St Ives Town can confirm that Jake Hutchings has left the club.

Jake, a defender, signed for the Ives from Coalville during last season and in recent weeks had agreed terms for the new season.

However, subsequent relocation to Scotland has meant he has had to leave the club and has joined Lowland League side Tranent FC. Everyone at St Ives Town would like to thank Jake for his time at the club and wish him well for the future.

Since our last update, there have been more squad announcements ahead of the new season. So in case you haven’t seen news on social media, the following are the latest to agree terms with the Ives for the new campaign.

Ed Hottor

Jake Hutchings

Paddy Casey

Johnny Herd

Johnny missed large chunks of last season with injury but is back for the 2024/25 campaign. He joined the Ives in the summer of 2022 from Peterborough Sports, and will be looking to keep injury free and be a regular in the Ives starting line-up.

Greg Kaziboni

The four above mentioned players join skipper Michael Richens, defender Jordan Williams, and striker Jonny Edwards who had already earlier agreed to be with the Ives for next season.

As reported on social media earlier this week, St Ives Town manager Ricky Marheineke has started to announce players who will be returning to the club for the 2024/25 season. So far, there have been 3 players who confirmed that they will be part of the Ives squad for the new season.

Jordan Williams

Jonny Edwards

Michael Richens

More squad announcements will be made in due course, so make sure you check the club social media channels and website for all the very latest news.

After the last league game against Alvechurch on Saturday, St Ives Town Football Club made a special presentation to manager Ricky Marheineke and goalkeeping coach, Paul Swannell to mark their 10^th anniversary at the club.

Ricky joined the Ives as manager in 2014.  Previously, he was manager of Huntingdon Town and with the support of Paul dragged the club off the bottom of Division One of the United Counties League to the very top of that division in one full season.  In their first season in the Premier Division, the club finished fourth.

Midway through the following season Ricky decided to leave Huntingdon and move to Histon, leaving his assistant Seb Hayes to take control at Jubilee Park but Paul made the move with Ricky to join the Stutes.

The stay at Histon lasted until May 2014 when the pair decided to make the move to St Ives to take over the fantastic work of Jez Hall and Warren Everdell.  They started their tenure with a solid ninth-place finish in the Southern League Division One Central.  The second season was marked by a significant achievement, leading The Ives to earn promotion courtesy of a play-off victory against AFC Rushden & Diamonds.

This success saw the team advance to step three, where they have since maintained steady progress, highlighted by a 15th place finish in their first season at that level and finishing as runners-up in the League Challenge Cup Final.

The 2017/18 season proved challenging for Ricky and the team, but they rebounded strongly in the 2018/19 season, recording what was until this season the club’s most successful season to date by finishing 13th. This upward trajectory has been sustained and the club has remained in step three since and this season finished with a place in the top 10, the highest ever finish for the club at that level.

Ives Chairman Paul Reason said “With Ricky and Paul being with the club for ten years we felt it was important that we marked this milestone.  Ricky is one of the longest serving managers at this level of football and the loyalty, dedication, and enthusiasm that both him and Paul have demonstrated over the years is second to none and has been pivotal to the club becoming an established step three team”.

To mark their 10 years at the club, the Ives Chairman along with Director Gary Clarke presented Ricky and Paul with a cake and some commemorative signed shirts from the current Ives squad.

St Ives Town 3 v Alvechurch 2 

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  27-04-2024

Nigel Howlett reports

Ives concluded their best ever season at step three with another hugely entertaining encounter and although all of the goals came in the last twenty minutes this end to end game could easily have seen more than the five that made up the result. With Dan Barton out with injury manager Ricky Marheineke again went with the bold attacking 4-3-3 formation that had entertained us last week at Halesowen.

That formation may have been thrown very early on with Luke Harris picking up an injury that saw him leave the arena midway through the first half to be replaced by fit again Johnny Herd, but the experienced full back slotted perfectly into the centre of the park and very quickly looked at home there whilst also giving Ives an alternative long thrower as well as free kick and corner taker.

The game started in the way that it was going to continue with Jake Hutchings doing very well to help out his fellow centre back Jordan Williams by sliding in to make a brave block of Jaanai Gordon’s fierce seventh minute drive after the Church centre forward had robbed Williams just outside the box and driven in on goal. The resulting corner saw the ball fed back to Nick Clayton-Phillips who unleashed a screamer from the corner of the box that beat the diving Sam Bentley but just scraped over the crossbar.

Ives thought that they had grabbed the lead three minutes later. Skipper Michael Richens unleashed a dipping, swerving, pile driver from 30 yards out that screamed past the despairing dive of Church keeper Ronnie Hollingshead, thudded the crossbar and looped high into the air. Jonny Edwards was first to react nodding home the dropping ball only to have his celebration interrupted by the assistant’s upraised flag.

Unusual to say this season, but Edwards should probably have done better with a 23^rd minute chance set up by Myles Cowling. The Ives busy midfielder robbed a dallying Dylan Mitchell deep inside his own half, the ball was fed inside to Amaru Kaunda who in turn fed in Edwards through the right channel. But with only keeper Hollingshead to beat the Ives striker fired his effort wide of the far post.

It took a brilliant flying save from Bentley to maintain the parity in 33^rd minute. Dylan Allen-Hadley cut in from the left and let fly an effort from just outside the box that looked destined for the top corner before being diverted over the top by the acrobatic Bentley. The resulting Clayton-Phillips corner led to a scramble in the Ives box that ended with Ethan Patterson stabbing the ball into the side netting from close range.

Ives got the ball in the net for a second time in 37^th minute. A brilliant flowing move involving Edwards and Richens ended with the latter picking out Theo Alexandrou with a brilliant cross field ball and the young striker finished well only to become the second player of the game to have his celebration terminated by the assistant’s upraised flag.

The game continued in the same vein with both sides going close again in the closing stages of the first half. Richens had a 39^th minute shot deflected wide. Jake Hutchings rose highest to win the resulting corner at the back post but could only direct his header wide of the post. The last opportunity before the break fell to the visitors but Clayton-Phillips fired his 25 yard free kick well over the top to take the game into half time goalless.

As has often been the case of late Ives lifted their game at the start of the second period and had Alexandrou got a better first touch to Herd’s 49^th minute clip over the top he would have got clear but he gave Hollingshead chance to react and slide in to claim the ball.

But even as Ives looked to build the pressure the visitors were still looking dangerous on the break. Bentley had to be at his best to deny Allen-Hadley again two minutes later as the young wide man again cut in from the left and fired in a powerful low right footed effort that Bentley was forced to push away at full stretch low to his left.

The hosts came with millimetres of going in front in 54^th minute when they hit the woodwork for the second time in the game. The chance was created by the brilliance of Alexandrou as he cleverly drew in and then beat Archie Crowther by the corner flag before setting off along the goal line. His pull back picked out Cowling in a little bit of space just inside the box. The young midfielder coolly tried to pick his spot around the covering defenders and he almost got it right but his shot rebounded off the crossbar. Richens pounced on the loose ball but could only fire straight into the hands of a well positioned Hollingshead.

Another Herd corner caused problems for the visitors two minutes later as again Hutchings managed to lose his man to get in a header at the back post but this time his effort was hacked away from just in front of the goal line by Crowther.

Church manager James Fry made his first change in 63^rd minute replacing Daniele Reka with Finley Thorndike and that change had an almost instant impact as Thorndike almost scored with his first touch. Fed in by Clayton-Phillips, his shot from just outside the box beat the diving Bentley but clipped the outside of the post. Only seconds later the young substitute had another opportunity. This time teed up by Gordon for a fierce drive that stung the hands of Bentley as the keeper parried it away.

At the other end Ives leading scorer Edwards continued his quest to finish the season with 30 league goals to his name and he twice went close in 67^th minute. Initially robbing Josh Dugmore he fired in a low 25 yarder that forced Hollingshead into a diving save low to his right. Then getting on the end of Richens in-swinging corner but steering his near post header over the top.

The goal that had been threaten all afternoon finally arrived with eighteen minutes to go. Keeper Hollingshead decided to come for Herd’s long throw and he managed to get a fist on it over the crowd at the near post. But his punch lacked power and was poorly directed falling at the feet of Richens who slammed it home first time from 15 yards.

Just like buses, having waited so long for one to come along a second followed it almost immediately. Richens was the provider this time as he clipped a ball past a static Patterson to put Edwards through. The big man claimed his 29^th of the season as he just beat the on rushing Hollingshead to the ball to poke it past him then calmly rolled it into the empty net.

Now two in front and well in control Richens had a chance to make it three in 75^th minute when Patterson clumsily upended Alexandrou inches outside the box in a central position. The skipper tied to repeat his brilliant free kick at Barwell earlier in the month. But this one was a little to close and although he got it over the four man wall he was unable to get it down quickly enough.

Just when it looked like Ives were coasting a little bit of brilliance from Gordon suddenly turned the game on its head. Kartell Dawkins got away down the right and delivered a tempting cross to the near post where Gordon met it perfectly with an acrobatic flying scissor kick that fired the ball past Bentley from twelve yards.

The hosts then needlessly conceded a penalty to level things up with nine minutes to go. Once more the move came down the right with Allen-Hadley trying to run onto Dawkins ball into the box. Even if he had got to it the young winger was going away from goal towards the corner flag but Bentley rashly slid in from behind him to try and claim the ball only to give away the spot kick. Gordon sent Bentley the wrong way to level things up. Now very much game on.

But Ives were not done and an 85^th minute corner was half cleared to the edge of the box where Cowling came in at pace to attack the dropping ball only to be taken down clumsily by Clayton-Phillips. Referee Ashley Butler was in the perfect position to see the point of contact and decided that this time it was inside the box. Edwards presented with the opportunity to claim his 30^th of the season was calmness personified from the spot sending Hollingshead the wrong way to end Ives season on a high.

So ends the Ives best ever season at step three. First ever top ten finish (ninth), record points haul (58 from 40 games), divisions leading team scorers (87) and leading individual scorer in the division Jonny Edwards (30). All that after one of the worst starts ever with only one win in the first twelve games and only six points on the board at the end of October. From that point on the team has hit play-off form and been the real entertainers of the division.

We can all hope for more of the same next season, enjoy your summer.

Final Score:  St Ives Town   3  Alvechurch   2    

Goals:

ST IVES: Richens 72, Edwards 73, 86 (pen)

ALVECHURCH: Gordon 80, 81 (pen)

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Bentley, Casey, Smith, Richens (capt), Williams, Hutchings, Alexandrou (Kaziboni 79), Cowling, Edwards, Kaunda, Harris (Herd 23), Unused subs: Fifield,

ALVECHURCH: Hollingshead, Dugmore (capt), Dyer, Mitchell, Paterson, Crowther, Allen-Hadley, Clayton-Phillips, Gordon, Dawkins, Reka (Dawkins 63), Unused subs: Ofosu, Hallahan, Cassidy, Carter

Cards:   Yellow:  ST IVES: Richens (24)       ALVECHURCH: none

SPONSORS MAN OF THE MATCH: Jonny Edwards

Attendance: 373

The match programme for the final game of the season against Alvechurch is now available to view. Inside this week:

The latest news from around the club
The match report from our defeat last weekend against Halesowen
We review the season with ten highlights of the 2023/24 campaign
We focus on our visitors from Alvechurch
And our matchday quiz ‘Ten to Tackle’ tests you knowledge on the Ives season
Plus much more. Your 46 page matchday magazine can be downloaded for free HERE

Halesowen Town 4 v St Ives Town 3

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  20-04-2024

Nigel Howlett reports from The Grove

Yet again Ives came out to entertain and on this occasion they found opponents willing to take them on toe to toe, giving the bumper West Midlands crowd an exciting afternoon in the pleasant April sunshine.

With both teams in good form each boasting five wins from their last seven games this fixture always looked likely to be a good one for the neutral and so it turned out. Whilst Ives had been scoring goals for fun in recent weeks the Yeltz had built their good run on solid performances usually leading to one goal victories. But Ives manager Ricky Marheineke was not about to set up for a cagy game and his opposite number Ross Penn rose to the challenge.

The opening minutes were generally ruled by the hosts with Kieren Donnelly firing an early opportunity wide before McKauley Manning fired the Yeltz in front in eighth minute. Kai Lissimore picked out the roving full back in space on the left edge of the box. A good first touch and a powerful low drive were sufficient to beat the diving Sam Bentley and find the bottom corner.

Ives slowly worked their way back into the game but it looked like they had suffered a serious blow to their hopes when the tricky Dan Barton picked up a knock as he tried to skip through the hosts formidable back line in 15^th minute. After treatment and a fruitless attempt to return to the fray the young midfielder limped off to be replaced by Myles Cowling.

The Yeltz should probably have doubled their lead in 25^th minute as an excellent flowing move down the left involving Manning, Donnelley and Caine Elliott ended with Miracle Okafor teeing up Lissimore but the hosts number eight snatched at the chance and fired over from a good position.

That miss proved costly as Ives, inspired by Cowling, suddenly turned the game on its head. The midfielder threaded a 27^th minute slide rule pass through the Yeltz back line to pick out the perfectly timed run of Jonny Edwards. Keeper Dan Platt came to try and slide in and claim the ball ahead of the marauding centre forward. But Edwards got enough of a touch to ensure that the sliding keeper could not hang onto the ball and then showed his killer instinct by pouncing on the loose ball and curling it into the roof of the net from the corner of the box.

Only ninety seconds later Cowling proved provider again. This time threading a ball through the centre that put the speedy Amaru Kaunda clear. He too showed the true striker’s instinct to beat the exposed Platt comprehensively from the edge of the box to put Ives in front for the first time.

But the first half entertainment was far from over as the hosts came taring back at the Ives and six minutes after going in front they found themselves pegged back. Full back Manning grabbed his second of the game curling his 25 yard free kick around Ives four man wall to beat Bentley low to his right as the keeper scrambled to get across. The free kick had been awarded when the battling Luke Harris clumsily upended Todd Parker as the midfielder tried to burrow his way through.

The game just kept on giving as Theo Alexandrou stunned the massive home crowd to silence again when he put Ives back in front with the goal of the game in 37^th minute. Michael Richens corner was powerfully met in the six yard box by Ryan Wynter but his clearing header dropped to Alexandrou fully 25 yards out. The youngster took on the dropping ball and met it perfectly beating the startled Platt low to his right with a screamer that found the corner of the net.

There was still time before the break for Ives to suffer a couple of big scares. Paddy Casey took one for the team to thwart the first of these five minutes before the break. Richens free kick from the left was cleared with Donnelley just beating Casey to the clearance on half way and touching the ball past him. A blatant body check was the only thing that prevented the pacy number eleven getting away. Fortunately for Ives referee Tom Wall deemed the foul so far away from goal that Casey could not really be considered the last man and much to the disgust of the home crowd the card shown was yellow.

The final opportunity of the half for the hosts just moments before the break came courtesy of the dangerous Manning. The roving full back again found space on the left and drew in defenders before picking out Jak Hickman in space at the back of the box. But the Yeltz winger tried to take on the effort first time and sliced well wide from just inside the box.

So a five goal first half, could the two sides keep up the entertainment level for the second period?. They certainly gave it a go. First chance of the second half fell to the hosts five minutes after the re-start with Lissimore putting Hickman away down the right and Okafor getting in front of his man at the near post to flick his effort narrowly wide.

Two minutes later at the other end Aaron Smith went close to opening his account for Ives as he got on the end of Cowling’s clever pull back from the left. But the full back’s close range effort deflected wide off a defender.

The two sides continued to trade blows and it was the Yeltz who pulled themselves level in 55^th minute. Wynter started his run to meet Hickman’s corner from the back of the box, on his way through he lost his marker before meeting the delivery to the near post perfectly and giving Bentley no chance from close range.

Ives could so easily have been back in front only four minutes later as Cowling and Edwards worked a one two through the centre, keeper Platt raced out to just beat Edwards to the return, the loose ball skewed to Kaunda on the corner of the box. But as defenders desperately raced back to cover the youngster fired wide of the empty net.

The visitors continued to probe and twice went close in 64^th minute. Initially Platt was forced to make a scrambling save after he was almost caught out by Richens 30 yarder. Only seconds later the home keeper did even better as he flung himself high to his left to fingertip over Harris’s attempted curler from 25 yards.

The value of those two saves was increased dramatically two minutes later when Hickman seized an opportunity to run at Smith down the right eventually turning inside past the full back and firing in a fierce left footer that took a deflection off the head of Jake Hutchings on its way past Bentley.

Now with their noses in front the hosts went in search of a fifth goal to kill off their tenacious visitors. Okafor went close without testing Bentley twice around the 80 minute mark. Initially outjumping Josh Tomlinson to get on the end of Hickman’s cross from the right. Then firing over from 25 yards with a chance that he created himself with a turn and shot.

But Ives were by no means done and created a series of chances in those last ten minutes, at least one of which should have been taken to get them their deserved reward from this game. The resulting Bentley goal kick from Okafor’s effort flicked off the head of Edwards to put Alexandrou away down the right. But he was unable to pick out a team mate with a low cross shot that flashed across the face of goal.

The closest Ives came to an equaliser was in 84^th minute when substitute Johnny Herd’s deep free kick was headed out of the box but fell to Richens who beat Platt with his fierce drive only to see the ball rebound to safety off the underside of the crossbar.

The visitors kept pressing, in 88^th minute Edwards held up the ball well before laying off to substitute Kai Fifield who picked out the run of Alexandrou but his tired looking shot from the edge of the box was parried away by a well positioned Platt.

The final chance for a deserved leveller came with the very last kick of the game. Bentley’s long punt deceived the Yeltz back line and bounced over the head of a defender. Cowling and Alexandrou both chased onto the ball, did they get in each other’s way?, maybe, as with only the exposed Platt to beat Cowling tamely pulled his effort wide from fifteen yards.

It was a much relieved hosts who concluded their final home game of the season with a lap lap of honour after the final whistle to thank their twelfth man, the raucous home support who had certainly enjoyed their afternoon in the sun. Let’s hope for similar weather next Saturday to give you all chance to get down to quattro-tech Westwood Road to enjoy the final bit of entertainment from the Ives for this season.

Final Score:  Halesowen Town   4   St Ives Town  3       

Goals:

HALESOWEN: Manning 8, 35, Wynter 55, Hickman 66

ST IVES: Edwards 27, Kaunda 29, Alexandrou 37

Team Line Ups:

HALESOWEN: Platt (capt), Mitchell, Manning, Parker, Wynter, Taylor (Redfern 58), Hickman, Lissimore, Okafor (Boothe 82), Elliott (Holmes 69), Donnelly, Unused subs: Ezewele, Gregory

ST IVES: Bentley, Casey, Smith (Herd 70), Richens (capt), Tomlinson, Hutchings, Barton (Cowling 17), Harris (Fifield 84), Edwards, Kaunda, Alexandrou, Unused subs: none

Cards:   Yellow:  HALESOWEN: Wynter (55), Boothe (90+5)     ST IVES: Kaunda (32), Casey (40), Fifield (87)

SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Theo Alexandrou

Attendance: 1206

St Ives Town make their final away trip of the season on Saturday when they travel to Halesowen Town.

The Ives were last in league action last Saturday when they recorded a 4-1 victory against Stourbridge at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road. Since then, the retained the Hunts Senior Cup with a midweek victory against Godmanchester Rovers.

Missing from the Ives squad will be Ed Hottor who has had surgery on an injury. But back in the squad on Tuesday night for the cup final victory was Johnny Herd who has been recalled from his loan spell with Cambridge City and looks set to be included in the squad for the trip to the Midlands. Jonny Edwards will be spearheading the Ives attack as he looks to cement his place at the top the league leading scorer charts with just two games to go. Victory for the Ives on Saturday will take them past the highest points they have gained at step three and give them a giant step towards finishing in their highest position at this level ahead of the final game of the season next season when they host Alvechurch.

Halesowen go into the game one point and one place above the Ives in 9th position in the table. The Yeltz were last in action last Saturday when they beat Hitchin 1-0 at Topfield. The win at Hitchin was one of four league games they have won from their last six outings. The two defeats coming against Mickleover and Leamington. The Yeltz will certainly be up for revenge as the Ives recorded an excellent 4-2 victory at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road back in November in the reverse fixture.

GOING TO THE GAME:

Halesowen Town FC
The Grove
Old Hawne Lane
HALESOWEN
B63 3TB

Admission Prices: Adults 12.00, Concessions £9.00

Kick-off is at 3:00pm.

St Ives Town retained the Hunts Senior Cup as they beat Godmanchester 2-0 at Huntingdon Town FC on Tuesday evening.

Ives needed penalties last year to overcome the challenge of Yaxley and it was a penalty this time that broke the deadlock when the Ives were awarded a second half spot kick that Jonny Edwards converted.  The game was made safe five minutes from time when Michael Richens found the net to ensure that the Ives retained the trophy.

The Ives Starting XI:

Bentley; Casey; Smith; Richens; Hutchings; Barton; Harris; Edwards; Cowling; Alexandrou
SUBS: Herd; Williams; Hottor; Kaunda

A reminder that it’s the final of the Hunts Senior Cup on Tuesday night, 16 April. The Ives will be looking to retain the trophy following their victory last year against Yaxley. Make sure you get down to Jubilee Park, the home of Huntingdon Town FC and cheer the boys on in their quest to win some silverware to round off the season. You can get your tickets in advance HERE The full match details are:

St Ives Town 4 v Stourbridge  1

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  13-04-2024

Nigel Howlett reports

It took a half time roasting from manager Ricky Marheineke to lift the previously soporific Ives back to their ebullient best as three second goals saw off the previously in form Glassboys. Prior to the inspirational second half performance the game had been drifting much as one might expect for an end of season encounter between two mid table sides. Ives had grabbed the lead ten minutes before the break courtesy of a brilliant run and perhaps fortunate finish from Theo Alexandrou. They also had to thank keeper Sam Bentley for preserving that advantage with an excellent low save to his right to keep out Brendon Daniels tame spot kick.

The visitors came into this game on a three game unbeaten run, still enjoying the new manager bounce since Darryl Knights took over the side at the end of March. But that bounce may have been deflated a little in the warm up when star man Alex Prosser pulled up with an injury that lead to a late change on the team sheet. To counteract that Ives were missing two of their most consistent players with Jordan Williams and Ed Hottor both suspended after picking up red cards in recent games.

The early pressure came from the Glassboys with Jake Hutchings bravely blocking a third minute strike from Kian Ryley after he had been teed up on the edge of the box by Koby Arthur. Visiting skipper Joel Kettle should also have done better with his header after he lost his man to get on the end of Daniels fifth minute corner but the big centre back failed to hit the target from ten yards.

Ives first opportunity arrived in twelth minute when Amadu Kaunda siezed on Jack Wilson’s wayward pass just outside the box. But the youngster snatched at the chance and blazed his effort well over the crossbar.

The first half then began the previously mentioned drift as both teams seemed to be enjoying the warm spring sunshine and coasting their way through the game. This mediocraty was punctuated by occassional periods of excitement mostly provided by Alexandrou who was siezing every opportunity to try his luck at getting past Wilson on the left hand side. He succeeded in showing Wilson a clean pair of heels on a couple of occassions without then providing a telling ball to pick out a team mate. But in 35^th minute the young striker picked up a ball from Myles Cowling just inside the visitors half and set off on a pacy run that saw him again get past the struggling Wilson but this time he went on, and on, eventually rounding keeper Charlie Price with a shimmy before sliding the ball goalwards from a narrow angle. A desparate attempt to get the ball off the line by Aaron Forde only succeeded in forcing it into the net but the dubious goal panel awarded it to the deserving Alexandrou.

A second goal could have arrived two minutes later when Jonny Edwards robbed a dallying Kettle on the edge of the box. The loose ball rolling to Kaunda leaving the youngster with only the exposed Price to beat but much to the chagrin of the Ives supporters behind the goal referee Matthew Fletcher deemed that Edwards had fouled the Glassboys skipper in winning the ball.

That was a moment of Edwards at his best but five minutes before the break he did not do so well as he lost possession 25 yards from the visitors goal. The move then lead to a Glassboys breakaway that ended with Daniels taken down inside the box by a combination of Josh Tomlinson and Hutchings. Referee Fletcher had no doubt and pointed to the spot. Daniels picked himself up to take the kick himself, but the effort lacked conviction allowing Bentley to make an excellent save low to his right to preserve the host’s lead at the interval.

Ives still have targets this season as they continue to hunt out their best ever finish at step three and also their quest to finish leading goalscorers in the division and Marheineke reiterated these targets to his charges at the interval. The hosts took the manager’s rallying call to heart and came out for the second half a rejuvinated team sporting a new formation with a flat back four and Luke Harris pushed forward from his wing back spot into midfield

The half was only four minutes old when Kaunda drifted between players to get a clean header onto Smith’s long throw but the younger failed to hit the target with his effort. Harris was enjoying his more forward role and he set up the next opportunity for Cowling three minutes later. But the all action midfielder blazed his effort well over the top from 25 yards.

The threat was certainly there to suggest a second goal may come and sure enough it did courtesy of leading scorer Edwards on the hour. But the goal owed a lot to both Harris and Cowling. The former burst through the centre of the park going past two players with drag backs before feeding in the run of Cowling who got to the bye line before delivering a low cross into the six yard box that Edwards gleefully thumped home.

Cowling was everywhere and he almost grabbed a goal for himself seven minutes later following a brilliant interchange of passes with Alexandrou down the left. The wide man’s final ball into the feet of a fast arriving Cowling just inside the box looked a little heavy. But the diminuative midfielder took it perefctly into his run and stabbed a shot on goal that deflected inches wide off a covering defender. Substitute Dan Barton’s inswinging corner caused panic in the Glassboys defence and as the ball bounced around their box it eventually dropped to Tomlinson inside the six yard box who depatched it high into the net to make it three.

There was a hicup in the one way tide as Ives made the classic mistake of relaxing after scoring and duly let the visitor get a goal back only sixty seconds later. Glassboys debut making substitute Diallo Boubacar ran at the host’s back line and was bundled over 25 yards from goal by Hutchings. Daniels did a lot better with the resulting free kick than he did with his earlier spot kick getting the ball up and over Ives three man wall to beat the static Bentley high to his left.

Ives quickly switched back on and the flow towards the visitors goal resumed. By this point the tricky Greg Kaziboni had joined the cause in place of the tiring Alexandrou. His battling qualities came out in 76^th minute as having lost possession to Harvey Portman he battled to win it back deep in Glassboys territory. His threaded pass put Barton away down the right. The youngster’s pull back found the feet of Edwards by the penalty spot but the big striker’s toe poked effort rolled inches wide of the post as Price scrambled across to cover.

It was Kaziboni’s turn to get on the scoresheet three minutes later and again it was his battling qualities that won him the chance as he challenged Portman for a lob over the top by Smith. The loose ball dropped to Cowling who unselfishly fed it back into the path of Kaziboni who cleverly curled it through the crowd into the bottom corner of the net past the despairing dive of Price.

The remaining time saw the visitors twice go close to a consolation goal with Wilson ghosting into the near post to get on the end of Jack Fletcher’s free kick from the right but steering his close range header wide. Daniels also had an opportunity with another free kick almost identical to the one that he scored but this time a fourth man in Ives wall denied him as his shot deflected wide of that bolstered wall.

Michael Richens had the game’s final chance two minutes into added time but his 25 yard free kick flew inches over the top.

For the records Ives have now matched their record points tally at step three still with two games to go and currently sit tenth in the table, three places above previous highest finishing position. Their four goals also leaves them on 81 goals from 38 games, five clear of next best Stamford. Still plenty to play for in those remaining two games.

Final Score:  St Ives Town   4  Stourbridge  1

Goals:

ST IVES: Alexandrou 35, Edwards 60, Tomlinson 67, Kaziboni 79

STOURBRIDGE: Daniels 69

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Bentley, Harris, Smith, Richens (capt), Casey, Hutchings, Alexandrou (Kaziboni 74), Cowling, Edwards, Kaunda (Barton 66), Tomlinson, Unused subs: none

STOURBRIDGE: Price, Flint, Portman, Forde (Walters 78), Kettle (capt), Wilson, Arthur (Boubacar 61), Fletcher, Daniels, Ryley, Bood (Cooper 89), Unused subs: Prosser, Bavanganga

Cards:   Yellow:  ST IVES:  Barton (86), Cowling (87)    STOURBRIDGE: Portman (41), Bood (45)

SPONSORS MAN OF THE MATCH: Aaron Smith

Attendance:  401

It’s the penultimate home league game of the season on Saturday as the Ives host Stourbridge at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road.

With three league matches to go, the Ives could potentially get to 61 points if they get maximum points from their remaining games. But their immediate focus will be to see if they can better 56 points which was their highest points tally since being a step three club.

IVES TEAM NEWS

Last weekend the Ives secured a last gasp victory at Barwell as a late strike from Jonny Edwards secured maximum points courtesy of a 4-3 win. In that game, Sam Bentley was back in goal after missing the Easter Monday defeat against Stamford. Elsewhere, boss Ricky Marheineke has a full compliment to choose from as they look to finish the season strongly.

INTRODUCING STOURBRIDGE

Stourbridge have have had an indifferent season in terms of league results and arrive at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road in 13th position in the table. However, they have found some form of late and are unbeaten in their last three games having taken seven points off three clubs in the top six namely Redditch, Mickleover and Leamington. After the match with the Ives tomorrow they finish their season with games against Coalville, Royston and Hitchin.

STOURBRIDGE: LAST SIX

A Alvechurch: Lost 1-0
H AFC Sudbury: Drew 1-1
H Stratford: Lost 1-0
A Redditch: Won 1-0
H Mickleover: Won 3-1
H Leamington: Drew 1-1

THE REVERSE FIXTURE

The two teams met back in December and it was Stourbridge who recorded a 2-0 victory courtesy of goals from Alex Prosser and Luke Benbow.

MATCH SPONSOR

The match on Saturday is being sponsored in memory of Brian Lawson. Brian tragically passed away in January this year, but was a big fan of the Ives and we welcome members of his family to the game and hope they enjoy watching Brian’s beloved Ives in action.

INTRODUCING OUR MATCHDAY MASCOTS

We welcome representatives from the 1st St Ives Rainbows to the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road who will be our mascots for the game. The group are members of the Girlguiding Cambridgeshire West County and the wider Girlguiding UK community.

MATCHDAY PROGRAMME

A reminder that all home matchday programmes for St Ives Town are produced online. The link to the programme for the match against Stourbridge is HERE

So come on join us at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road as the Ives host Stourbridge. Kick-off is at 3:00pm.

Barwell 3 v St Ives Town 4

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  06-04-2024

Nigel Howlett reports from Kirkby Road

Ives continue to entertain as they claimed their eighth away win of the season grabbing another four goals in the process in a game that was full value for any neutral in the crowd with seven goals, a penalty, two red cards and an injury time winner all included in the admission price. There were some quality goals particularly a Michael Richens free kick just before the break and a screamer from the hugely promising Amaru Kaunda to open his account for Ives. But to balance that there were also some moments of poor defending from both sides which on occasions lead to a few more grey hairs for those on the benches.

With a gale force wind blowing diagonally across the pitch from corner flag to corner flag the general consensus from all prior to kick off was this was likely to be a game ruined by the weather. That theory was blown out the window very early thanks to the lightning start from both sides. The hosts opened the scoring from almost their first threatening attack in only fourth minute. The evergreen Leroy Lita tempted Paddy Casey into a rash challenge just inside his own box. The clumsy tackle took down Lita and with referee Lewis Mountain with a perfect view of the incident the verdict was penalty. Canaries skipper Brady Hickey calmly waited for Sam Bentley to hurl himself to his right before rolling the ball down the centre.

Undaunted Ives got themselves back level only seven minutes later with a flowing move. Ed Hottor burst through the centre of the park before feeding the ball on to Dan Barton who in turn fed the ball into the run of Richens down the right. His first time cross picked out Jonny Edwards in space at the back post. Ives leading scorer took the ball on the volley, and it was destined for the bottom right corner of the net before deflecting off a defender and ending up going in the opposite corner.

Play settled down after that early burst with the hosts doing most of the pressing with the wind at their backs. But Ives were defending resolutely to keep them at bay. Aaron Smith did very well to prevent MJ Kamara getting on the end of Deen Master’s 18^th minute cross from the left. Bentley was called into action two minutes later as he got down smartly to his right to smother Hickey’s low drive from the edge of the box after Lita had cleverly teed up another Master ball in from the left.

The hosts forced nine corners in the first half and Ives dealt well with almost every one of them but they were caught out by a short one just after the half hour as the ball was fed back to ex Ives man Josh Flanagan who drove into the box before delivering a low cross into the mix that Lita fired against the post. Isiah Osbourne reacted first firing home the loose ball from eight yards to put the Canaries back in front.

Once more Ives reacted well to falling behind. A half chance came and went only three minutes later as Edwards did well to keep alive a Smith long throw that had got right through the goalmouth and out the other side. The striker clipped the ball back across goal where a stretching Josh Tomlinson won the ball but could only fire it into the side netting.

Sure enough Ives did get back on level terms before the break. Dan Barton burst through the centre on one of his trademark jinking runs and was crudely taken down by a clumsy challenge from Kamara to earn the hosts number seven his first yellow card of the afternoon and set up an opportunity for skipper Richens. Despite the Canaries setting up a five man wall Richens managed to get the ball up and down over it to find the top corner just beyond the desperate clutching fingers of diving goalkeeper Will Brook.

Both sides made changes at the break with Ives forced to replace the injured Barton with Kaunda and Canaries manager Jimmy Ginnelly replacing wing back Master with Micah Edwards and the ineffective Tristan Dunkley with Jahvan Davidson-Miller at centre forward.

Now with the wind in their favour it was Ives turn to look to get their noses in front. The first half chance came four minutes after the restart from a simple wind assisted dink over the top. Keeper Brook came to try and deal with in outside his box but was beaten by the bounce only being saved by Osbourne covering behind him. The centre back’s hook away from goal dropped to Theo Alexandrou 30 yards out and with the keeper still out of position he went for goal first time but the effort drifted wide.

Ives first corner of the second period in 55^th minute almost brought reward as Richens flag kick curled perfectly to the back post where Williams rose above the crowd but thudded the crossbar with his close range header. The power of the effort took the rebound clear of the box and Alexandrou’s half volley to the dropping ball flew over the top.

The game was by this point very much end to end and the hosts enjoyed a good fifteen minutes going close on a few occasions during that time without getting back in front. Bentley did very well in 57^th minute as he battled his way through the crowded box to punch Kamara’s clip from the right off the head of Lita just as the striker was looking to steer the ball goalwards.

Lita’s greatest asset, apart from his guile, is his ability to hold the ball up and he did that brilliantly to tee up a shot for Davidson-Miller in 63^rd minute but Williams was alert to the danger and flung himself bravely across the line of the close range effort to deflect the ball away. Keeper Bentley made probably his best save of the game in 64^th minute as Edwards cross from the left to the back post area was challenged for by both Davidson-Miller and Lita. The ball dropped to Sid Kerr 15 yards out and he hit a crisp low drive through the crowd that he thought was going in only for Bentley to hurl himself full length to his right to get a hand on the ball and turn it away.

During the Canaries purple patch Hottor had picked himself up a 61^st minute yellow card for a clumsy tackle of Ethan Hill and foolishly he slid in on Kerr right in front of the referee only ten minutes later to give referee Mountain an easy decision and take Ives down to ten men.

But it was the ten men who got their noses in front for the first time in the game courtesy of a brilliantly taken 75^th minute solo goal from Kaunda, his first, and on this performance not likely to be his last, for the club. Bursting onto a clip over the top through the centre of the park he still had a lot to do as he was under challenge from both Osbourne and Kamara. It would have been easy to go down but the youngster battled on and took the ball away from both players before turning inside and thrashing the ball his shot past the startled Brook from just inside the box.

Things were looking even brighter for Ives where Kamara showed his frustration to foolishly pick up his second yellow card of the game to even up the numbers ten minutes from time. The Canaries defender had been struggling with the all action Kaunda and the youngster’s goal celebration had probably raised the stakes thus he seized an opportunity to block the Ives substitute as he went to go around him again. The verbal tirade aimed at referee Mountain by Kamara when he was pulled up for the foul simply ensured his second yellow of the afternoon.

With the game now ten a side Ives would be hoping to see it out and it took an excellent block from Brook to prevent Richens from sewing the game up two minutes later. Put through by a brilliantly weighted ball from Myles Cowling, Richens just beat the onrushing keeper to the ball but Brook spread himself well to block the effort.

There were still more twists to come in the tail of this game yet. Five minutes from time Flanagan showed his pace to get around the outside of Smith down the right and his pinpoint cross picked out Lita who made no mistake beating Bentley with a well placed header from close range.

Rather than lift the hosts the equaliser seemed to reinvigorate Ives who tore at their hosts in search of a winner. Kaunda almost found it in 88^th minute as he worked like a Trojan to cut out a throw from keeper Brook but he was unable to hit the target as he was quickly closed by the intended recipient of the throw Osbourne.

A 90^th minute Richens corner was stabbed wide at the near post by Williams with Edwards lurking just behind him waiting to force the ball home. But Ives leading scorer was not to be denied as Brook’s resulting goal kick hung up in the strengthening wind and only made it to half way where an Ives head forced it forward down the centre. Edwards was on to it in a flash outpacing Osbourne before clipping the ball home past the fast advancing Brook to spark wild celebrations amongst the Ives travelling contingent.

Final play of the game was an excellent call and claim under heavy pressure from Bentley who did the perfect job of taking all of the pressure off his defenders and claiming a swirling free kick pumped into the box from half way by Brook.  

Final Score:  Barwell   3   St Ives Town   4    

Goals:

BARWELL: Hickey 4 (pen), Osbourne 31, Lita 85

ST IVES:  Edwards 11, 90+1, Richens 41, Kaunda 75

Team Line Ups:

BARWELL: Brook, Master (Edwards 46), Flanagan (Obeng 86), Kerr, Osbourne, Ward, Kamara, Lita, Dunkley (Davidson-Miller 46), Hickey (capt), Hill, Unused subs: Castle, Freeman,

ST IVES: Bentley, Casey, Smith, Richens (capt), Williams, Hutchings, Barton (Kaunda 46), Hottor, Edwards, Alexandrou (Harris 78), Tomlinson (Cowling 66), Unused subs: Kaziboni

Cards:   Red: BARWELL: Kamara (2 x yellows 38 & 80)   ST IVES: Hottor (2 x yellows 61 & 71)

Yellow:  BARWELL:  none    ST IVES: Edwards (79)

SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH:  Amaru Kaunda

Attendance: 278

St Ives Town 1 v Stamford 4 

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  01-04-2024

Nigel Howlett reports

The problems for Ives relating to this game started 48 hours earlier when St Albans City keeper Michael Johnson picked up a knock against Braintree forcing the Saints to recall dual registered keeper Sam Bentley. This forced a series of frantic phone calls to the Southern League office to request that the club be allowed to sign an emergency keeper ahead of this Easter Monday fixture. But it being Easter Sunday the League office was closed so hence a lot of supporters arriving for the game found out that what they had assumed was the club’s April fools joke was in fact a reality, inspirational captain and central midfielder Michael Richens had donned the gloves and found himself between the sticks.

The other major item of note ahead of kick off was a first Ives start for 18 year old Cambridge United loanee striker Amaru Kaunda. The youngster almost had an instant impact bursting into the box before feeding the ball into the feet of Jonny Edwards inside 25 seconds. But try as he might Ives leading scorer was closely marked and could not get a shot away.

The early pressure was all coming from the hosts and in eleventh minute Daniels keeper Michael Duggan almost misjudged Myles Cowling’s free kick from the left. The stretching keeper just did enough to touch the ball off the head of Jordan Williams arriving at the back post.

Duggan did a lot better four minutes later as he threw himself across his goal line to palm away a close range effort from Kaunda as the striker again showed his promise inside the box pouncing on Edwards knock down from Josh Tomlinson’s deep cross from the right.

Ives pressure continued and Kaunda was again involved in 18^th minute as he got away down the left before delivering an inviting low cross into the centre that was just taken off Cowling’s toe by Will Glennon at the expense of a corner.

Stand in keeper Richens had to make his first real save two minutes later and he had fortune on his side as he somehow managed to keep out James Blunden’s powerful header from eight yards with the assistance of the crossbar. The Daniels big centre back had got on the end of Rhys Hilton’s clip to the back post after a corner had been knocked back to him.

More slick passing and movement created another opportunity for Ives in 22^nd minute. The move ending with Kanunda pulling the ball back to Ed Hottor on the edge of the box. His first time effort was well saved by Duggan plunging low to his left to deflect the ball around the post. The resulting Cowling corner to the back post was not dealt with by the Daniels as they missed a couple of chances to clear the ball before Jake Hutchings pounced to stab it home from close range and open his account for the club.

But the lead was very short lived as the visitors worked a move down the right that ended with Hilton laying a ball across the box for Lee Shaw to beat Richens comprehensively from ten yards to level the scores.

Now well and truly back in the game it only took the play off chasing visitors another five minutes to nudge in front. The initial break into Ives box coming from their skipper Rob Morgan who fed the ball on to Tendai Chitiza who unselfishly rolled it across goal for Jack Duffey to slam home at the back post.

But give them their due Ives heads did not drop and they came roaring back looking for an equaliser. Kaunda again went close as he spun brilliantly onto a knock down inside the box, his shot taking a big deflection off a defender and looping just over the bar with Duggan beaten. The resulting Cowling corner almost went straight in thanks to a clever step over from Tomlinson in front of the near post but the combination of keeper Duggan and Shaw did just enough to prevent the ball crossing the line.

Ives went even closer to what would have been a deserved equaliser seconds before the break. A long throw was knocked back to Aaron Smith wide left and he delivered the prefect ball into the centre where five Ives players were attacking the ball. Dan Barton got there first to force it home but the celebration was cut short by an assistant’s upraised flag.

The second half started just as the first had ended with Ives almost forcing an equaliser only to be denied by an offside flag. This time it was a slide rule Hottor pass that put Kaunda through the right channel. But the young striker had set off a split second to soon.

But that was the final jewel in Ives day as they started to tire and the powerful Daniels started to take control. Richens held on well to Hilton’s 50^th minute drive from just outside the box. Chitiza should have made it three, two minutes later. Shaw and Hilton combined well on the right to feed Morgan into the box. The skipper’s initial shot was blocked by the covering Williams but the ball rebounded to Morgan who cleverly clipped it to the back post where the unmarked Chitiza blazed over from ten yards.

The Daniels pressure continued and Hottor presented them with a perfect opportunity to test Richens goal keeping abilities in 54^th minute as he scythed down Harry Vince just outside the box. The visitor’s midfielder picked himself up and carefully lined up the kick. Although he got his low shot around Ives four man wall he failed to test the stand in keeper as the shot went a couple of metres wide.

Despite a lot of hard work Ives were unable to build any real second half pressure on the visitor’s goal. Danger man Edwards was being well shackled by Blunden who was helped out by a cluster of his team mates every time the ball went into the feet of Ives leading scorer. Both Edwards and Blunden picked up yellow cards for a spat on half way in 69^th minute.

Defensively the hosts were protecting their cover keeper well as typified by Tomlinson’s excellent recovery block to deny Duffey after he had broken into Ives box in 73^rd minute. But the resilience was waning and what had begun to look like an inevitable third goal arrived ten minutes from time as substitutes Michael Frew and Michael Armstrong combined well to work their way in from the right. The move ending with the latter beating Richens low to his left from just outside the box. This third goal prompted a flurry of unusual action from Ives. Wing back Paddy Casey became Ives eighth keeper of the season as he replaced Richens for the remaining time. Luke Harris also came on for Hottor at the same time.

Sadly the very positive moves from manager Ricky Marheineke did not bring the hoped for reward of a route back into the game and sure enough as an Ives attack broke down Duffey seized the opportunity to burst clear down the middle and beat Casey comprehensively to kill off the game. The fourth Daniels goal prompted a loud verbal reaction from Williams which referee Richard Wharton interpreted as an intimidatory action aimed at him and sufficient to earn the Ives centre back a straight red card.

With the game already over referee Wharton then found eight minutes to add. The only noteworthy action during that period was in the sixth of the added eight when Morgan pounced on a poor clearance from Casey and came within millimetres of adding insult to injury as his curled effort from fully forty yards bounced on the surface and just crept over the crossbar with Casey already beaten.

Final Score:  St Ives Town   1  Stamford   4

Goals:

ST IVES: Hutchings 23

STAMFORD: Shaw 25, Duffey 31 & 90+1, Armstrong 80

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Richens (capt), Casey, Smith, Hottor (Harris 83), J. Williams, Hutchings, Barton (Alexandrou 73), Cowling, Edwards, Kaunda (Kaziboni 80), Tomlinson, Unused subs: none

STAMFORD: Duggan, Shaw, Glennon, Vince, Offler, Blunden, Chitiza (Armstrong 58), Morgan (capt), Siddons (Frew 63), Duffy, Hilton (Challinor 71), Unused subs: Wallis, Tsagium,

Cards:   Red: ST IVES: Williams (90+2)

              Yellow:  ST IVES:  Edwards (69), Harris (89)    STAMFORD: Offler (51), Blunden (69), Glennon (77), Shaw (90+3)

SPONSORS MAN OF THE MATCH: Jordan Williams

Attendance:  373

AFC Sudbury 2 St Ives Town 4

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  30-03-2024

Nigel Howlett reports from the MEL Stadium

Hat trick hero Jonny Edwards claimed his 50^th goal for the Ives, along with numbers 51 and 52 in a clinical display of finishing that made the Yellows attempt to claw their way out of the drop zone a whole lot harder whilst mathematically ensuring their ebullient visitors of another season at step 3.

Sudbury’s ex St Neots Town manager Marc Abbott had gone to the transfer market just ahead of the deadline signing experienced striker Simeon Jackson from National League South Chelmsford City as the man to score the goals to move them out of the bottom three.

The new signing had two glorious chances to endear himself to the home faithful inside the first four minutes of the game. Initially breaking clear of Ives back line after Josh Tomlinson misjudged the bounce on the Yellow’s 3G surface, which was clearly a little higher than the quattro tech Westwood Road. Sam Bentley was quickly off his line to close down Jackson and made an excellent save spreading himself well to block the shot at point blank range. Only seconds later Joe Tarpey danced into Ives box from the left and fed in Jackson whose first time effort from ten yards beat Bentley but rebounded off the outside of the post.

All of the early pressure came from the hosts and skipper Jake Turner should probably have done better with an eleventh minute opportunity which he blazed high and wide from the right hand corner of the box. The same player also blasted a 21^st minute free kick from 25 yards straight into Ives four man wall. The rebound creating Ives first opportunity of the game as they broke at pace with Edwards spraying a perfectly weighted pass out to Theo Alexandrou wide left. The youngster cut inside but miss-hit his shot from the edge of the box although the bobbling ball almost caught out keeper James Bradbrook who scrambled across his line to palm it out for a corner. The keeper did much better with the resulting Michael Richens flag kick leaping high to tip it away from Jake Hutchings arriving unmarked at the back post.

Ives then enjoyed a purple patch with Alexandrou and Edwards combining well in 26^th minute. The former just failing to pick out his strike partner with a low cross from the left that the Yellows scrambled away. But two minutes later the hosts failed to deal effectively with Aaron Smith’s long throw from the left. The ball coming off a defender before dropping to Edwards just inside the box. His first time strike with his left foot flew past the despairing fingertips of keeper Bradbrook to put Ives in front and clock up the talismanic striker’s half century for the club.

The goal rocked the hosts fragile confidence and Ives went looking for more. It was Myles Cowling’s turn to link up with Alexandrou on the left in 33^rd minute. The move finishing with the all action midfielder teeing up Richens for one of his trademark 25 yarders. But this time the radar was a bit off with the ball ending up in the car park.

But just as they were looking likely to comfortably see things out to half time Ives concentration lapsed. Jacob Pinnington had been seeing quite a lot of the ball down the right for the hosts. But Smith and Jordan Williams had generally dealt with him well, or his end product had not been great. But in 38^th minute he found that end product as he was allowed to take down a long ball before cutting inside along the eighteen yard line and unleashing a low left foot shot that beat the diving Bentley low to his left and levelled things up.

The only other chance before the break also fell to the hosts and Pinnington was again the protagonist as his effort from 25 yards deflected off Williams to Josh Allen inside the box. But again Bentley was sharp off his line to make a brave close range stop.

With their desperate need for points the home supporters were expecting a roaring second half from their heroes sure enough the first attempt on goal after the re-start did come from the Yellows in 55^th minute but Bentley made a comfortable save to keep out Allen’s tame effort from 20 yards. The task became a whole lot harder for the hosts only ninety seconds later when Charlie Lewis clipped Cowling as the Ives midfielder burst into the box. Referee Thomas Whay was in the perfect position to judge and decided that the contact was inside the box. Edwards clinically despatched the resulting spot kick to restore Ives lead and heap the pressure on the home side.

To give them their due the Yellows worked hard in search of another equaliser. Allen fired wide from a good position just after the hour. The first half danger man Pinnington got his first chance to run at Ives back line three minutes later and his fierce drive from a narrow angle forced Bentley to spectacularly leap to his left to tip the ball over.

A poor 75^th minute ball out of defence by Lewis was cut out by Richens who went for the spectacular trying to beat the out of position Bradbrook from fully 45 yards. But the scrambling keeper was grateful to see the ball float just wide of his left hand upright.

With time ticking down Abbott decided to replace the by now ineffective Pinnington with Afolabi Soyemi-Ololade as he went in search of an equaliser. The striker’s first touch did put the ball in the net, but unfortunately for he and his manager it was at the wrong end of the pitch. Smith’s long throw cleared the group of players climbing for it at the near post, flicked off Soyemi-Ololade just behind them and bounced past the startled Bradbrook to put Ives 3-1 up with seven minutes to go.

The hosts did not give up and threw more at their visitors as Ives looked to see the game out. Jack Cawley fired a 25 yard free kick well over the top before Allen took full advantage of space opening up before him to beat Bentley from just outside the box with one minute of the ninety left. The hosts supporters were now hoping for a barnstorming finish and the possibility was there as substitute Ed Hottor hauled down Soyemi-Olalade 25 yards out as the impressive stadium clock moved to ninety minutes. Desperate to make up for his earlier error Soyemi-Olalade took on the responsibility of the free kick but his effort failed to trouble Bentley as it sailed out of the ground.

With everyone now pushing forward for the Yellows in search of getting something from the game Edwards seized the opportunity to complete his hat trick in the third of five added minutes. Richens won the ball on half way and put him clear one on one with keeper Bradbrook. As ever Edwards kept his cool deceiving the keeper with his footwork before dancing around him to roll the ball into the empty net and add another match ball to his collection.

The result leaves Ives in a comfortable eleventh place with the Yellows sitting in a precarious spot four points from safety with five games to go. This afternoon’s four goals gives free scoring Ives a little bit of daylight in their quest to end the season as the division’s leading scorers as they now sit on 72 goals with their nearest pursuers Mickleover three goals adrift.

Final Score:  AFC Sudbury   2   St Ives Town    4    

Goals:

SUDBURY: Pinnington 38, Allen 89

ST IVES:  Edwards 28, 58 (pen), 90+3, Soyemi-Ololade 85 (own goal)

Team Line Ups:

SUDBURY: Bradbrook, Tarpey, Lewis, Dickens, Turner (capt) (Neal 76), Hunter, Page, Allen, Pinnington (Soyemi-Ololade 83), Jackson, Cawley, Unused subs: Oluwatimilehin, Philp, Bradley

ST IVES: Bentley, Casey, Smith, Richens (capt), J. Williams, Hutchings, Barton (Hottor 67), Cowling (Harris 87), Edwards, Alexandrou (Kaunda 74), Tomlinson, Unused subs: Kaziboni

Cards:   Yellow:  SUDBURY:  Cawley (58),    ST IVES: Richens (16), Alexandrou (30), Edwards (79), Cowling (80)

SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH:  Jonny Edwards

Attendance: 374

St Ives Town 1 v Berkhamsted 0

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  23-03-2024

Nigel Howlett reports

It is never easy to play sides battling for their lives at this stage of the season and the struggling Comrades will perhaps feel a little hard done by with this result which appears to hinge on two second half decisions by referee Chris Darling one at each end of the pitch. Ex Ives man Greg Sandiford picked himself up to a yellow card for diving as he went down inside the box under challenge from Jordan Williams and Aaron Smith seven minutes after the interval. 20 minutes later at the other end of the pitch Theo Alexandrou won the spot kick that ultimately decided the game as he was upended by Tom Newman’s attempt to clear a dropping ball inside his own box.

However closer analysis of the overall pattern of the game would show even the most ardent Comrades supporter that they were fortunate not to be beaten by a much more comprehensive score with Ives hitting the woodwork four times in the game, including three in a one sided second half. The result, plus Hitchin’s draw with high flying Telford, leaves the visitors all but mathematically relegated as they now sit eighteen points behind their Hertfordshire rivals with only six games left to play.

Perhaps not unsurprisingly it was the visitors who were first out of the blocks and Sandiford spurned two good chances in the early exchanges. Arriving late at the back post he got on the end of Kyal Williams deep fourth minute cross but could only direct his attempted volley well off target. Smith was Ives saviour thirteen minutes later as he did just enough to prevent Sandiford turning home Max Bustamente’s low cross from the left. The Comrades went close again sixty seconds later as their skipper Conner Toomey got in front of his marker at the near post to glance Adam Watkins cross from the left just past the post.

Ives suddenly sparked into life just before the 20 minute mark as the all action pair of Myles Cowling and Alexandrou combined well to dance their way into the box. The formers snap shot from 15 yards flew past the startled Josh Bowler in the visitor’s goal and rattled the crossbar before rebounding to safety.

This effort lifted the home supporters who raised their voices to try to spur on their heroes to greater efforts. But the visitors similarly raised their efforts to cancel out hosts brief burst of action and the remaining time up to the break saw very little noteworthy action from either side. For the record the three efforts that went into the notebook were a tame 20 yard effort from Jonny Edwards after good work by Greg Kaziboni and Michael Richens in 23^rd minute. A thirty yarder from Richens that flew high and wide in 45^th minute and a smart dash from his line by Bowler to prevent Dan Barton getting on the end of Sam Bentley’s long punt in added time.

The second half started in much more dramatic style with Comrades centre back Sam McClelland almost inadvertently putting Ives ahead only seconds after the restart. A quick Kaziboni free kick put Edwards away down the right. His driven cross to the centre struck McClelland as the centre back stretched to prevent the ball reaching Alexandrou lurking at the back post. Much to the relief of the Comrades big number five the ball rebounded just wide of the post.

Then came the visitor’s shout for a penalty as Sandiford tried to get between challenges from Williams and Smith to get on the end of a return ball from Bustamente. Referee Darling was in the perfect position to see the incident and he instantly blew his whistle, but rather than pointing at the spot it was to wave a yellow card at the young Comrades winger. This decision incensed the Berkhamsted bench so much that assistant manager Darren Locke picked himself up a yellow card for his pains.

From that point Ives began to take control of the game and started to create opportunities. An excellent 55^th minute break saw Barton gain possession inside his own half before scampering over half way and feeding Alexandrou in space on the left. He cut inside past Dan Newton but failed to test Bowler with his low drive from just outside the box. The visitors came within millimetres of going in front nine minutes later as Cowling tried to bustle his way into the visitor’s box. The ball was knocked off his toe and fell to Alexandrou on the left hand corner of the box. Without hesitation the young striker let fly a fierce drive that dipped and swerved past the static Bowler and rattled his crossbar before rebounding away.

The Comrades were limited to sporadic raids into Ives territory but 20 minutes from time they created themselves a half chance as substitute Olu Lawal delivered a deep cross that Bustamante headed back into the danger zone. Jake Hutchings got the ball away but only as far as Watkins 25 yards out. The visitor’s midfielder carefully curled his effort just wide of the post with Bentley scrambling across to cover.

The hosts rattled the woodwork for the third time in 74^th minute as Barton cleverly fed Richens away down the right. He picked out substitute Amaru Kaunda arriving at pace with his pull back but the Cambridge United loanee’s first time effort from six yards struck the underside of the crossbar and bounced down and away. But Ives luck finally changed seconds later as the ball was fed back to Cowling who tried his luck from just outside the box. His shot struck a defender and looped up into the air dropping at the back post where Alexandrou was waiting, looking to turn it home. As he went to shoot Newman swung a leg to try and clear the ball. That swinging leg did not make contact with the ball but did take down Alexandrou. Once more referee Darling was in an excellent position to view the contact. After a moments consideration he pointed to the spot. Once everything had died down the ever reliable Edwards cooly beat Bowler with the penalty.

Now with their noses in front Ives went in search of a second to kill off their tenacious opponents. An excellent 81^st minute cross field ball from substitute Ed Hottor picked out Alexandrou in space on the left. This time he went outside his marker and fed the ball inside to the run of Cowling who clipped his first time effort inches wide with Bowler looking on.

Simple route one fashion almost worked for Ives moments later as McClelland misjudged a Bentley punt in the swirling wind. The ball flicked off his head and Kaunda was onto it a flash but with colleagues fast arriving the youngster proved that he is a striker in the making as he retained possession even as he was closed down by Luke Massingham and did eventually get his shot away but it was blocked by the covering defender.

With time ticking down into an added six minutes Ives were looking to preserve their slender lead but there was still time for Bowler to show a little of his potential as the young keeper reacted well to palm Richens stinging drive from a narrow angle onto his left hand post deep in added time.

There was just time for one final scare for the hosts before they could claim the precious three point. The Comrades won a free kick just inside Ives half in the final added minute, substitute Lawal curled it invitingly to the back post where McClelland leapt like the proverbial salmon to get on the end of it. He met the ball cleanly but powered his header wide of the post to almost stick the final nail in the visitors step 3 coffin as the final whistle blew immediately after.

Final Score:  St Ives Town   1   Berkhamsted  0    

Goals:

ST IVES: Edwards 78(pen)

BERKHAMSTED:  

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Bentley, Casey, Smith, Richens (capt), J. Williams, Hutchings, Barton (Hottor 78), Cowling, Edwards, Alexandrou (Tomlinson 90), Kaziboni (Kaunda 68), Unused subs: Harris,

BERKHAMSTED: Bowler, Newton, K. Williams (Lawal 68), Oulton, McClelland, Massingham, Sandiford (Chamberlain 84), Watkins, Bustamante, Toomey (capt) (Bessadi 54), Newman, Unused subs: Frederick, da Silva

Cards:   Yellow:  ST IVES:  Edwards (21)      BERKHAMSTED: Oulton (21), Sandiford (52)

SPONSORS MAN OF THE MATCH:  Myles Cowling

Attendance:  297