Spalding United 3 v St Ives Town 1

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  01-01-2025

Nigel Howlett reports from the Sir Halley Stewart Field

A mad two minutes in first half stoppage time condemned Ives to third defeat in a row. But apart from that unbelievable ninety seconds this was a game where the boys from Cambridgeshire played well and should have earned reward. Even ex Ives fans favourite Jimmy Dean who now manages the Tulips was graceful enough at the end to say that his team should have been dead and buried in the first twenty minutes when they were completely overrun by Ricky Marheineke’s charges.

Josh Allen put the visitors in front with a well taken tenth minute goal but Ives had already spurned four good chances in those opening minutes prior to getting in front. An initial burst to the bye line by Benji Mensah saw him deliver a low cross that somehow evaded Allen and Amir Hadi in the centre as it flashed through the six yard box after only ninety seconds. A very similar Hadi cross moments later ended in exactly the same result as it arrowed across the face of goal with no one able to force it home.

Will Glennon came within millimetres of getting it right in sixth minute. Home keeper Tony Breeden miss hit his attempted clearance straight to Jernade Meade 35 yards from his goal. Meade’s knock down to the feet of Glennon gave the powerful midfielder chance to take a touch before letting fly with an effort that beat the struggling keeper all ends up but just drifted wide of the post.

The hosts were simply not at the races in these early stages and Allen should have put the Ives in front in eighth minute. Ethan Creary did well to win the ball high up the park and feed it into the feet of Hadi who in turn cleverly fed it on into the well timed run of Allen leaving the striker clear one on one with Breeden. The keeper stayed big forcing Ives number ten to try and fire past him eventually ending up making an excellent save low to his right.

Two minutes later Allen again found himself through on goal. This time Glennon had won the ball into the centre of the park and again fed in Hadi who repeated his trick of moments before by feeding Allen’s perfectly timed run. This time the striker made no mistake taking on the shot early he beat Breeden low to his left to put Ives into a deserved lead.

With the words of a frustrated Dean ringing in their ears the Tulips began to wake up from their torpor and created their first opportunity of the game in twelfth minute. An attack down the left looked like it was coming to nothing with Joseph Nyahwema going away from goal towards the corner flag but a clever reverse pass played in the dangerous Dion Sembie-Ferris and it took a smart save low to his right by Dan Wilks in the Ives goal to preserve the visitors lead.

The game became more even after that as both teams battled for supremacy in the centre of a very heavy and sapping pitch. This being the third game in seven days for both sides there were a lot of tired bodies taking part in that battle and it looked like the two sides were more, or less, cancelling each other out.

Chances were few and far between in the next twenty minutes. Hadi was still causing a few problems with his trickery and direct running style. He got to the bye line again on the half hour, but once again failed to pick out Allen at the near post with his cross.

The hosts had lost their talisman striker Sembie-Ferris to injury in 27^th minute. But it was the man that replaced him who had a big involvement in the hosts equaliser ten minutes before the break. A move down the right saw the ball fed inside to Khanya Leshabela and he laid the ball through the right channel into the run of Mani Sani who thumped it high into the net past Dan Wilks from just inside the box.

It looked like the game was going to head into the interval with both sides on level terms and all to play for in the second half. Three added minutes was the signal from the referee and a lot in the crowd headed for the bar and food outlets anticipating little more action. How wrong they were. The Tulips won a corner in the first of those added minutes and Ives dealt effectively with that one albeit at the expense of a second one. This corner from the right was delivered deep beyond the far post where ex Ives man Sam Cartwright won the battle to knock it down into the mix. The hosts leading scorer Bart Cybulski was first to react to the loose ball forcing it home from close range to stun the visitors.

Ives seemed to be still in shock less than ninety seconds later when no one closed down Nyahwema allowing him to roam forward deep into Ives territory before he hit an effort from 25 yards that lacked any real power. But Wilks seemed to dive a little early, perhaps anticipating more pace in the shot than there was. The ball then took a wicked bounce off the turf and ended up hopping over the keeper’s outstretched arms into the back of the net.

From perhaps feeling a little aggrieved at not being in front at the break it was instead a shell-shocked Ives who somehow found themselves two goals in arrears and with a mountain to climb to get back into the game in the second half. To their great credit the boys gave it their all to try and dig themselves out of the hole of their own making.

Hadi certainly personified the battling spirit in the Ives camp and he was involved in all of the half chances that the visitors managed to create in the twenty minutes after the restart. He forced a diving save out of Breeden in 50^th minute. The keeper recovering well to get down low to his right and keep out the centre forward’s low 25 yarder after a poor clearance had gone straight to the hard working striker.

Probably Ives best chance to get a route back into it came in 57^th minute and again Hadi was at the heart of it. He received a ball inside the D and a clever turn got him away from his marker but the covering Kieron Freeman unceremoniously took him down before he could get his shot away. Allen curled the resulting free kick around the hosts four man wall but it lacked the pace to trouble the well positioned Breeden who made a comfortable save.

Hadi was again the provider in 65^th minute as he fed in Allen through the right channel. His attempted shot ricocheted off a defender into the path of Glennon who was unlucky to see his first time effort deflected inches over the top off a defender. Peter Abimbola’s resulting corner was met by a crowd of players at the penalty spot. The ball dropped to Glennon who was again unfortunate not to find the back of the net as Breeden pulled off an excellent reaction save fingertipping his fierce shot onto the crossbar from where it was scrambled clear.

Moments later Creary’s low cross from the right somehow evaded three Ives players inside the box before flashing to safety. Battle as they might though that was the end of a tiring Ives real threat on the Tulips goal.

As time ticked down and the frustrated visitors tried hard to chase the game it was inevitable that more chances would emerge for the hosts in the closing stages and they wasted three good opportunities to put further nails in Ives coffin in the final fifteen minutes. Nyahwema got down the left past a struggling Mensah in 76^th minute and picked out Cybulski at the near post with his cross. The Tulips centre forward looked to get it all right opening his body to get the shot on target but he didn’t get quite enough on the effort which flashed wide of the far post.

A swift 80^th minute clearance by Breeden put Leshabela clear with only Wilks to beat. But the Ives stopper stayed big and made an excellent close range block when the shot finally came. The final opportunity four minutes from time fell to another of the hosts substitutes Darnell Johnson who burst through the right channel before firing wide.

Courtesy of a number of second half stoppages for injuries to Tulips players there were an added seven minutes at the end and perhaps on a less sapping pitch that length of time may have given Ives renewed hope but there was nothing left in the tank to mount a grandstand finish and Ives limped away to lick their wounds and look forward to another in this run of Christmas and New Year fixtures when they host play-off chasing Stourbridge at the quattro tech Westwood Road in 72 hours time.

Final Score:  Spalding United  3  St Ives Town  1           Half Time  3 – 1

Goals:

SPALDING: Sani 35, Cybulski 45+2, Nyahwema 45+4

ST IVES: Allen 10

Team Line Ups:

SPALDING: Breeden, Walker (capt), Fox, Moore, Cartwright, Lawlor, Sembie-Ferris (Leshabela 27), Freeman (Hilliard 78), Cybulski, Sani, Nyahwema (Johnson 84), Unused subs: West

ST IVES: Wilks, Mensah, Abimbola, Meade (Kaziboni 73), Williams (Smith 90), Collard (capt), Skyers (O’Keefe 90), Glennon, Hadi (Gyamfi 83), Allen (Wilson 83), Creary, Unused subs: none

Referee:  Christopher Darling

Cards:  Yellow: SPALDING: Leshabela (35), Freeman (60), Lawlor (79)   ST IVES: none  

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Peter Abimbola

Attendance:  330

The date for the rearranged fixture at Stratford has been set for Tuesday 14 January with a 7:45pm kick-off.

Banbury United 1 v St Ives Town 0

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  28-12-2024

Nigel Howlett reports from The Banbury Plant Hire Community Stadium

Ives second single goal defeat in a row could be seen as a little unlucky with the Puritans winner in 72^nd minute finding the back of the net courtesy of a big deflection that left keeper Dan Wilks with no chance. But the visitors really had themselves to blame as they had two opportunities to clear Claudio Dias’s corner before it fell to the feet of Tia Fleming on the edge of the box.

The Puritans boast the best defensive record in the League by quite a bit but they have struggled to score goals and Ives back line looked similarly solid throughout most of this game that always looked more likely to be decided by a mistake, or a fluke, than a stroke of genius from the attackers on show.

With this game following only 48 hours after hard fought Boxing Day games for both sides changes were always likely and whist Simon Hollyhead made three for the hosts Ricky Marheineke trumped him by making five changes to his starting eleven.

After a cagy opening spell from both sides the game’s first half chance did not arrive until 12^th minute when Will Glennon’s deep free kick was knocked down by Alex Collard, Peter Abimbola strode onto the loose ball and drilled in a low cross to the near post where David Adegbola got in front of his man but failed to direct his effort on target under pressure from Fleming.

The hosts similarly failed to hit the target with their first opportunity in 21^st minute. A long ball was skilfully taken down by Connor Ferguson who delivered it cleverly into the run of George Ball. But the Puritans number eight snatched at the chance and sliced his effort well wide from just inside the box.

The first real action for either keeper came just before the half hour when a long punt from Puritans stopper Jack Harding picked out AJ George in space wide left. His deep cross picked out Ball beyond the back post and this time the midfielder did better getting a clean strike away on the half volley that forced a sharp save out of Wilks at his near post.

The busy Ball was buzzing around and looking to cause Ives back line problems and he did just that to carve out another opportunity for the hosts in 34^th minute. He initially charged down Jordan Williams attempted clearance. Retrieved the ball wide left and delivered a teasing cross to the centre that Ferguson failed to make contact with and Alex Prosser arriving late at the back post could only divert wide from a good position.

Wilks was called upon to make his second excellent save of the game two minutes later. Benji Mensah looked to be bursting away as he broke up a Puritans attack, but his use of the hand to knock the ball down had been well spotted by excellent referee Michael Pattison giving the hosts a free kick 30 yards from goal. Prosser struck his kick well curling it over the two man Ives wall and wickedly bouncing it off the turf just in front of the keeper but Wilks was equal to it plunging full length to his right to push the ball around the post.

Last half chance before the break fell to Ives in the final moments as an Aaron Smith long throw to the near post was somehow missed by all allowing it to bounce in the box. But no one on the visitor’s side had gambled and reacted quickly enough allowing the hosts to scramble the ball clear.

The closest that Ives came to getting the ball in the net was only ninety seconds after the restart. Will Glennon’s free kick from the right was headed back to him and his second delivery was flicked on in the centre by Williams. Coree Wilson got on the end of the flick and forced it onto the crossbar from close range but he had gone a little to early and the flag was up.

Mensah was having an excellent game and looking back to somewhere nearer his best his pace proving effective at both ends of the park. His defensive qualities were shown to perfection on the hour when he did very well to outpace the much bigger Ferguson to carefully shepherd a long punt down the park back to Wilks.

Home keeper Harding was called upon to make his only noteworthy save of the game in 64^th minute and that did not really test him. David Adegbola set off on a jinking run through the left channel that was ended as he was clipped by Harry Reilly just outside the box. Glennon got his free kick up and down over the hosts four man wall but Harding moved his feet well to make a comfortable save at his near post.

The deciding goal arrived 18 minutes from time and Ives can really only blame themselves for it. Substitute Dias’s initial corner from the right was headed straight back to him and with time and space to for a second attempt he still failed to pick out a team mate in the crowded box but Ives attempted clearance went straight to Fleming on the edge of the box. His first time shot took a wicked deflection off an Ives defender on its way into the bottom corner of the net leaving Wilks rooted.

Manager Marheineke threw on all five substitutes in an effort to change things but try as they might Ives could not find a route back into the game as the hosts cleverly wound down the clock showing why their defensive record is as good as it is as they prevented their visitors getting a sight of Harding’s goal in that remaining time.

The home supporters and players greeted the final whistle as much with relief as celebration as they claimed their first victory on home soil since mid-October to lift themselves to mid table only one point behind Ives. Both sides now look to be very much in the scramble to avoid the bottom four as they currently sit one and two points above third from bottom Lowestoft Town. In fact in this ridiculously tight table there are an awful lot of teams in that battle with only five points separating seventh placed Stourbridge and nineteenth placed Lowestoft.

As has been the case all season in this league two defeats in a row drops anyone from that group into the dogfight and the return of only a single point from their three games so far in this busy Christmas and New Year period is what has put Ives where they now are. The next two games now look vital with a win required from a New Years Day trip to Spalding United who are unbeaten in six games and a home game against misfiring Stourbridge whose Christmas record to date matches Ives.

Final Score:  Banbury United   1  St Ives Town   0          Half Time  0 – 0

Goals:

BANBURY: Fleming 72,

Team Line Ups:

BANBURY: Harding, Reilly, Okito, Prosser, Ofosu (capt), Fleming, Forsyth, Ball (Dias 70), George, Ferguson (George 76), Rowe (Stanley 46), Unused subs: Hollyhead, Donaldson

ST IVES: Wilks, Mensah, Smith, Skyers, Williams, Collard (capt), Abimbola (Creary 88), Glennon (Meade 76), Adegbola (Hadi 66), Wilson (Allen 76), Kaziboni (O’Keefe 76), Unused subs: none

Referee:  Michael Pattison

Cards:  Yellow:  BANBURY:  none                   ST IVES:  Williams (72)

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH:  Benji Mensah

Attendance: 631

St Ives Town 0 v Royston Town 1

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  26-12-2024

Nigel Howlett reports

A hard fought Boxing Day derby that was full of endeavour but lacking artistry was decided by a goal three minutes before half time from ex Ives man Tyrone Baker. A master stroke from Crows manager Chris Watters who gave Baker his first start for the visitors since 15^th October, excluding a Hertfordshire Senior Cup tie, and the speedy winger duly obliged against his old club.

The story could have been so different though if Will Glennon had put away an 18^th minute penalty for the Ives which was awarded in bizarre circumstances as Crows goalkeeper Tommy Dixon-Hodge took exception to a challenge from Amir Hadi and put his head into the face of the hosts centre forward whilst he had the ball safely in his hands. The match officials deemed the contact sufficient to award the spot kick and book the keeper but not sufficiently violent to warrant the red card which had been anticipated by many in the crowd.

Dixon-Hodge then proceeded to redeem himself in the eyes of Crows supporters as he flung himself to his right to keep out Glennon’s well struck spot kick. Johnson Gyamfi then compounded Ives woes as he was first to the rebound but sliced his effort horribly wide with the keeper still on the deck.

The visitors started on the front foot and many in the large crowd were still taking up their chosen positions in the ground when Kian Harness got in front of his man to flick Damaray Anyadike’s near post cross over the top after only 45 seconds.

Both sides battled hard to win the midfield contest and referee Joseph Karram tried his best to let the game flow by allowing a few crunching tackles to occur in those early stages. Ives first half chance came in 13^th minute when Hadi forced his way down the right before delivering a near post cross that Josh Allen got on the end of but his first time effort was blocked at point blank range by Archie Locke.

Jernade Meade lost possession deep in his own half allowing Anyadike to get away a 15^th minute snap shot from 30 yards that had Dan Wilks scrambling across his goal to cover as the ball flashed just wide.

Two minutes later the niggling that had been bubbling just below the surface exploded into full view. Hadi fairly but heavily challenged Dixon-Hodge for a ball that the keeper had at that point not claimed cleanly. The keeper came up with the ball and then proceeded to vent his angst against Hadi who stood his ground. A head pushed into his face then sent the Ives striker reeling away. Referee Karram and his assistant on the far side both had a good view of the incident and decided on awarding the spot kick but just issuing a yellow card against the enraged keeper.

Crows skipper Ed Asafu-Ajaye went down in the incident and required treatment. That plus the delay listening to the protestations of Dixon-Hodge and his colleagues meant a long wait before Glennon was able to seize the ball and put it on the spot. The powerful midfielder struck his kick well, but it was at a nice saving height and the keeper guessed the right way and made an excellent stop to redeem himself. Gyanfi failing to hit the target having latched onto the rebound added to the woe.

The reprieve seemed to lift the visitors and they enjoyed a good period. Wilks made an excellent save to deny Anyadike in 25^th minute. Baker’s cross from the left was flicked on by Harness with Anyadike getting across his man to get in a close range effort but Wilks reacted brilliantly to make the save.

It was Jordan Williams turn to make a goal saving block just after the half hour. Anyadike was again the man denied as he latched onto Josh Dawodu’s threaded through ball and unleashed a fierce first time effort the Williams slid in to block. The ball was eventually fed back to James Brighton who calmly curled his effort from the corner of the box around the diving Wilks and just past the post.

Ives otherwise solid defence finally cracked three minutes before the break Dawodu put Harness through the right channel and with Anyadike in an offside position in the centre there was a moments hesitation but Dawodu strode on and hit a low right footed effort that the spreading Wilks managed to block with his body. But the ball rolled on towards the far post where Baker slid in to force it home from close range despite a gallant effort from Ethan Creary to scoop it away.

There was still time for Ives to get the ball in the net before the break. Meade’s corner from the left was won in the air beyond the back post by the leaping skipper Alex Collard and his looping header back into the mix in the six yard box seemed to float over all and find its way into the back of the net. But referee Karram blew for a foul in close packed box and much to the Crows relief chalked off the “goal”.

The visitors came out for the second half determined to hang onto what they had got and they were working their socks off the preserve that slender advantage. Ives players were given no time on the ball at all as they were instantly pressurised and tackles snapped in. A triple substitution by manager Ricky Marheineke twenty minutes after the break saw David Adegbola replace Aaron Smith, Peter Abimbola replace Gyamfi and most influentially wide man Greg Kaziboni replace defender Ethan Creary.

Kaziboni began to find some space down the right and his skill and pace started to cause the Crows a few problems. Ives best move of the game came in 75^th minute Abimbola picked out the winger in a little bit of space and he danced past Brighton before feeding inside to Allen. His ball across the box picked out Hadi but the central strikers first time effort flew well over the top.

Moments later another piece of Kaziboni magic carved out another opportunity as he once more danced down the right before trying to pick out a team mate at the near post but Glennon and Allen got in each other’s way and neither was able to get a shot away.

Ives best chance to grab a deserved equaliser came in 82^nd minute and again Kaziboni was the provider combining well with Benji Mensah before delivering a teasing cross to the back post where Hadi arriving at pace slid in but could only succeed in knocking the ball wide.

Meade went close to grabbing the leveller in an unconventional way with four minutes to go curling his corner from the right goalwards it took a decisive leap from Brighton protecting the near post to do just enough to keep the ball out. There was one final opportunity for the battling hosts to claim a just reward as the game entered added time. Harvey Beckett brought down Allen 25 yards from goal. Glennon lined up the free kick but skied his powerful effort well over the top.

The Crows survived the remaining seven minutes without any further scares and reach the half way point in the season one point and two places below the Ives who sit tenth. The crazy table still remains as tight as ever though with Ives 29 points seeing them five points off the top five but exactly the same number above the relegation zone.

Games come thick and fast at this time of year and a trip to Banbury awaits then in only 48 hours time followed by a New Years Day trip to Spalding four days later with a home game against Stourbridge on Saturday 4^th January.

Final Score:  St Ives Town   0  Royston Town  1             Half Time  0 – 1

Goals:

ST IVES:

ROYSTON: Baker 42,

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Wilks, Mensah, Smith (Adegbola 66), Meade, Williams, Collard (capt), Gyamfi (Abimbola 66), Glennon (Skyers 90+2), Hadi (Wilson 82), Allen, Creary (Kaziboni 66), Unused subs: none

ROYSTON: Dixon-Hodge, Asafu-Adjaye (capt), Brighton, Coldicott-Stevens, Beckett, Baker (Rookard 78), Weyman, Harness, Anyadike, Dawodu (Murray 50), Locke, Unused subs: Akubuine, Ngwa, Johnson

Referee:  Joseph Karram

Cards:  Yellow:  ST IVES: Williams (24), Hadi (45+4)     ROYSTON: Dixon-Hodge (16), Coldicott-Stevens (18), Asafu-Adjaye (30), Rookard (90+5), Locke (90+6)

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Greg Kaziboni

Attendance:  471

The official matchday magazine for our Boxing Day clash with Royston Town is now available to read.

Inside our 44 page festive edition:

• A report from our 1-1 draw against Lowestoft
• A look back at 2024 for St Ives Town
• We plot the history of Boxing Day football
• And you can test your St Ives Town 2024 knowledge in our matchday quiz, ten to tackle

PLUS lots more. You can download your free edition HERE

A reminder to everyone that kick-off in the Boxing Day clash between St Ives Town and Royston Town at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road is at 1:00pm. You can book tickets in advance via the Ives ticketing website The link is HERE,

A very Happy Christmas to all followers of the Ives.

Lowestoft Town 1 v St Ives Town 1 

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  21-12-2024

Nigel Howlett reports from Crown Meadow

A battling performance on a heavy pitch finished with honours even at a goal a-piece. Both sides will feel that they could have won all three points as each shaded one half of the game. Ives spent most of the first half on top without testing Sam Blair in the hosts goal whilst the hosts failed to make best use of the direct runs down the right from Harvey Sayer in a second period where they provided most of the threat.

The visitors certainly finished feeling the most aggrieved as Alex Collard’s lob found the back of the net deep in added time but the whistle had already gone seconds earlier for a foul by the Ives skipper as he challenged two defenders for Greg Kaziboni’s chip into the box. However Ives failure to really test 17 year old substitute keeper Ronnie Yeo who had replaced the injured Blair six minutes before the break was probably where they failed to claim the maximum reward.

The game started in heavy rain with a strong wind straight down the pitch and Ives had these elements at their backs but it was the hosts who started on the front foot with Dan Wilks forced to parry away Gabriel Overton’s fierce drive from a narrow angle in the fourth minute. There quickly followed a trio of Trawlerboy’s corners that only ended when Harry Barbrook headed the final one over the crossbar at the near post.

Ives slowly worked their way into the game and could have gone in front with their first real opportunity in 17^th minute. A perfect threaded ball through the left channel by Jernade Meade put Josh Allen clear he took the shot on first time, but Blair had been quick off his line to narrow the angle and made an excellent block. Jordan Williams rose highest to meet Meade’s out-swinging corner at the near post but powered his header over the top.

The visitors were by now getting on top and the ever willing Amir Hadi fed in Allen again through the left channel. Once more the striker took on his shot first time and this time he beat Blair with the effort but the ball flashed inches wide of the far post.

A 25^th minute break down the other end saw the dangerous Joao Rangel cut inside from the left and curl in a powerful effort that had Wilks scrambling across his goal and finished up beating the keeper but also the far post as well.

Ives spent most of the remaining 20 minutes to half time moving the ball around well on the difficult surface but failing to hit the target with the chances that they carved out. The first of those just before the half hour was created, and missed, by Peter Abimbola. His initial surging run into the heart of the Trawlerboys back line allowed him to slip the ball to Hadi inside the box. His shot was blocked but rebounded into the path of Abimbola who probably should have done better but fired over from 15 yards.

Two more excellent chances came Ives way before the break. Two minutes after Abimbola’s miss it was Aaron Smith who failed to hit the target with an even better opportunity. The hard working Hadi drove into the hosts box and unleashed a shot that ricocheted across the face of goal to the unmarked Smith eight yards out. The wing back swung his right boot at it and made good contact, the effort flashed past the exposed Blair and clipped the outside of the post on its way wide.

But that was not the closest that Ives came to breaking the deadlock before the break. Meade’s 39^th minute in-swinging free kick from the right curled into the crowd of players just outside the six yard box where Ethan Creary rose highest to get the flick that floated on and thudded the post before it was scrambled clear. Blair picked up an arm injury in the crowd of players as he attempted to battle through to get a fist onto the free kick and after lengthy treatment was replaced by young Yeo making only his third appearance for the Trawlerboys.

As in the first half, it was the hosts who did most of the attacking in the early period of the second. Rangel was still causing problems down the left and in 57^th minute he combined well with overlapping full back Robert Eagle who saw his low, driven, cross very well claimed by the diving Wilks.

The hosts went even closer in 62^nd minute as Joe Duffy latched onto a short back pass from Abimbola and tried to round Wilks, but the big keeper did well to force him wide allowing Collard to cover around behind him to prevent Duffy getting a shot away.

Ives then took the lead against the run of play with Hadi opening his account for the club in 64^th minute. Meade played a perfect clip through the hosts back line that Allen latched onto. The number ten cut back inside and unleashed a fierce rising drive that looked destined for the top corner but young Yeo did brilliantly, hurling himself full length to his right to make a flying one handed save to keep the ball out. But with all the hosts defenders looking on in admiration at the fantastic save that their keeper had just made Hadi did what all good strikers do and bundled home the loose ball. A quick look across to the linesman to make sure that the flag had stayed down and Ives were in front.

But the visitors lead was to be short lived. They were given a massive scare only ninety seconds after scoring when the speedy Harvey Sayer set off on a run from almost half way that saw him outpace Smith before firing in a low shot from the edge of the box that the diving Wilks did well to deflect onto the post and away.

To try and nullify that tactic manager Ricky Marheineke quickly replaced Smith with the more pacy David Adegbola. But before the substitute had even touched the ball Sayer repeated his earlier feat this time to more devastating effect. He got past Adegbola and Williams at pace before cutting inside onto his left foot and unleashing a screamer from the edge of the box that gave Wilks no chance as it flew into the top corner of the net to level things up. Ives lead had lasted exactly five minutes.

Sayer was now the main route of attack for the hosts and only one minute later he tried to repeat the trick again. This time he got past Adegbola but was unceremoniously upended by Meade before he got close to the penalty area. Ives playmaker taking the inevitable yellow card for the team. Wilks bravely came through the crowd to cleanly punch away Charlie Norman’s curling free kick at the back post.

With Adegbola now sticking much closer to Sayer that route of attack seemed effectively nullified and Ives began to look more comfortable and started to create chances of their own again. It took a brave block from a defender to keeper out Williams fierce 76^th minute drive after Meade’s hanging corner from the right had dropped at his feet by the penalty spot.

One more routine save from Wilks as he collected Duffy’s 84^th minute 25 yarder saw the end of the hosts real threat and try as they might Ives could not really create another opportunity to test young Yeo until the second of four added minutes when Collard challenged Louis McIntosh and Dylan Ruffles for Kaziboni’s high ball at the back post. From my position behind the goal both defenders seemed to collide into each other with McIntosh going down. The ball dropped to Collard who cleverly hooked it home but the whistle had gone for a perceived foul by the Ives skipper well before the ball dropped in and defenders and goalkeeper had all stopped.

On a day of many draws in the Southern League Premier Central Division the point keeps Ives in ninth place only three points from the play-off places. The Trawlerboys will perhaps be the happier with their point lifting them out of the bottom four.

With four games to come in ten days starting with Ives home fixture against local rivals Royston Town on Boxing Day the picture in this very crowded division may look a little clearer early in the New Year.

Here is wishing all my readers a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Final Score:  Lowestoft Town  1  St Ives Town  1           Half Time  0 – 0

Goals:

LOWESTOFT: Sayer 69,

ST IVES: Hadi 64,

Team Line Ups:

LOWESTOFT: Blair (Yeo 39), Norman, Eagle (capt), McIntosh (Haddoch 90+5), Ruffles, Barbrook, Soares Rangel (Aldous 82), Duffy, Overton, Sayer, Haylock, Unused subs: Murphy

ST IVES: Wilks, Mensah (Gyamfi 82), Smith (Adegbola 69), Meade (Skyers 89), J. Williams, Collard (capt), Abimbola, Glennon, Hadi (Wilson 64), Allen (Kaziboni 89), Creary, Unused subs: none

Referee:  Emily Heaslip

Cards:  Yellow:  LOWESTOFT:  Ruffles (34)       ST IVES: Allen (29), Meade (70)    

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH:  Dan Wilks

Attendance:  386

St Ives Town 4 v Harborough Town  1

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  14-12-2024

Nigel Howlett reports

A definite case of after the Lord Mayor’s show for the struggling Bees. Their previous fixture had seen them take League One Reading to extra time in front of 8,000 fans at the majestic Majeski Stadium in the FA Cup Second Round. But reality really came back to bite them on this short trip to the slightly more humble quattro tech Westwood Road where the hard working Ives put them to the sword.

Ives manager Ricky Marheineke kept an unchanged starting eleven following the hosts 3-1 victory over Hitchin Town in their previous outing. The Bees made two changes from their FA Cup side the experienced Liam Dolman coming in to replace similar veteran Paul Malone in the centre of defence and with marquee signing ex Brazilian international Sandro back in his native country for the festive period loan signing from AFC Telford United Rhys Hilton came in for his debut for the visitors in midfield.

The first opportunity of the game fell to the visitors after only two minutes as Will Glennon brought down Ben Starkie just outside the box to provide Ben Stephens the chance to give Dan Wilks an early test in the Ives goal. Stephens got his kick over the Ives four man wall but it sailed about a foot over the bar with the keeper in position to cover it.

Josh Allen had the hosts first attempt on goal five minutes later as he received a low Ethan Creary cross from the right before spinning on it and firing into the side netting from the edge of the box.

It quickly became clear what the visitor’s tactics were and I would liken them to a John Beck style without the quality of wingers that the ex Cambridge United boss looked to employ to deliver the crosses. The Bees simply played the ball long as often as possible looking to win opportunities to deliver long throws, free kicks and corners into a box filled with their giants. Ives generally dealt well with these missiles the only shooting opportunity that came from one of these in the early stages was when Dan Cooper’s 15^th minute long throw was knocked down to Hilton but his low drive from 20 yards was comfortably gathered by Wilks.

Ives on the other hand were looking to use their pace and ability to stretch the Bees back line. Johnson Gyamfi’s jinking run midway through the half almost allowed Amir Hadi to thread in Allen. But keeper Elliott Taylor was quickly off his line to smother the ball before Allen could get a touch.

The opening goal on 27 minutes came from just such a break that caught out the Bees cumbersome defence. Jernade Meade raked an inch perfect cross field ball to pick out Benji Mensah in space on the right. His low driven cross just evaded Allen’s attempt to turn it home at the near post but deflected off the luckless Bees skipper Ben Williams and flashed past his startled keeper into the corner of the net. Three minutes later Meade’s rasping drive from 25 yards pulled a spectacular save out of the athletic Taylor who pushed the effort around the post at full stretch.

But as the half wore on the Bees direct tactics began to stretch the Ives back line almost to breaking point. Ives goal lead a charmed life in the final few minutes before the break. Cooper’s 42^nd minute driven cross was deflected onto his near post by Wilks. The ball ricocheting across the face of goal where it took two remarkable blocks from Ives defenders to prevent initially Stephens and then Riley O’Sullivan from forcing the ball home.

The visitors went even closer to grabbing an equaliser deep in added time as initially Josh Walsh’s in-swinging free kick from the left was missed by all at the near post and had to be cleared off the line by Aaron Smith covering behind his keeper. The follow up shot from Starkie was then brilliantly saved by the recovering Wilks to preserve Ives slender half time advantage.

Both sides came out for the second half knowing that the next goal was going to be vital. The hosts were first to go close five minutes after the restart with another of their fast flowing breaks. The busy Mensah and Allen were again both involved in a move the went down the right. Mensah playing in Allen to the bye line and his low cross picking out Meade at the back post but the silky midfielder was stretching and failed to keep his effort down under pressure from Cooper.

A bit of football at the other end almost unlocked Ives defence two minutes later. Walsh picked out the run of Hilton through the right channel and it took a brilliant sliding block from Creary to prevent O’Sullivan firing home his pull back.

However it was the Bees back line where the gaps were starting to appear and another speedy break in 54^th minute saw Hadi brilliantly curl a ball with the outside of his foot to pick out the well timed run through the centre of Allen. Clear with only the keeper to beat Allen was just about to shoot when he was taken down from behind by the struggling Alex Morris giving referee Thomas Kelly one of the easiest decisions that he had to make during the afternoon. The first Ives penalty in the post Jonny Edwards era was emphatically thumped home by Glennon.

It could so easily have been three in 65^th minute as Ives again stretched the sluggish Bees back line. This time Allen pounced on a ball in from the left and beat Taylor with his low shot that then proceeded to hit the base of the post and run along the goal line. The recovering Williams then put his body on the line to pull off a remarkable effort to hook the ball away from the danger zone just as he was clattered into by the equally committed Allen who was trying to force home the loose ball.

The Bees may have escaped on that occasion but they were the architects of their own downfall three minutes later. A poor attempted clearance by keeper Taylor went straight to the feet of Mensah 30 yards from goal. Unselfishly he fed the ball into the feet of Allen on the edge of the box and the hard working striker side stepped his man before curling an effort into the bottom corner that Taylor got a hand to but could not keep out.

With the game now decided both teams used their compliment of substitutes which effectively disrupted the flow of the game. Ives perhaps switched off a little and found themselves pegged back with ten minutes to go. Stephens challenged Creary at the back post for a ball delivered from the right and both went down under the impact of the tackle. The Bees man was first to recover and prodded home the loose ball before an Ives player could react.

Bees Substitute Connor Kennedy fired wide from a good position with four minutes to go and any possibility of a grandstand finish was eliminated by Ives replacement Coree Wilson only seconds later. This fourth goal came in very unexpected fashion against the towering Bees and is not the type of goal that they will expect to concede very often. Wilks long punt down the centre was flicked on by the hard working Hadi who rose above a much taller defender to win the header. Wilson ran clear onto the flick and coolly beat the exposed Taylor to complete an excellent victory for the hosts.

The win moves Ives up into ninth, only three points from the play-off places. Defeat leaves the Bees still entrenched in the final relegation spot three points from safety.

Final Score:  St Ives Town  4  Harborough Town  1             Half Time  1 – 0

Goals:

ST IVES: B. Williams (own goal) 27, Glennon 54 (pen), Allen 68. Wilson 87

HARBOROUGH: Stephens 79

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Wilks, Mensah (Adegbola 87), Smith, Meade, J. Williams, Collard (capt), Gyamfi (Abimbola 87), Glennon, Hadi (Skyers 87), Allen (Wilson 81), Creary, Unused subs: Kaziboni

HARBOROUGH: Taylor, Cooper, Walsh, Dolman (Kennedy 70), B. Williams (capt), Morris, Robinson (Carta 64), Starkie (Burgess 83), O’Sullivan, Stephens (Francis 86), Hilton (Rose 67), Unused subs: none

Referee:  Thomas Kelly

Cards:  Yellow:  ST IVES: Meade (38)     HARBOROUGH:  Starkie (45), Morris (54)    

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH:  Amir Hadi

Attendance:  321

The online matchday magazine for our home match against Harborough Town this afternoon is now available to read.

Inside our 40 page publication this week:

We look back on our 3-1 victory at home to Hitchin

There’s the latest from around the league

We turn the spotlight on our visitors from Harborough

And you can test your football knowledge as our matchday quiz ‘Ten to Tackle’ returns.

PLUS Lots more. You can download the programme HERE

Unfortunately, due to the adverse weather the pitch at Stratford has failed a morning pitch inspection so the first team match scheduled for today has been postponed. A new date for the fixture will be rearranged in due course.

Hear more from player of the match, Will Glennon as he bags a hat-trick to lead the Ives to a home win against Hitchin Town. The full interview can be viewed on our YouTube channel. The link is HERE

Ives manager Ricky Marheineke gives his thoughts as his team returns to winning ways following their 3-1 win against Hitchin Town. You can view the full interview on the Ives YouTube channel. The link is HERE

St Ives Town 3 v Hitchin Town 1

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  30-11-2024

Nigel Howlett reports

Will Glennon’s hat trick claimed Ives first home win since early October and moved them up three places to tenth and back onto the coat tails of the play-off chasing sides. The hosts played well enough at times to have made this a comfortable victory over the struggling Canaries but as has been their way this season they gifted the visitors a goal midway through the second half to make life more difficult for themselves than it need have been.

Ives manager Ricky Marheineke made two changes following last weeks defeat at third placed Telford with skipper Alex Collard returning after serving his suspension at the expense of Albie O’Keefe and Kymani Skyers dropping out of the back three to be replaced by Ethan Creary. New Canaries manager Michael Jones, in the hot seat for his first game since taking permanent charge of the visitors made only one change from the previous game bringing in hard working striker Henry Snee in place of Joseph Chidyausiku who dropped to the bench.

The first half started in very open fashion with both teams looking to get the ball forward and attack at every opportunity. Ives were holding the early edge and Amir Hadi could perhaps have done better in the first dangerous move of the game in forth minute. Battling hard to get around the outside of Toby Syme he got to the bye line but failed to get the ball past Canaries keeper Seb Stacey at his near post with team mates arriving in the centre.

Ten minutes later it was Stacey who was left red faced as he allowed himself to be beaten low to his left by a well struck thirty yard effort from Glennon that skipped off the surface in front of him and bounced under his dive. But the keeper may have good reason to feel that his defenders were at least partially to blame as Glennon was given time and space to range forward with the ball before letting fly.

The power and pace of Hadi was still giving Syme problems and the Ives centre forward again battled past him in 18^th minute. But this time a well positioned Stacey held on well to Hadi’s fierce, rising, drive from the edge of the box.

The visitors enjoyed a good spell around the midway mark in the half with wing back Lewis Franklin firing wide with a powerful effort from the right hand corner of the box in 20^th minute. Only ninety seconds later it took a brilliant reaction save from home keeper Dan Wilks to preserve Ives lead. Franklin got fed in down the right by Luke Stokoe and delivered a cross to the near post where Snee met it cleanly. Wilks reacted smartly to turn the close range effort onto the crossbar and was relieved as Solomon Sambou following up screwed the loose ball wide.

The Canaries final opportunity in this purple spell for them came only two minutes after Wilks brilliance. This time Syme managed to hurl himself through the crowd to get on the end of Luke Stokoe’s in-swinging free kick from the left. But the visitors centre back met the ball a little to cleanly and powered his header wide.

Having survived that brief period of Canaries pressure Ives started to get back in the ascendency. Josh Allen almost burst through the centre on the half hour. But his surging run was halted illegally 25 yards from goal by the combined efforts of two visiting defenders. Johnson Gyamfi’s resulting free kick deflected off the Canaries four man wall and almost fell for Allen six yards out but the Ives striker failed to make sufficient contact on the spinning ball to beat Stacey.

Ives second two minutes before the break will probably be in the running for goal of the season and I would suggest that you all take a look at it on the website. Meade battled hard to win the ball off a defender by the left corner flag. A clever back heel put in Allen who had the presence of mind to look up and pick out his man with his low cross, a clever dummy at the near post by Gyamfi took out defenders and keeper and allowed the ball to roll on to the unmarked Gleeson arriving at the back post where he gleefully thumped it home.

Two nil up at the break Ives came out looking to kill off their visitors with a third early in the second half but the Canaries held firm without really creating anything of their own until the hosts needlessly gave them a route back into the game. Aaron Smith is capable of hurling the ball a long way along the touch line but inexplicably he chose instead to throw the ball back to the feet of Wilks who was forced to take a touch before attempting his clearance. The touch was enough to give the ever willing Snee chance to close him down and block the attempted punt. Even though the big striker was falling he was still able to get to the loose ball first and prod it home past the prostrate Ives keeper.

The goal lifted the visitors to renewed efforts but Ives, rallied by inspirational skipper Collard, held firm and the introduction of Peter Abimbola and David Adegbola to replace Gyamfi and Benji Mensah respectively gave them new legs to push forward again. A raking cross field ball from Abimbola put Allen away but the striker fired wide from the edge of the box in 76^th minute.

The goal that relieved any remaining nerves that Ives may have had and the one that completed Glennon’s hat trick came with ten minutes to go. Meade picked out Allen in space again down the right. This time the young striker used his pace to get around the tiring Enock Ekongo before unleashing a driven cross that keeper Stacey palmed out straight to the feet of Glennon by the penalty spot. The powerful midfielder did the rest, keeping his composure and side footing home to deservedly claim the match ball.

With the game now gone a quintet of Canaries substitutes and a trio for the hosts followed the goal to effectively break up the remaining time. A couple of opportunities for a second consolation goal did come the way of the visitors in the added five minutes. Snee managed to get the ball in the net in the first of those added minutes but the assistant’s flag had gone up some seconds before he fired home. The last action of the game saw substitute Chidyausiku volley wide from 20 yards after an Ives defensive header had dropped to him.

Despite their run of decent result during his time as caretaker manager the verdict must be that Jones has a tough job to lift the Canaries out of the bottom four. For Ives if they could find some consistency that has so far eluded them this season and string three, or four, results together they could suddenly find themselves genuine contenders for one of those top five spots.  

Final Score:  St Ives Town  3  Hitchin Town  1              Half Time  2 – 0

Goals:

ST IVES: Glennon 14, 43, 79

HITCHIN: Snee 67

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Wilks, Mensah (Adegbola 67), Smith, Meade (Skyers 83), Williams, Collard (capt), Gyamfi (Abimbola 64), Glennon, Hadi (Wilson 79), Allen (O’Keefe 87), Creary, Unused subs: none

HITCHIN: Stacey, Franklin (Dixon-Smith 79), Ekongo, Sambou, Syme, Jones (capt), Tearle (Barker 79), L. Stokoe (Bell 79), Snee, D. Stokoe (Chidyausiku 79), Titchmarsh (Gleeson 83), Unused subs: none

Referee:  Matthew Friend

Cards:  Yellow:  ST IVES:  Allen (77)     HITCHIN:  Franklin (48), Titchmarsh (49)    

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH:  Will Glennon

Attendance:  330

The online matchday magazine for our home clash with Hitchin today is now available to read. Inside our 43 page edition this week:

• We look back on our defeat at Telford last week
• An update from around the league
• We turn the clock back 12 months to our home game last season against Hitchin
• And our popular matchday quiz, ten to tackle returns.

PLUS lots more. You can download your free copy HERE

St Ives striker Silvano Obeng has moved to Rugby Town on dual registration.

Silvano signed for the Ives from Rugby in the summer, but has seen his game time restricted at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road. The move will see him get regular first team football, but as it is dual registration, it means he can be recalled back to the Ives squad at any time.

AFC Telford United 3 v St Ives Town 1

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  23-11-2024

Nigel Howlett reports from the New Bucks Head Stadium

A poor start cost Ives this fixture as they were completely blown away by their host’s three goal burst in the first 25 minutes. But two of those goals have to go down as errors from two of the most experienced players in the visitor’s side. As it turned out Ives showed real character in the second half with Josh Allen opening his account five minutes after the restart to give them a sniff and it then took two superb saves from home keeper Brandon Hall to prevent them grabbing a very unlikely point.

With skipper Alex Collard serving a one game ban having clocked up five yellow cards manager Ricky Marheineke pulled Will Glennon back into the centre of a back three with youngster Albie O’Keefe returning into the centre of midfield. Even with Collard missing this still felt like a good time to face the inconsistent Bucks coming off two losses in a row and Storm Bert blowing a gale through the West Midlands.

Ives started with the gale and driving rain at their backs but it was the hosts who started on the front foot with Matty Stenson heading over Ricardo Dinanga’s clip from the right only ninety seconds in.

The visitors only real opportunity in what turned into a torrid first half for them came in forth minute. Allen tried to feed in Amir Hadi through the centre with the powerful centre forward being taken down clumsily just outside the box by Orrin Pendley. Johnson Gyamfi curled his free kick precisely around the hosts four man wall but with keeper Hall beaten the ball flashed inches outside his left hand post.

From that point on the Bucks took over and they went in front three minutes later. Remi Walker curled a dangerous cross from the right into the danger zone between keeper and defenders. Jordan Williams stretched to try and cut it out but only succeeded in knocking the ball onto his own post. Stenson was first to react to bundle the loose ball home from close range.

It was 2-0 in 17^th minute as Stenson timed his run to perfection to glance Walker’s near post corner past Dan Wilks from close range. Only sixty seconds later it probably should have been three as Stenson brought down a long ball and fed it into the feet of Dinanga on the edge of the box. He in turn shuffled it on to Jakub Kruczybski who beat Wilks from eight yards with a fierce drive that rebounded off the post.

Stenson was searching for his hat trick and it took a brilliant sliding block from Benji Mensah to stop him claiming it midway through the first half. The Bucks centre forward strode through the centre to latch onto a long ball over the top which held up on the breeze. He looked to be clear only for the speedy Mensah to come sliding in to bravely block the shot away.

A flowing Bucks move almost made it three in 24^th minute. The move ending with Walker playing Dinanga in through the left channel. It took an excellent diving save from Wilks to keep out the number ten’s crisp low drive from just inside the box. The big Ives keeper came out powerfully to punch away Jordan Cranston’s resulting corner but he was left red faced seconds later as Walker was allowed time and space to fire in an effort from fully thirty yards that squirmed through the keepers fingers and trickled over the line much to the delight of the home supporters.

The Ives stopper somewhat redeemed himself with an excellent save to prevent Dinanga making it four seven minutes before the break. Walker was again the provider as the visitors struggled to get the ball away. The silky midfielder threaded a pass through to put Dinanga in again but Wilks spread himself well to deflect the effort wide at point blank range.

The game looked over at the break with the hosts coming out for the second half with the wind and rain at their backs and their big home support spurring them on to more goals. But it was not to be as Josh Allen’s well taken goal five minutes after the restart quietened the home fans. Allen’s first goal since his move from Sudbury came at the end of a swift Ives counter attack after a Bucks corner. The ball was cleared to Gyamfi 30 yards from his own goal his run and pass picked out Hadi in the centre circle and he in turn fed the ball through into the well timed run of Allen who beat Hall at his near post with a low drive from just outside the box.  

Was a very unlikely comeback on? It began to look possible as Ives suddenly lifted their game and took it to the now stuttering hosts. Mensah fired a 25 yard effort just wide on the hour. Gyamfi was given time and space to range forward three minutes later but he to failed to hit the target from a similar distance three minutes later.

Now well on top but not able to find a way through Ives were still susceptible to the break and almost got caught out in 68^th minute as a wind assisted punt from keeper Hall was missed by Kymani Skyers allowing Stenson to get away down the right. Dinanga was arriving in the centre ready to side foot home his low cross but substitute Ethan Creary, who had only been on the pitch a few minutes, had other ideas and slid in to turn the ball over his own crossbar before Dinanga could force it home.

The first of Hall’s brilliant saves came with 15 minutes to go and had he been beaten at that point things could have ended very differently. Allen battled with Pendley to gain possession of Jernade Meade’s clip over the top which had held up in the breeze. Having robbed the big centre half Allen laid the ball into the path of the fast arriving Hadi. His fierce drive from 20 yards was destined for the top corner before the outstretched fingertips of the diving Hall deflected it around the post.

There was one more chance for Wilks to show his usual prowess again in 82^nd minute when Dinanga outmuscled Creary before cutting in from the left and slamming in a shot from 15 yards that a well positioned Wilks parried away.

Hall again showed his reactions and agility to deny Williams what would only have been a consolation at that point. Mensah’s ball in from the right bounced off a defender and fell to Williams by the penalty spot. He struck the ball cleanly and expected the net to billow but Hall reacted amazingly to leap high to his right and palm the shot away.

The result seeing the Bucks move into third place six points behind league leaders Kettering. Ives drop a place to thirteenth but in this season’s amazingly tight table that leaves them only four points above the bottom four, but also only five points off a play off place.

The visit of relegation haunted Hitchin Town to quattro tech Westwood Road next week will not be easy as the Canaries have hit a bit of form in recent weeks but it is looking like a vital game to get Ives back on track ahead of the very busy Christmas period which is now looming.

Final Score:  AFC Telford United   3   St Ives Town   1             Half Time  3 – 0

Goals:

TELFORD: Stenson 7, 17, Walker 25

ST IVES: Allen 50

Team Line Ups:

TELFORD: Hall, Piggott, Cranston, Storer (capt), Pendley, Whittall, Walker (Armson 74), Moore, Stenson (Brown 84), Dinanga (Styche 89), Kruczynski (Hilton 89), Unused subs: Jones, 

ST IVES: Wilks, Mensah, Smith (Adegbola 74), Abimbola (Meade 74), Williams (capt), Glennon, Gyamfi (Obeng 85), O’Keefe (Creary 59), Hadi (Wilson 78), Allen, Skyers, Unused subs: none

Referee:  Kieran Forrest

Cards:  Yellow:  TELFORD:  Storer (43)         ST IVES: Mensah (52)       

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Josh Allen

Attendance:  1012