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

The thoughts of Ives manager Ricky Marheineke after the 3-1 home defeat to Leiston is now available to view on the club YouTube channel. The link is below.

St Ives Town 1 v Leiston 3 

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  16-11-2024

Nigel Howlett reports

Wing back Aaron Smith’s fierce early drive to net his first goal for Ives was the real bright spark of an afternoon where the hosts worked very hard but failed to find that little bit of extra quality that was needed to find a way to beat very resilient opponents. Ultimately it was Ives mistakes that ensured that it was the travelling Blues who took the spoils to stretch their unbeaten league run to seven games and take some small smidgen of revenge for last season’s thumping in this fixture.

Following last Saturdays win at play off chasing Bedford Ives went in search of more firepower and were pleased to bring in prolific marksman Josh Allen from AFC Sudbury who made his debut in this fixture replacing Albie O’Keefe who has returned to Stevenage where he is an integral part of their FA Youth Cup side. The only other change from last weekend’s successful line up was an enforced one with Jernade Meade away on international duty with Montserrat Peter Abimbola came into central midfield. Leiston manager Chris Wigger perhaps unsurprisingly named an unchanged side.

The match started in explosive style with Allen very quickly showing his prowess as provider for Smith’s opener only four minutes in. Fed into the bye line by Johnson Gyamfi’s threaded pass Allen had the presence of mind to pick out Smith in space at the back of the box with his pull back. Smith certainly seized the opportunity thumping his first time effort into the roof of the net past the despairing dive of Billy Johnson in the visitor’s goal.

Ives continued to press with Gyamfi and Will Glennon at the heart of their forward play. A 12^th minute interchange of passes involving those two and Amir Hadi ended with Allen firing a crisp low drive from the edge of the box that Johnson did well to keep out plunging low to his right to palm the ball away.

But the Blues were not about to lie down and allow themselves to be overrun during this early period and they carved out an excellent opportunity to equalise three minutes later. George Quantrell got away down the left and got to the bye line before picking out Jamar Loza with his pull back. Under little pressure from defenders Loza should have scored but much to Ives relief he blazed his first time effort over the top.

Back up the other end Allen again went close to a debut goal in 18^th minute. Glennon rose to flick on Dan Wilks punt and Allen pounced on to the loose ball before firing a left foot effort from just inside the box that was saved in unorthodox style by the feet of keeper Johnson.

Next came what proved to be the incident which may well have changed the course of the game as the attacking fulcrum in the centre of Ives midfield Gyamfi succumbed to an injury picked up in the visitor’s 15^th minute attack. Gyamfi was replaced by Ethan Creary with Kymani Skyers moving up into midfield. But Skyers is more a dynamic midfielder than a man to thread the crucial pass and as Gyamfi departed so did Ives attacking threat for the remainder of the first half.

From that point midway through the first half the Blues began to get on top and it was only a matter of time before they started to create opportunities. Ollie Saunders fired a 23^rd minute effort across the face of goal from the left corner of the box after he had latched onto Loza’s cross from the right. Four minutes later Quantrell and Loza combined well on the right with Wilks being forced to parry the latter’s fierce drive away. A 37^th minute Fraser Alexander free kick from the right was headed just wide at the near post by Ben Fowkes.

The equaliser did eventually arrive six minutes before the break as Quantrell and Loza again combined well through the right channel. But keeper Wilks will be a little disappointed as Loza’s eventual shot from just outside the box seemed to squirm under his dive on its way into the back of the net.

The second half started as the first had ended with the visitors on top. Wilks was called into action only forty seconds after the restart as he reacted well to parry Ismael Botelho Fatadjo’s fierce drive and his defenders came to his aid to block away Fowkes follow up effort. Wilks did well again three minutes later as he blocked Fowkes close range effort with his body after a corner from the right had dropped at the centre forwards feet at the back post.

Ives raids at this point in the game were sporadic but still threatening and it took a fantastic diving save from the acrobatic Johnson to keep out Skyers thunderbolt from fully thirty yards after a corner had been cleared to the powerful midfielder in 51^st minute.

Back at the other end it took a brave save from Wilks to save the blushes of Creary three minutes later. The defender’s attempted header back to his keeper dropped woefully short and Fowkes seized on the ball but Wilks was out swiftly and spread himself to make the block at point blank range. The Ives keeper was in action again three minutes later leaping high to his left to tip over Quantrell’s rising drive from the edge of the box after the Blues striker had been fed in through the left channel by Loza.

The Blues made their comeback complete by going in front on the hour but it is another goal that Ives will want to forget. Saunders and Quantrell combined down the left with the latter delivering a low cross into the centre that Wilks dived to claim only to have the ball taken away from him by a defender. Loza gratefully seized onto the gift and lofted the loose ball into the empty net.

Ives tried to lift themselves to get back on terms. Abimbola picked out Allen in space on the right and the pacy number ten cut inside before firing in an effort from the edge of the box that was straight at Johnson who made a comfortable save. But the visitors were still looking very dangerous on the break and in 67^th minute Wilks had to be alert to dash of his line and dive in at the feet of Loza to deny the striker his hat trick.

The 81st minute was packed with action at both ends of the park with Johnson again thwarting Ives efforts to grab an equaliser. He reacted brilliantly to tip over Glennon’s close range flick to Smith’s long throw from the left. Alex Collard rose highest to Smith’s resulting corner but the Ives skipper’s header was straight into the hands of the waiting keeper. Johnson’s quick throw out then puts Botelho Fatadjo away only for the speedy wide man to be denied by a brave close range block from Wilks.

With the clock ticking down manager Ricky Marheineke threw on all of the remaining attacking options from his bench with Coree Wilson replacing Abimbola and Silvano Obeng coming on for Creary. But even with four strikers now on the pitch Ives struggled to create any clear cut chances. The only one which came their way in the remaining time was in 86^th minute when Smith’s cross from the left deflected off a defender and fell at the feet of Collard at the back post. But the skipper got the ball stuck in his feet and the shot when it eventually came lacked sufficient power to beat Johnson.

With everyone being thrown forward in the vain search for an equaliser it was probably inevitable that the visitors would manage to kill the game off in added time. The Blues went close to that clincher in forth added minute when it took a full length diving save from Wilks to keep out Loza’s effort from the edge of the box and substitute Albie Armin fired his follow up effort wide. Two minutes later that final nail was driven into Ives coffin as Armin broke away down the left and cut inside before firing high past Wilks to ensure that the three points were on their way back to the Suffolk coast.

Final Score:  St Ives Town  1   Leiston  3                Half Time 1 – 1

Goals:

ST IVES: Smith 4,

LEISTON: Loza 39, 60, Armin 90+6

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Wilks, Mensah (Adegbola 70), Smith, Abimbola (Wilson 70), Williams, Collard (capt), Gyamfi (Creary 21, Obeng 89), Glennon, Hadi, Allen, Skyers, Unused subs: none

LEISTON: Johnson, Hill (capt) (Clements 80), Saunders, Ross Jarvis, Curtis (Manley 70), Jackson (Yun 70), Botelho-Fatadjo (Armin 87), Alexander, Fowkes, Quantrell, Loza, Unused subs: Ryan Jarvis

Referee:  Thomas Whay

Cards:  Yellow:  ST IVES:  Collard (37)     LEISTON: Loza (31)     

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Will Glennon

Attendance:  324

The official matchday magazine for the home league clash against Leiston is now available to download. Inside our 41 page publication this week:

• A match report from our last home game against Redditch
• The latest round-up from around the league
• A look back to last season when the Ives hit five against Leiston
• And we introduce the latest new signings Coree Wilson and Amir Hadi

PLUS lots more. The link to download the match programme is HERE

St Ives Town are delighted to announce the signing of Josh Allen. Josh is a centre forward, and arrives at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road from AFC Sudbury.

Josh, 20, started out at Luton Town as a youngster and was at Kenilworth Road for a total of 10 years. He first joined Sudbury on loan from the Hatters in February and scored eight goals between then and the end of the season as Sudbury avoided relegation on the last day of the campaign.

One of his last appearances for Sudbury was in a Suffolk Premier Cup tie where he scored a hat-trick against Hadleigh United. Josh will be available for selection for the Ives home game against Leiston tomorrow afternoon at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road.

Bedford Town 0 St Ives Town 3

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  09-11-2024

Nigel Howlett reports from the New Eyrie

Another thoroughly professional performance saw Ives claim all three points off the play-off chasing Eagles. Every player did their job to ensure a third clean sheet out of four tough games on the road but the real eye catcher was debutant striker Amir Hadi who proved a real handful for the Eagles back line the only blot on his copybook being a needless yellow card for pulling back Scott Thomas in midfield with plenty of cover in place to deal with the hosts attack.

The game started with the previously free scoring Eagles on the front foot. Leon Lobjoit blazed a fourth minute effort inches over from the corner of the box and it took a brilliantly timed recovery tackle from Benji Mensah to prevent the host’s skipper Ryan Blake getting a run on goal three minutes later.

Ives were coping well with this early pressure with the back three of Kymani Skyers, Jordan Williams and skipper Alex Collard well backed up by team mates ensuring that keeper Dan Wilks was not really troubled until 16^th minute when he did well to cling onto a fierce drive from the edge of the box by Lobjoit. The chance arriving as the Eagles striker pounced on a wayward pass from Albie O’Keefe before powering forward.

Both sides had a long thrower in their armoury and the next two opportunities both came courtesy of the missiles that they were launching into the opposition box. Carl Mensah rose highest to get on the end of Sam Brown’s 23^rd minute howitzer for the hosts. But the big man up from the back failed to direct his header on target.

Five minutes later it was Aaron Smith’s turn to hurl one in for Ives. Collard won the flick at the near post to present Williams with a chance that he really should have scored. Three yards out with only the keeper to beat, directing the ball left, or right of him would have seen the ball in the net but the big centre back’s header bounced away of the chest of a much relieved Nathan Macdonald who had made his first save of the game without really knowing a lot about it.

Just after the half hour it was Wilks turn to earn his corn as he pulled off a remarkable double save to preserve his clean sheet. Lobjoit got on the end of Kyle Connolly’s teasing free kick from the left and directed his close range header downwards only to be denied by the outstretched leg of Wilks. Carl Mensah pounced on the loose ball and lashed it goalwards but Ives custodian was equal to the effort plunging low to his right he not only saved but hung onto the effort.

Ives took the lead in composed style ten minutes before the break. Hadi did well initially to take down a long punt from Wilks and there followed a series of passes across the face of the Eagles box before Benji Mensah eventually laid it into the path of Will Glennon in a little space 25 yards from goal. That space was just enough to allow Ives powerful midfielder to look up and pick his spot curling the ball into the top corner just beyond the outstretching fingers of Macdonald who was perhaps a little slow to react.

Now with their noses in front it was Ives who started the second half on the front foot. Only three minutes after the restart Jernade Meade’s threaded through ball put Hadi clear to the bye line. His pull back ricocheted across the box before falling to Smith 16 yards out at the back post. But the wing back snatched at the chance firing well over the top.

But the all important second did arrive for Ives in 53^rd minute. Wilks again played an important part in the goal. The keeper reacting brilliantly to keep out Ed Gyamfi’s powerful low drive from the edge of the box. From that save the ball was quickly channelled to the other end where half time substitute Peter Abimbola laid it into the feet of Hadi and his delicate clip over the top put Johnson Gyamfi clear. With defenders quickly closing him down the Ives midfielder still had a lot to do but he kept his cool and turned inside Carl Mensah before beating the exposed Macdonald low to his left from just inside the box.

Now two goals to the good the visitors were expecting to absorb a little more pressure and that did come with shots from Ed Gyamfi and substitute Albert Wood flying harmlessly across the face of Ives goal in a five minute spell just after the hour.

But as the hosts continued to press forward in search of a root back into the game it left them vulnerable to counter attacks from their pacy visitors. Substitute Coree Wilson should have made it three with ten minutes to go. Put clear by Abimbola he got his attempted clip past the fast advancing Macdonald just a little to close to the keeper who got just enough of a touch to divert the ball past the post.

Lobjoit was still looking the biggest threat for the Eagles and only ninety seconds later he forced another good save out of Wilks pouncing on a loose ball to fire in a rising drive from just outside the box that Ives custodian leapt high to his right to tip over.

But as time ticked down the hosts seemed to realise that it was not going to be their day and even the prospect of an added eight minutes did not seem to lift them. A frustrated Thomas took down Benji Mensah just outside the box in the first of those added minutes allowing quite a chunk of that time to be used up. Meade tried to curl the resulting free kick up and over the Eagles five man wall. The shot got over the wall comfortably but did not trouble Macdonald as it sailed over the crossbar.

However Macdonald quickly became a very troubled man three minutes later as under pressure from Wilson he made the huge error of handling Brown’s chipped back pass. Referee Neil Fyfield was right on the spot to see the mistake and was quick on the whistle. A whole lot more of those eight minutes was used up as the Eagles lined up their whole side on the goal line to try and keep out the indirect free kick from seven yards. They were unsuccessful as Meade tapped the ball sideways to Wilson who lashed it home as the crowd on the line broke up.

That goal perhaps not unsurprisingly prompted a mass exodus of home supporters from within the healthy crowd of over 800. It was the small contingent of travelling Ives fans who were left to celebrate this excellent victory with their heroes. The result knocks the Eagles out of the play off places and sees Ives move back into the top ten now only two points behind their hosts and four points off the top five.

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

Goals:

ST IVES: Glennon 35, Gyamfi 53, Wilson 90+5

Team Line Ups:

BEDFORD: Macdonald, Odell-Bature (Soulya-Osekanongo 57), Brown, Thomas, C. Mensah, Green, Connolly (Wood 61), Simmons, E. Gyamfi (Hall 65), Lobjoit, Blake (capt), Unused subs: Dudley, Wilson-Braithwaite

ST IVES: Wilks, B. Mensah, Smith, Meade, Williams, Collard (capt), J. Gyamfi, Glennon, Hadi (Wilson 78), Skyers, O’Keefe (Abimbola 46) Unused subs: Creary, Adegbola, Obeng

Referee:  Neil Fyfield

Cards:  Yellow:  BEDFORD:  Connolly (51)     ST IVES: Hadi (61), Meade (80)       

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Amir Hadi

Attendance:  807

Supporters should note that the home Boxing Day clash against Royston Town has a new kick-off time. The clash with the Crows will now kick-off at 1:00pm at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road.

Elsewhere, the Ives have been drawn away to Eynesbury Rovers in the semi-finals of the Hunts Senior Cup. The match will take place at Hall Road on Tuesday 21 January 2025 with a 7:45pm kick-off.

St Ives Town 0 v Redditch United 3

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  02-11-2024

Nigel Howlett reports

The in-form Reds claimed their sixth win out of seven games on the road as they saw off a below par Ives with a burst of three well taken goals in a fifteen minute spell at the start of the second half. The win keeps the visitors in third place just one point off table toppers Kettering Town who were otherwise engaged taking down near neighbours Northampton Town in First Round Proper of FA Cup.

Ives welcomed new centre forward Coree Wilson but try as he might to impress on his debut the powerful striker was kept in check by Reds centre back pairing of George Burroughs and Kyle Rowley. The visitors took no prisoners all over the park giving Ives no time to settle at all and equally taking no chances at the back going long ball at every opportunity and then snapping in to pick up the pieces as they fell. Not the prettiest football to watch but very effective particularly away from home.

The visitor’s tactics were clear to see right from the off when keeper Callum Smith’s first punt of the afternoon on an almost windless day sailed through to his opposite number Dan Wilks. Wilks was the first keeper to be called into meaningful action in eighth minute when Johnny Johnston latched onto a knock down to send in a low drive from the edge of the box that Wilks held onto well low to his right.

Ives matched their opponents for hard work throughout the stop/start first half which was punctuated by 23 free kicks. One of those lead to Ives almost getting their noses in front in 19^th minute. Amaru Kaunda was brought down Rowley 25 yards from goal on the right side of the box. Will Glennon struck the free kick which ricocheted off the Reds defensive wall straight to the feet of Jernade Meade inside the D. His first time effort was not struck cleanly but it found a way through the crowded box and was destined for the bottom corner of the net before Smith pulled off the save of the game hurling himself full length to his right to tip the effort around the post.

Yet another of those many free kicks before the break lead to the visitor’s best chance in 24^th minute. George Atwal’s deep delivery from the left picked out Burroughs who had crept around the back. The big centre back’s header down landed at the feet of Jaiden White eight yards out and the Reds number eleven should have done better but he failed to make a clean contact and presented Wilks with a comfortable save.

Three minutes later Ives best move of the game carved out their best chance of the afternoon. Meade’s excellent cross field ball picked out Benji Mensah in space on the right. His first time ball into the box fed into the well timed run of Kaunda. The striker just beat Smith to the ball and managed to lift it over the spreading keeper but just past the post.

Ives had one more opportunity ten minutes before the break as Kaunda picked up a ball forty yards from goal in a central position but with Wilson to his left waiting for the ball to play him in the youngster tried to go for glory and let fly a shot from 20 yards that clattered off a defender straight into the waiting hands of Smith.

This was one game where both sides needed to be on their A game throughout to get a result but sadly Ives spent the first fifteen minutes after the break in a torpor and were duly punished by their very hard working opponents. The opener came only ninety seconds after the restart when Ethan Creary misjudged a long ball and Johnston latched onto it in a flash bursting clear to finish well past the exposed Wilks.

Only six minutes later the visitors made it two. A pacy run from White down the right saw him burst past David Adegbola and deliver a low cross to the near post where Billy Shaw got across his man to thump home from close range.

The frustrations were showing for Ives and Glennon was perhaps a little fortunate to only pick up a yellow card as he lunged in on Brad Burton right in front of referee Zachary Cunningham. Those frustrations were added to just after the hour as Adegbola took down Shaw just outside the box on the right allowing White to claim the goal of the day accolade as he whipped the resulting free kick around Ives four man wall and into the top corner just out of reach of the fingers of the diving Wilks.

Ives manager Ricky Marheineke made the decisive move of throwing skipper Alex Collard up front with 17 minutes to go to give the Reds centre back pairing a new challenge. Collard did manage to win a few flicks against his rugged opponents, but no one managed to latch onto them.

The hosts only real chance of a consolation did not arrive until the 89^th minute when substitute Aaron Smith delivered a perfect teasing cross from the left that arrived at the feet of Collard by the penalty spot but as he went for the ball the Ives skipper somehow managed to get tangled up with his team mate Jordan Williams the end result being that neither player managed to get a shot away.

The result sees Ives drop one place to mid table eleventh. The worry may be that lapse which allowed the Reds to take the game away from them. No longer the free scoring side of last season they now find themselves a side who must ensure that they keep their concentration throughout to prevent their opposition scoring to ensure that a single goal can glean full reward. Next chance to get back on track is next Saturday when they make the short trip to face the divisions leading scorers fifth placed Bedford Town at the Eyrie.  

Final Score:  St Ives Town   0   Redditch United   3          Half Time  0 – 0

Goals:

ST IVES:

REDDITCH: Johnston 47, Shaw 53, White 61

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Wilks, Creary (Skyers 73), Adegbola (Smith 62), Meade, Williams, Collard (capt), Gyamfi (Abimbola 46), Glennon, Wilson, Kaunda, Mensah, Unused subs: Hottor

REDDITCH: Smith, Burton, Atwal, Burroughs (Fitzgerald 88), Rowley (capt), Dawkins, Onabirekhanlen (Cameron 77), Shaw, Ram, White (Leydon 81), Johnston (Davidson-Miller 73), Unused subs: Flanagan

Referee:  Zachary Cunningham

Cards:  Yellow:  ST IVES: Meade (28), Glennon (56)        REDDITCH:   none    

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Jernade Meade

Attendance:  335

Our official matchday magazine for the home clash with Redditch this afternoon is now available to read. Inside our 45 page publication this week.

• A report of our 0-0 draw with Sudbury last week
• We take a look at the latest news from around the league
• A look back at when the Ives secured a memorable 2-0 victory over our opponents last season
• And our popular matchday quiz, Ten to Tackle returns for another week

PLUS lots more. It’s FREE to download and the link is HERE

St Ives Town Football Club have today completed the signing of striker Coree Wilson.

Coree joins from Hitchin Town where he has been a regular for the Canaries this season, scoring six goals in all competitions including a brace in a 2-2 against Royston.

Prior to joining Hitchin, he played for Biggleswade United where he was a prolific striker, scoring over 30 goals last season which saw him collect both the Managers and Players Player of the Year awards.

Coree will be available for selection for the home league against Redditch United on Saturday afternoon.

Huntingdon Town 1 v St Ives Town 5

Huntingdonshire FA Senior Cup – Quarter Final  29-10-2024

Nigel Howlett reports from Jubilee Park

Four goals in eight minutes late in the first half saw Ives canter into the semi-finals of the Huntingdonshire FA Senior Cup for another year. The disappointment, and something for gallant step six strugglers Huntingdon to celebrate, will be the lapse in concentration late on which let Raj Badiani in to score the first goal that the all conquering visitors have conceded in the competition in six years.

It is always hard to motivate a side for a game where on paper they are expected to win by a cricket score and sure enough Ives started slowly with Dan Wilks being forced into an excellent save to prevent the visitors going in front after nine minutes. Kass Rajani and Ahri Chaddah combined well down the left before the latter picked out Ian King with a cross field ball. King’s clip to the back post was met on the volley by Marley Manser who was only denied by a brilliant reaction save from Wilks.

Will Glennon came within inches of putting Ives ahead in their first real attack four minutes later. Johnson Gyamfi danced down the right and delivered a cross into the mix that was only half cleared to Glennon on the edge. His careful curler looked destined for the top corner but struck the underside of the crossbar and was hacked away. The resulting throw in was hurled into the mix by Aaron Smith and bounced up for Kymani Skyers to get a header on target that was headed off the line by Ben Burton.

Ives then went into a period where they enjoyed a large percentage of the possession but were being kept at bay by the hard working Hunters. But as the half wore on the visitors began to wear down their opponents and chances began to appear. Amaru Kaunda was proving a handful for the hosts back line and in 26^th minute he managed to get away down the left. His ball into the centre found the feet of Silvano Obeng who unselfishly knocked it on to David Adegbola arriving at the back post but the angle was to narrow and his first time effort was deflected into the side netting.

The opening goal arrived six minutes later when Aaron Smith was given acres of space on the left. He took his time and served up a delightful chip to the back post that Kaunda cleverly headed back across the exposed keeper Oliver Steinke to find the back of the net. After defending so well for the opening half hour conceding one goal suddenly seemed to open the flood gates. Kaunda should have made it two only sixty seconds later fed through by a precise pass from Ethan Cleary he turned back inside before guiding his shot past keeper Steinke but just the wrong side of the post.

The second goal arrived in 36^th minute when Kaunda was again fed through and this time rounded Steinke before keeping his cool and picking out Glennon arriving in the centre. The bustling midfielder made no mistake prodding home from close range. Number three arrived only 50 seconds later as Adegbola burst down the right before picking out Glennon again arriving in the centre. His header was on target but keeper Steinke looked like he had it covered until defender Dylan Hughes intervened to direct the ball in the opposite corner of the net.

Obeng should have made it four, three minutes later as Smith served up the opportunity on a plate for the big man. Again left in acres of space on the left edge of the box the wing back picked out the unmarked Obeng at the back post. But the big striker failed to get over his header and directed the ball over the top from eight yards. By this time though chances were coming like buses and Obeng made up for his miss only seconds later. Adegbola cut out a poor pass out of defence and got away down the right again. His pull back found Glennon on the edge of the box. The midfielders low drive was turned home at close range by a relieved Obeng.

There were still more opportunities to add to the score before the break. Kaunda had a goal bound effort headed off the line by Jay Taylor and Adegbola had a close range shot turned away by the diving Steinke.

The question at half time was would Ives really put their foot down and try to crush their gallant opponents or would they ease off the gas and coast through the second half. They certainly started well lead by Kaunda who was still searching for more goals. Peter Abimbola fed him through on the right two minutes after the restart and the lively strikers pull back picked out half time substitute Benji Mensah on the edge of the box. But the young wing back’s shot was well held by Steinke.

Kaunda’s next effort stunned everyone as he conjured up a rocket from absolutely nothing. Side stepping on the left corner of the box he let fly a fierce effort that flew past the startled Steinke and rattled first crossbar and then post before rebounding away. A double opportunity fell to Kaunda in 51^st minute. Put clear by Glennon his initial shot was blocked by Steinke with the rebound going back to the feet of the lively striker but this time he snatched at the chance from a narrow angle and fired over.

In a rare sortie for the Hunters Manser spurned a good chance for the hosts firing wide after being put through by King in 53^rd minute. Back up the other end and it was Gyamfi’s chance to shine as twice in succession he danced his way past defenders to the edge of the hosts box. First time in 62^nd minute he saw his curling effort pushed away at full stretch by Steinke. Seven minutes later he repeated the run but this time slid the ball into the feet of Kaunda who skilfully flicked it past the exposed Steinke to increase the advantage to five.

Gyamfi again failed to hit the target from a good position, firing well over from 20 yards having exchanged passes with Glennon with fifteen minutes to go. Then came the lapse in concentration to let the Hunters grab a consolation goal. Substitute Badiani found space in the centre to pick up a loose ball and punish Ives beating the exposed Wilks from just outside the box.

That was never going to be more than a consolation but it lifted the hosts and Badiani was again involved six minutes later when Chaddah tested Wilks at his near post with a powerful low drive that the keeper did well to cling onto.

There was a final chance for Ives to add a sixth with five minutes to go but they were denied by a brilliant double save from Steinke. The keeper initially dived low to his right to keep out a well struck shot from the edge by Kaunda. Mensah pounced on the loose ball and looked like he must score by Steinke recovered quickly to dive in and bravely block at the youngster’s feet. The ball again rebounded into play and Glennon fired in another follow up that deflected wide off the covering Taylor.

Overall job done with some players who have been on the fringes of the side or working their way back in after injury getting good game time. Newcomer Glennon getting a further chance to integrate into the side and youngsters Jamari Hart and Jacob Dickson making their first team debuts as second half substitutes. Ives will take their place in the semi-final draw alongside St Neots Town, Eynesbury Rovers and Eaton Socon and will once again be the team that the others want to avoid.

Final Score:  Huntingdon Town   1   St Ives Town   5              Half Time  0 – 4

Goals:

HUNTINGDON: Badiani 77

ST IVES: Kaunda 32, 69, Glennon 36, Hughes (own goal) 37, Obeng 40

Team Line Ups:

HUNTINGDON: Steinke, Hughes (Greviskis 66), Burton, Taylor, Chaddah, Quintero, Morton (Hutt 86), King (capt), Rajani, Manser (Badiani 69), Mendy (Allen 63), Unused subs: none

ST IVES: Wilks, Creary (Hart 69), Smith, Skyers, Williams (capt), Gyamfi (Dickson 75), Abimbola, Glennon, Obeng, Kaunda, Adegbola (Mensah 46), Unused subs: Collard, Meade

Referee:  Ryan Andrews

Cards:  Yellow:  HUNTINGDON: Burton (45)      ST IVES: none       

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Amaru Kaunda

Attendance:  83