without testing the hero of the first tie Connor Coulson in the Harps goal. Their first real effort at goal came in 14th minute as referee Jospeh Karram played an excellent advantage allowing play to go on as Peter Abimbola was bundled over in the centre circle. Kobe Chong seized on the loose ball and fed it into Obeng’s run. But the big striker was quickly closed down and eventually fired his effort wide.
For all of their pressure Ives did not manage to get a shot on target until midway through the first half. But when it came it was well worth waiting for. Aaron Smith’s long throw from the left was headed clear to the edge of the box where Chong pounced on it taking on the dropping ball and spearing a screamer through the crowded goalmouth to find the bottom corner giving the unsighted Coulson no chance.
But having fought so hard to get in front Ives then switched off and let their gallant opponents back into the game. A deep cross from the right deceived Dan Wilks in it’s flight, the keeper looking like he expected the ball to float out of play but Hilaire got around behind him to steer the ball back into the centre where Jake Anthony gleefully slammed it home.
Being pegged back seemed to spur on the hosts and they then dominated the remainder of the first period. Obeng was providing a powerful presence in Ives attack and proving a real handful for the Harps back line. In 28th minute he showed a deft touch to take in a ball to his feet before turning his man and feeding in Jonny Edwards through the right channel. Edwards powerful shot was just bundled behind by the well positioned Coulson.
Edwards and Obeng combined well again in 36th minute with the latter unleashing a powerful shot from edge of the box that took a big deflection off a defender and looped past Coulson before rebounding off the base of the post. Wing back Adegbola was first to react to the loose ball to tap home unchallenged from close range.
A third Ives goal followed in the very next attack as Abimbola showed his quality to claim a brilliant solo goal. The powerful midfielder battled his way through the heart of Harps back line powering straight through the first two attempted tackles before side stepping a third at pace, rounding the exposed Coulson and slotting home from a narrow angle.
The double threat of Edwards and Obeng was proving to much to handle for Harps defence and the strike pair combined again to create an opportunity for Chong in 41st minute. The move ended with Chong taking in the final pass from Obeng on the edge of the box before skipping past two defenders and drawing Coulson to him but the big keeper spread himself well to make an excellent save.
That save only kept the visitors in the game for a couple more minutes as Edwards effectively killed the game off with a screamer in the first added minute at the end of the first half. Smith showed an excellent touch to take down a ball on the left and feed it inside to Edwards. The big striker still had a lot to do but he took a touch before unleashing a powerful effort from 20 yards that found the corner of the net past the despairing dive of the overworked Coulson.
4-1 up at the break Ives merely had to be professional to see out the game. But they continued to go in search of more. Smith struck a 25 yard effort just wide after a corner had been knocked out to him eight minutes after the restart. Edwards spurned a golden opportunity that had been brilliantly carved out by Abimbola and Adegbola three minutes later.
Abimbola grabbed his second solo goal of the night and made it five in 58th minute. He robbed Ben Spaul in midfield before bursting forward to again penetrate through Harps fragile centre and draw the exposed Coulson to him before finding the bottom corner from just inside the box.
Ives went close a couple more times in the next five minutes with Smith feeding in Chong cutting in from the left for the speedy striker to fire his shot just wide from the edge of the box as Coulson scrambled across to cover. A short Chong corner gave Lawrence the opportunity to curl an effort just wide from the right hand corner of the box.
With the game now effectively over both sides took full opportunity to give pitch time to some youngsters in their squad as both brought on their full compliment of five substitutes. Two of those substitutes were involved in Ives next effort in 76th minute. Greg Kaziboni clipped a ball in from the right into the chest of Obeng and his knock down dropped perfectly for Alexandrou to fire a dipping volley just over the top.
The other three man from the bench were all involved in Ives final attempt of the night two minutes from time. Kaziboni’s deep corner from the right was headed back into the centre by Ethan Creary then half cleared by a defender to Evan Watkins. Jacob Dickson ran onto his delicate clip over the top but as he stretched to reach the ball he could only turn it into the hands of keeper Coulson.
The keeper’s swift clearance gave Harps chance to grab a late consolation goal with the ball threaded through to Marcus Williams who kept his cool to beat Wilks high to his right from just outside the box to complete the scoring for the night.
All in all a very satisfactory performance, not unlike Saturdays first fixture only this time with the goals to back it up. All three men that were brought in definitely brought something to the party with all in the frame for the man of the match accolade although Peter Abimbola just beat them to it for his powerful midfield display perfectly topped off by a well taken brace of goals.
Final Score: St Ives Town 5 Harpenden Town 2 Half Time 4 – 1
Goals:
ST IVES: Chong 22, Adegbola 36, Abimbola 38, 58, Edwards 45+1
HARPENDEN: Anthony 24, M. Williams 88
Team Line Ups:
ST IVES: Wilks, Adegbola (Alexandrou 71), Smith, Lawrence, J. Williams (Creary 57), Collard (capt), Chong (Watkins 84), Abimbola (Dickson 84), Edwards (Kaziboni 71), Obeng, Casey, Unused subs: one
HARPENDEN: Coulson, Keeley, Rodrigues, Plowright (capt) (Codling 61), Palmer, Locke, Webb (Sweeting 71), Osborne, Anthony (M. Williams 61), Spaul (Ajana 71), Hilaire (McCleod 77), Unused subs: Andreou
Referee: Joseph Karram
Cards: Yellow: ST IVES: none HARPENDEN: Osborne (6)
IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Peter Abimbola
Attendance: 224