Our online matchday programme for the home game with Nuneaton is now available to read. Inside this week:

• We review the 5-0 victory against Leiston last weekend
• There’s a review of all the latest news from around the league
• We welcome to new coach, Ben Watts
• And we look back at when the Ives visited Liberty Way on the last day of last season

PLUS much more in our 46 page edition which is available to download HERE

St Ives Town welcome Nuneaton on Saturday to the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road as the hosts look to make it three home wins on the bounce.

Kettering and Leiston have been put to the sword in the last two home games with the Ives scoring 11 goals in the process and not conceding any.

IVES TEAM NEWS

For the match against Nuneaton, the Ives look set to be without the services of influential midfielder, Myles Cowling who also didn’t feature in the win against Leiston last Saturday. Fellow midfielder, Dan Barton will be in the starting line-up as he looks for more goals after opening his account last weekend. Meanwhile, Greg Kaziboni, Khris Oti and Torin Ntege will compete for a start to partner Jonny Edwards up front.

INTRODUCING NUNEATON

Nuneaton arrive in 12th position, two points above the Ives. Borough have improved as the season has progressed, but in recent weeks have had a dip in form having not won in the league since 28 November when they recorded a 2-0 victory over Kettering. Despite not recording a victory of late, they have held promotion and play-off challengers, Leamington and Hitchin to a draw in their last two games.

THE REVERSE FIXTURE

It was Nuneaton who the Ives recorded their first victory against in the second game of the season. A Brandon Njoku goal was enough for a 1-0 win.

HAPPY HOUR & MATCH SPONSORS

Don’t forget that all pints in the clubhouse are priced at £3.00 between 1:00pm and 2:30pm so make sure you are there early to take advantage of the offer. The match is being sponsored by VM Associates, and the club would like to thank them for their support.

ADMISSION PRICES

• Adults: £11.00
• Concessions (over 65): £8.00
• Military Discount (with ID card): £5.00
• Students (with ID card): £5.00
• 12-16 yrs: £2.00
• Under 12’s: FREE (When accompanied by an Adult)

Kick-off at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road is at 3:00pm

Andrew Dunn talks to the new member of the Ives coaching staff, Ben Watts

It’s probably fair to say that Ben Watts is more than happy for his new team to score 11 goals with none against in the first two home games that he has been part of the coaching staff at St Ives Town.

A 6-0 win against Kettering and a 5-0 victory over Leiston has injected a feel good vibe to start the new year at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road, and that has certainly been felt by the new member of the coaching staff.  “I’m loving it” said Watts.  “St Ives is a great club to be involved with.  I’ve known the manager Ricky Marheineke for a while and he knew I was available after I left Kettering, and asked if I wanted to join him and his staff.  I watched the Hitchin game before Christmas, and have been involved ever since and it’s been great to witness the two excellent home performances”.

Watts started out as youth team coach at both Peterborough United and Northampton Town.  It was whilst he was at the Cobblers that he first came across current Ives player, Paddy Casey.  But it’s not just Casey who Watts knows from the current St Ives set-up.  “I know players such as Michael Richens and a few of the other lads” Watts said.  However, in a quirk of fate Watts is now teaming up with Adam Fisher who he could have worked with a few seasons ago.  “I know Adam as he wanted me to join him as part of his coaching staff when he was in charge of Welwyn Garden City, so it’s strange how we’ve now eventually ended up working together, albeit at another club”.

The Harborough based coach has also had a spell with St Neots.  “I learnt an awful lot during the period that I was involved at St Neots.  It was during the era that they were throwing a lot of money at things and we had the likes of Stefan Moore playing.  I was there for two seasons. It was a good few years ago now, and an experience if nothing else”.

Watts was put in charge of Kettering earlier this season following the departure of Poppies Manager, Andy Leese.  “I only did it for two games as I wasn’t sure it was for me” said Watts. “I make no secret of the fact that I prefer coaching than managing.  I love being out on the grass with players, and leading sessions and witnessing plans come to fruition on a matchday”.

Executing the plan is something that has impressed him so far during his short time at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road.  “So far what I am seeing is the lads replicating what you ask them to do in training on a Saturday.  I have been really impressed with their work rate, how they press and the relentless desire to improve.  The group also has a fantasitic enthusiasm and every game I have either seen or been involved in so far has been very impressive”.

It’s not just on the pitch that has impressed Watts, it’s off the pitch too.  “I love the club.  It’s a great set-up and the matchday vibe is brilliant and there are some fine people involved.  My family came to the game on Saturday and they really enjoyed it and already have a connection with St Ives Town”.

So as the season enters the second half, what does Watts see as the aims for the remaining months of the campaign.  “I think the team is more than capabale of finishing mid-table, if not above.  It’s a very open league, and anyone can beat anyone.  Like Ricky has said previously, on our day not many teams can live with our attitude, willingness and enthusiasm.  If that continues, we will win more than we lose between now and the end of the season”.

Watts will be in the dugout alongside the rest of the coaching staff when the Ives take on Nuneaton on Saturday afternoon.

Ben Watts has joined the first team coaching staff at St Ives Town.

Ben has previously managed at Rothwell Corinthians, Wellingborough Town and Raunds Town. He was also the first team coach at Stamford AFC, St Neots Town and most recently, Kettering Town. He joins the coaching staff at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road which is headed by manager, Ricky Marheineke.

The Ives boss said “Ben is a fantastic addition to the staff. A super coach, who has worked at many different levels over the years. With our young and and hungry squad who are desperate to learn and improve, Ben will offer us so much on the grass”.

St Ives Town 5 v Leiston 0

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  06-01-2024

Nigel Howlett Reports

A scintillating second half performance saw the Ives blow away previously in-form Leiston. The Blues came to quattro-tech Westwood Road boasting a record of only one defeat in their last eight matches with six of those games gleaning maximum reward. With Ives missing injured talisman Myles Cowling and forced to make a change between the sticks with Eddie Brearey recalled by parent club Oxford United the visitors may have fancied their chances. But manager Ricky Marheineke did an excellent deal late on Friday that saw the return of last season’s successful custodian James Dadge from Northampton Town and drafted the ever reliable Ed Hottor into the centre of the park to replace Cowling.

The game started slowly with both sides testing each other out in the early stages. The first shot on target did not arrive until 17^th minute and Dadge dealt with Jack Manly’s 25 yarder comfortably enough. Only moments later though Manly was left holding his head in his hands as the hard working Dan Barton robbed him deep inside Leiston territory and fed in Jonny Edwards to thump Ives ahead with their first on target effort.

Having got in front the hosts then enjoyed a good fifteen minute spell without further testing Sam Donkin in the Blues goal. In 24^th minute an excellent ball in from the right by Edwards was skilfully taken down by Greg Kaziboni just inside the box. But the striker took one touch to many allowing Chris Casement to recover and block the shot at point blank range. Three minutes later a teasing Benji Mensah ball in from the right only just evaded Edwards sliding in at the back post.

Having conceded three goals from dead ball situations at Stamford in their previous game it was very good to see Dadge come through the crowd in commanding style to claim Joe Marsden’s dangerous looking corner on the half hour. Back up the other end Ives went close again ninety seconds later. Edwards was brought down wide right by Blues skipper Seb Dunbar. Michael Richens arced the free kick into the danger zone between keeper Donkin and his defenders inviting someone to attack it. Jordan Williams did just that and even though he did not make a clean contact he did enough to force the keeper into a tumbling save low to his right.

Dadge earned his corn for the day with a brilliant save to keep Ives in front ten minutes before the break. Richens was adjudged to have brought down the tricky Jamar Loza just outside the box. Manly’s well struck free kick arced over the five man wall and was heading for the top corner before it was expertly pushed away by the big right palm of the flying keeper. The visitors also spurned a late opportunity to get level when Albie Armin headed Marsden’s free kick from the right wide from a good position.

The visiting Leiston supporters were probably expecting their charges to come out with all guns blazing looking for an equaliser at the start of the second half. But it was the hosts who started the second half like a train. A lot of Ives first half moves had ended on the head of giant Blues centre back Adam Bailey-Dennis but they found a way to take him way out of his comfort zone early in the second period. Kaziboni was the first to take him on and ghost past him in 50^th minute. Edwards should probably have done better with the cross that followed but the effort came off his shoulder allowing Donkin to make a comfortable save.

The agile keeper was left a simple spectator five minutes later as Ives doubled their advantage. Mensah got away down the right and delivered the perfect inviting cross to the back post where Richens accepted the invitation and powered home a header from eight yards giving Donkin no chance. Bailey-Dennis got himself in more trouble at that goal picking up a yellow card from referee Elliott Mayer for trying to persuade the official that the ball was out before Mensah delivered the cross. By this point the big Blues centre half was looking very rattled and only moments later he misjudged a Richens free kick into the box from the left allowing the ball to float over his head a drop at the feet of Williams. It took a smart save from Donkin to save his blushes.

A third Ives goal was looking inevitable and sure enough it came just before the hour. Kaziboni was the provider this time he got to the bye line on the right before hanging up a teasing cross to the back post where Williams rose above the crowd and powered in a header that Donkin did brilliantly to keep out. Unfortunately for the keeper the first person to react to the dropping ball was Edwards who forced it home with his knee.

Bailey-Dennis’s tribulations continued three minutes later when his lack of mobility was again found out by a perfectly weighted clip over his head by Richens which set Kaziboni clear through the right channel. The striker unselfishly tried to pick out Edwards with a square pass which just allowed the covering Casement to get a toe in.

During his loan spell from Cambridge United Barton has provided the assists for a lot of goals whilst failing to grab a deserved one for himself. That wait finally ended in 65^th minute when Edwards fed him in clear and he emphatically beat Donkin from the edge of the box. That fourth Ives goal was a signal for Blues management duo to end the misery for the struggling Bailey-Dennis replacing him with Mitchell Jackson.

The hosts came within inches of adding a fifth with twenty minutes to go. Torin Ntege who had only just come onto the park to replace Kaziboni delivered the perfect corner to the back post where Williams directed his header goalwards only to be denied by Dunbar’s block on the line.

With the Ives now easing off a little the Blues did enjoy a brief foray into the final third of the pitch at the Green Leys end which brought a little more action for Dadge. But the young keeper proved that his concentration is excellent as he made diving saves to deny Loza and Dunbar in quick succession, plunging to his right to keep out the former’s effort and to his left the latter’s.

The introduction of substitutes Ntege, Khris Oti and George Joyce brought a new impetus to the Ives efforts and they were soon back in search of more goals. Josh Tomlinson got a good flick onto an Aaron Smith long throw with Edwards toe poking the loose ball just wide of the post in 87^th minute. Seconds later Richens had a 25 yarder tipped around by the diving Donkin.

The keeper again denied the same player in the final minute of the ninety as he flung himself along the goal line to block the Ives skipper’s close range effort from a corner with his legs. The fifth goal finally arrived in the third added minute in very simple route one fashion. Edwards flicked on a long Dadge punt to put Oti clear and the big centre forward became the second player of the afternoon to open his Ives account comfortably beating the exposed Donkin.

There should have been a third player to open his account as well as with only seconds to go a more trademark flowing Ives move was ended with Oti putting Ntege clear. The Peterborough youngster looked to do everything right drawing Donkin to him before clipping the ball past the keeper but it rolled agonisingly the wrong side of the post.

Quattro-tech Westwood Road is now the place to come to see goals with the rampant Ives boasting a record of twenty four scored and only five conceded in their last six home games. Next opportunity to see them in action is Saturday 13^th November against the inconsistent Nuneaton Borough, don’t miss it.   

Final Score:  St Ives Town  5   Leiston  0

Goals:

ST IVES: Edwards 18, 59, Richens 55, Barton 65, Oti 90+3

LEISTON:

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Dadge, Mensah (Joyce 83), Smith, Richens (capt), Williams, Casey, Barton (Oti 83), Hottor, Edwards, Kaziboni (Ntege 71), Tomlinson, Unused subs: Harris

LEISTON: Donkin, Casement, Dunbar (capt), Marsden, Bailey-Dennis (M. Jackson 67), E. Jackson (Dronfield 62), Crane, Armin, Quantrell, Manly, Loza, Unused subs: Jarvis,

Cards:   Yellow:  ST IVES: Casey (43), Edwards (46)       LEISTON: Bailey-Dennis (55), Donkin (59), Armin (75), Loza (89)

SPONSORS MAN OF THE MATCH:  Dan Barton

Attendance:  271

It’s the first home league game of 2024 for St Ives Town on Saturday as they host Leiston at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road. The game will be the third meeting between the two teams this season with Leiston eliminating the Ives from the FA Cup in September followed by a draw in the league at Victory Road 10 days later.

Ives Team News

The Ives go into the game on the back of a 4-2 defeat at Stamford on New Years Day. Missing from the squad for that game was Brandon Njoku who has been recalled by Cambridge United after a successful loan period with the Ives. Fellow loanee from the Abbey Stadium, Dan Barton remains with the Ives and will feature again. Meanwhile, the impressive Ben Mensah who has now scored three goals in the last three games including a brace at Stamford on Monday looks set to continue at right back.

Introducing Leiston

Leiston arrive after suffering defeat against Royston Town on New Years Day. That defeat bought to an end a run of 8 games where they went undefeated. As a result of that run, the Suffolk outfit had moved up the table and go into the game tomorrow 13th in the table, 3 points clear of the Ives.

Last Season

Leiston got the better of the Ives in both league games last season. In September, Leiston inflicted a 2-1 defeat. In January the Ives travelled to Suffolk and lost 1-0 as the hosts continued their push for a play-off spot.

Match Sponsors

We welcome our friends from David Smith who are our match sponsors for the game tomorrow. We thank them for their continued support,

Happy Hour and Season Ticket Offer

A reminder that it is just £3.00 on all pints in the clubhouse between 1:00pm and 2:30pm. Also, if you have a season ticket at any non-league or football league club, then you can watch the game for half price. Simply show the season ticket at the turnstile to redeem the offer.

Admission Prices:

Adults: £11.00
Concessions (Over 65): £8.00
Military Discount (with ID Card): £5.00
Students (With ID Card): £5.00
U16’s to 12: £2.00
Under 12’s: Free (when accompanied with an adult)

Match Programme

You can download the online matchday magazine HERE

Kick-off at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road is at 3:00pm.

Stamford 4 v St Ives Town 2 

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

Nigel Howlett Reports from the Zeeco Stadium

Ives opened 2024 by giving the high flying Daniels a scare, but as has been the case a few to many times this season they allowed a good position to slip from their grasp succumbing to a second half comeback from the hosts who eventually claimed all three points to reinforce their play-off ambitions.

Whilst home manager Graham Drury had the luxury of a full squad to pick from Ives manager Ricky Marheinke was forced to make two changes from the side which had thumped Kettering on Boxing Day. With skipper Michael Richens suspended and leading scorer Brandon Njoku recalled from his loan spell by parent club Cambridge United there were starts for Ed Hottor in midfield and Greg Kaziboni up front with Jonny Edwards taking the armband.

Strangely enough with 127 years of history and only 35 miles between these two clubs this appears to be the first recorded fixture between the two teams and it was the visitors buoyed by their Boxing Day win who were first out of the traps and came within a whisker of taking the lead after only ninety seconds. Benji Mensah put Dan Barton away down the right. The speedy winger got to the bye line before picking out Edwards by the penalty spot with his pull back, but Ives centre forward was leaning back when he struck his shot and the effort glanced off the crossbar on its way into the home “kop” behind the goal. But that section of the ground was stunned to silence along with all the rest of the home faithful only two minutes later as Ives showed they had real threat down both flanks. Aaron Smith fed in Kaziboni down the left and he too got to the bye line before threading his pull back through the crowded box to pick out Mensah in space just inside the box. The young wing back kept his cool and thanks to a slight deflection his first time effort found the bottom corner of the net to ensure that for a short while the noisiest part of the ground was the fifty or so Ives supporters in the lower section of the grandstand behind the goal.

The home side were slowly settling into the game and it soon became apparent that their raison d’etre was to get the ball forward into wide areas looking for opportunities to deliver corners, free kicks and long throws into a crowded Ives box. Ives initially dealt well with these deliveries winning the first ball as it arced into the danger zone. However the equaliser, when it arrived, half way through the first period came from a dead ball situation. Connor Bartle hurled in a long throw from the left that evaded the first line of players and seemed to surprise Edwards who perhaps needlessly knocked it away with his upper arm in full view of eagle eyes referee Alistair Wilson. The match official had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and Daniels skipper Rob Morgan emphatically beat Eddie Brearey to level things up.

Having got themselves level the home side enjoyed a good spell during which they further tested the resilience of Ives back line by continuing to bombard them with balls into the danger zone at every opportunity. Brearey had to be alert to sprint off his line and bravely claim a quick Bartle free kick just ahead of Lee Shaw in 24^th minute. Two minutes later an arcing corner into the box lead to a bout of head tennis inside Ives box that was ended with Brearey spectacularly tipping Ashton Offler’s header over the bar. Brearey did well again on the half hour as he plunged to his right to push away a skimming volley from Joe Burgess after another long throw had been knocked out to him.

Having weathered that storm Ives enjoyed another good spell of their own as the half drew to a close. A deep 38^th minute cross from Kaziboni on the right picked out Smith in space beyond the far post. The wing back took on the chance first time and screamed his volley just inches over the top. Moments later and the visitors got themselves back in front with Kaziboni again the provider as Mensah grabbed his third goal in two games. The wide man outsmarted Offler wide left before getting to the bye line and carefully picking out Mensah in space at the back post. Another assured finish took Ives into the break a goal to the good and the travelling supporters into their half time refreshment in optimistic mood.

But Daniels manager Drury was much less satisfied with how the first period had gone and tore into his charges at the break. He was clearly requesting that his players upped their efforts to deliver the ball into Ives box at every opportunity and it was Bartle’s long throw which again proved the visitors undoing eight minutes after the re-start. This time the ball arced into the box where a clean header proved impossible but the ball dropped out of the crowd to Jack Duffy who gleefully prodded it over the line from close range.

The hosts only goal from open play of the afternoon arrived five minutes later and put them in front for the first time. Skipper Morgan was allowed space to run at Ives back line and he in turn fed in Duffy through the right channel. The Daniels centre forward unselfishly rolled the ball across the six yard line to pick out Bartle in space at the back post and the wing back duly obliged by side footing home.

Ives were very much still in the game and enjoyed a purple patch when they should have restored the parity with three good chances going begging from the 70th minute mark. Initially Will Glennon misjudged a Smith cross from the left allowing the ball to float over his head and drop to the feet of Edwards by the penalty spot. But the Ives skipper got the ball stuck in his feet allowing Glennon to recover and take all of the sting out of the shot when it eventually came.

Two minutes later Myles Cowling fed in Kaziboni through the inside left position and it took a brave double save from home keeper Michael Duggan to deny the Ives striker, initially sliding in to block the first shot the big stopper did even better to recover and claim Kaziboni’s attempted clip into the centre from the rebound.

The third and best of Ives opportunities to get level fell to Cowling in 76^th minute. Edwards flicked on a long Brearey punt and Barton further helped the ball on its way into the path of the all action midfielder who burst clear into the box and beat Duggan with his fierce left foot drive that looked goal bound but much to the dismay of the Ives faithful flashed just wide of the keepers right hand post.

As time ticked down manager Marheineke threw caution to the wind replacing defender Paddy Casey with striker Khris Oti who joined debutant Torin Ntege, Kaziboni and Edwards in a four man strike force for the closing stages. But the game was eventually decided with three minutes of the ninety to go when Luke Harris pulled back Tendai Chitiza in a wide right position giving the Daniels chance to deliver another dangerous dead ball kick into the box. Bartle delivered the in-swinging free kick and James Blunden ghosted in at the back post, Brearey did brilliantly to keep out the initial header at point blank range but he had no chance as Blunden poked home the loose ball.

Another battling display against one of the contenders for a play-off place where sadly no reward has been forthcoming leaves Ives left sitting only four points above the drop zone. But now with two home games against inconsistent sides in Leiston and Nuneaton Borough coming it is vital to start picking up points ahead of the following three games which are against the top three sides.

Final Score:  Stamford    4   St Ives Town   2

Goals:

STAMFORD: Morgan 21 (pen), Duffy 54, Bartle 58, Blunden 88

ST IVES: Mensah 4 & 40

Team Line Ups:

STAMFORD: Duggan, Burgess (Bennett 79), Bartle, Glennon, Offler, Blunden, Chitiza, Morgan (capt), Duffy, Shaw (Siddons 89), Vince (Challinor 74), Unused subs: Armstrong, Nassunculo

ST IVES: Brearey, Mensah (Harris 65), Smith, Hottor, Williams, Casey (Oti 81), Barton (Ntege 74), Cowling, Edwards (capt), Kaziboni, Tomlinson, Unused subs: Joyce,

Cards:   Yellow:  STAMFORD: Burgess (45), Duffy (90+3)         ST IVES:  Hottor (10), Harris (87)       

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Benji Mensah

Attendance:  602

The new year starts for St Ives Town with a trip to Stamford.

INTRODUCING STAMFORD

The hosts nicknamed ‘The Dannies’ have made an impressive return to step 3 football following their promotion from the Northern Premier League Midlands at the end of last season.  However, they go into the game on New Years Day in mixed form having won once in their last three matches which was a 4-0 win at home to Mickleover on 19 December.  Before then, they had to settle for a 2-2 draw at Berkhamsted and this was followed by the same score against Bromsgrove Sporting on 23 December.  They had no game on Boxing Day.  Stamford currently sit sixth in the table, two points off the play-offs.

IVES TEAM NEWS

The Ives make the trip after returning to winning ways courtesy of a 6-0 Boxing Day hammering of Kettering Town.  The win moved the Ives up to 15^th in the table, four points clear of the relegation zone.  Michael Richens will be suspended for the trip to Lincolnshire but boss Ricky Marheineke has a full compliment to choose from otherwise.

FORM GUIDE – LAST SIX LEAGUE GAMES
Stamford:
W L W D W D

Ives
W L L L L W

STAMFORD – KEY MAN

Jack Duffy.  The striker has 13 goals to his name to date and was a key player in the Dannies promotion winning squad last season.

GOING TO THE GAME

The Zeeco Stadium
Ryhall Road
STAMFORD
PE9 4QN

ADMISSION PRICES

ADULT: £12.00
CONCESSION (Over 60): £8.00
CHILD (12-17): £4.00
CHILD (11 & Under with paying Adult): FREE

Kick-off at the Zeeco Stadium is at 3:00pm.

St Ives Town 6 v Kettering Town  0 

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  26-12-2023

Nigel Howlett Reports

Ives supporters received the perfect Christmas present as their heroes produced a scintillating Boxing Day performance to blow away a woeful Poppies side. The hosts were pleased to return to quattro tech Westwood Road after three tough away games which had brought no reward. With Jonny Edwards passing a pre-match fitness test they also had the very rare luxury at this stage of the season of having a fully fit and available squad to pick from. Manager Ricky Marheineke made four changes from the pre-Christmas defeat at Leamington with Benji Mensah, Aaron Smith, Edwards and Josh Tomlinson all returning to the starting eleven.

There looked to be little between the two sides in the early stages of the game and the first two chances both fell to the visitors. The Poppies MK Dons loanee Phoenix Sholtz was finding a bit of room on the right and he got in the first shot of the game in fourth minute as he cut inside and fired across the face of goal from the corner of the box.

What turned out to be the visitors best chance of the game arrived five minutes later as Sholtz hung up a cross to the back post where Dan Jarvis had ghosted in unmarked. He tried to power his header high to Eddie Brearey’s left but the Ives stopper reacted well to dive full length and claw the effort away.

Ives were beginning to get a foothold in the game and wasted two, or three, opportunities to get players clear by over hitting the through ball but all that ended with a brilliantly taken goal from Mensah in 18^th minute. The goal came at the end of a flowing move started within their own half that was ended by Myles Cowling laying the perfect pass into the young wing back’s well timed run. Mensah still had a lot to do as goalkeeper Will Johnson and a defender were both desperately looking to close him down. But the youngster kept his cool and deftly lifted the ball over both keeper and defender into the net a whirled away to celebrate leaving Johnson and his defender, Ben Toseland, to slide into each other.

From that point the hosts took the game by the scruff of the neck harrying their opponents mercilessly all over the park. Other chances came and went before Edwards doubled the lead five minutes before the break. Dan Barton set off on another of his mazy runs straight through the heart of the Poppies back line. The run eventually taking him clear of the struggling last man Kelvin Langmead. The young winger got his left footed shot away from just inside the box and it came within inches of opening his account for Ives. Keeper Johnson flung himself to his left and got a hand to the ball doing just enough to divert it onto the post. The covering Toseland looked like he was going to clear but got it tangled up his legs allowing Edwards to get a foot in and prod it over the line.

Those remaining five minutes had five more added to them thanks to an early injury to Poppies Tyrone Lewthwaite that eventually saw him relaced. During that time Ives could so easily have added to their lead on at least four, or five, occasions as they completely over ran the struggling visitors. Edwards thumped at 44^th minute 25 yarder inches wide of Johnson’s left hand post with the keeper beaten. The chance had been set up by the all action Mensah harrying and robbing Poppies skipper Rhys Sharpe deep inside his own half.

Johnson’s goal then led a charmed life in the added time. Two minutes in and again Mensah dispossessed the struggling Sharpe and this time fed in Njoku through the right channel. Ives speedy striker unselfishly pulled the ball back into the path of Mensah who had continued his run. He in turn fed it on to the unmarked Edwards at the back post and it took a brilliant block from the diving keeper to keep out the centre forward’s well struck effort.

The final added minute saw another scramble inside the Poppies box as a Smith long throw bounced around the area before being fed out to Barton on the right and he hung up a teasing cross to the back post where Michael Richens rose above the crowd and powered down a header that bounced to safety off the foot of the post with Johnson looking on.

The Poppies fans in the bumper Bank Holiday crowd were no doubt hoping, and probably expecting, a much improved performance from their side in the second half but it did not materialise as the rampant Ives piled on the pressure with an all action display that gave their opponents no time at all to settle. Only two minutes after the re-start Cowling hung up a cross to the back post where Edwards rose highest but powered his header over the top.

Smith was enjoying the freedom of the quattro tech Westwood Road pitch as he was being left in acres of space on the left side of the park as young Sholtz seemed constantly caught in two minds of whether to go and mark him or stay inside to deal with the threatening runs of Cowling and Barton. Smith was using this time and space well and in 48^th minute he fed in Mensah whose shot from just inside the box beat keeper Johnson but was cleared off the line by the covering Toseland.

Richens should probably have done a little better with a 54^th minute shooting opportunity. Smith’s long throw from the left was knocked down to the Ives skipper near the penalty spot but under pressure from defenders he snatched the effort over the top.

Brearey’s first real action since that excellent save in the first ten minutes came in 56^th minute as he was forced into a diving save low to his left hanging on well to Jarvis’s shot from just outside the box. But play quickly swung back to the opposite end of the pitch as Njoku and Mensah combined well inside the Poppies box. The move eventually ending as Mensah wriggled his way between a couple of defenders but fired over.

Ives third arrived just after the hour at the end of another flowing move. The ball again being fed out to Smith who had time to pick out his man with his cross. He went deep where Mensah did remarkably to not only keep the ball alive but flick it past a defender to get to the bye line before picking out Cowling on the edge of the box with his pull back. The midfielder’s shot was heading for Johnson’s bottom right hand corner, and that is where the keeper went, but Edwards cleverly deflected the shot on the way through sending it into the opposite corner.

Less than three minutes later Ives added a fourth. Edwards got clear on the right and drove in a cross to the near post where Njoku got across in front of his man to fire home from six yards. By this point the pressure on the Poppies goal was relentless and Ives players were so keen to score that they were getting in each other’s way. A flowing 69^th minute move saw Barton put clear down the right and as his low driven cross was delivered to the near post it was met simultaneously by Cowling, Njoku and Mensah who between them only managed to prod an effort wide.

Poppies supporters were clearly not happy with their players performance on the day and there was a sparky moment a few seconds after that let off for the visitors as skipper Rhys Sharpe reacted badly to words aimed at him from some of his own supporters as he was being substituted by Gedeon Okito. But the real signal to get the visiting supporters leaving in their droves was Ives fifth goal fifteen minutes from time. The immaculate Cowling threaded another perfectly weighted pass into Njoku’s run. The striker took on the shot first time from just inside the box, but keeper Johnson spread himself well to make a block. Unfortunately for the keeper the first person to react to the loose ball was the Ives striker and this time he made no mistake.

The Poppies almost snuck a late consolation as Langmead got on the end of a pin point cross from the left by Jarvis. Although the centre back’s header beat the diving Brearey. Mensah was on hand to clear the ball off the line to preserve the clean sheet.

There was still time for Cowling to claim the goal that his all around performance had fully deserved and to put the final nail in the Poppies coffin two minutes from time. A move started just inside the visitor’s half by Cowling as he fed the ball out to substitute Greg Kaziboni, back to the feet of Cowling, on to Njoku who pulled it back to the penalty spot where Cowling who had continued his run met it perfectly to fire into the top corner of the net.

Ives supporters with long memories will take great satisfaction in this result. The host’s first season at step three, Bonfire night 2016 saw the Poppies come to Westwood Road and batter Ives 7-0. How things have changed in the intervening seven years and now Poppies fans know just what such a battering feels like. Ives must however use this result as a catalyst to resume their upward momentum which had been knocked a little off course during their recent run of tough away games and on paper a tough run now follows with four of their next six games against teams in and around the play-off places.

Final Score:  St Ives Town   6   Kettering Town   0

Goals:

ST IVES: Mensah 18, Edwards 40 & 62, Njoku 65 & 75, Cowling 87

KETTERING:

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Brearey, Mensah, Smith (Harris 81), Richens (capt) (Hottor 73), Williams, Casey, Barton (Kaziboni 86), Cowling, Edwards, Njoku, Tomlinson, Unused subs: Tessler, Oti

KETTERING: Johnson, Toseland, Langmead, White (Miller 64), Andrade, Lewthwaite (Bennett 23), Sharpe (capt) (Okito 69), Dawson, Scott, Jarvis, Scholtz, Unused subs: Reilly, Dobson

Cards:   Yellow:  ST IVES:  none        KETTERING:  Sharpe (36), Langmead (85)

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Myles Cowling

Attendance: 512

Our official matchday magazine for the Boxing Day clash at home to Kettering is now available to read.

Inside our 44 page edition:

• We look back on our recent defeat to Hitchin
• A preview of the Boxing Day fixtures
• A look back at the Ives season to date
• And….you can take part in our 2023 St Ives Town FC quiz

Plus lots more……the link to download the programme is HERE

A reminder that the match on Boxing Day kicks-off at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road at 1:00pm

Leamington 3 v St Ives Town 1 

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  23-12-2023

Brakes right winger Henry Landers capitalised on a poor first half performance from Ives to grab himself a hat trick before the break and effectively kill off the game as a contest. Two substitutions and a change of formation at the interval from manager Ricky Marheineke saw a much improved second half performance from the visitors with them deservedly pulling a goal back courtesy of an excellent Michael Richens free kick that was turned home from close range by Jordan Williams. But any hope of a late surge to grab anything from the game was effectively extinguished with eight minutes to go as the Ives skipper picked himself up two yellow cards in seven minutes to take the visitors down to ten men.

Ives made two changes from the side beaten by Hitchin a week earlier Jonny Edwards failing a pre-match fitness test meant Khris Oti came in for his first start at centre forward and George Joyce was preferred at right wing back in favour of Benji Mensah.

With both sides suffering dips in form after good winning runs this game was all about who could bounce back to form the best. With Ives slow out of the blocks it was the hosts who seized the early initiative and could have gone in front as early a sixth minute when Landers got away down the right to deliver a clip to the back post where Sam Tessler did well to prevent Callum Stewart forcing the ball home. The resulting Landers corner from the right dropped on the edge of the six yard box where it was prodded goalwards and just kept out by Eddie Brearey dropping on the ball right on his goal line.

Two minutes later Landers was at it again as referee Daniel Smith played an excellent advantage to allow him to get away down the right side again. This time it took a last ditch block from the covering Joyce to prevent Stewart turning the low cross in at the back post.

The pressure on Ives goal did not relent and there was an air of inevitability about the opening goal when in arrived in very simple fashion in 14^th minute. Josh Quaynor was given to much space on the left and picked out Tyrone Barnett on the edge of the box with his cross. Barnett knocked the ball down with his chest to Landers who hit it first time and found the bottom corner with his low shot that the unsighted Brearey was unable to keep out despite getting a hand to it.

Ives had one opportunity to get back in the game in the first half and it came only two minutes after the Brakes opener as Dan Barton scampered onto a well weighted Tesler chip down the right. The young winger outpaced Quaynor and got to the bye line before picking out Brandon Njoku with his pull back. The striker’s initial shot was blocked and Luke Harris following up fired the loose ball out of the ground from the edge of the box.

It did not take many minutes for normal service to resume and only four minutes after Ives missed opportunity they found themselves with a greater hill to climb as Stewart cleverly turned Tesler to get to the bye line down the left. His clip into the centre picked out Landers arriving at pace and the wide man again showed his skills with a calm finish that found the top corner giving Brearey no chance.

The usually reliable Paddy Casey almost gifted the Brakes at third in 33^rd minute as he got an attempted clearance completely wrong against the strong breeze the ball curling across the face of his own goal and arriving on the head of Barnett at the back post. It took an excellent goal line clearance from Tesler to prevent the striker’s stooping header going in.

The host’s pressure continued as Adam Walker and Landers combined to tee up Ewan Williams for a 33^rd minute fierce drive from just inside the box that flew across the face of goal and just wide. Ives were fortunate to escape unscathed from that effort but not so fortunate only sixty seconds later when Landers completed his hat trick. Walker delivered the telling cross from the left and Landers managed to get across in front of his marker at the near post to loop a header over Brearey and into the net to effectively kill the game before the break.

Manager Marheineke gave his players a deserved roasting at the break, made two changes in personnel replacing Tesler and Oti with two players returning from injury in Josh Tomlinson and Greg Kaziboni respectively. He also switched the formation to a back four from the previously used back three and wing backs.

Whilst Ives were settling into the new formation Brearey made a good early save to deny Stewart who had almost forced home Theo Streete’s header into the mix after the centre back had got on the end of Quaynor’s deep free kick. But once Ives had settled into the new formation they started to threaten a little more than the had in the first period mainly thanks to the probing runs of Barton. In 52^nd minute he managed to wriggle his way past Jack Edwards along the bye line and got to the six yard line before trying to pick out Njoku arriving at pace. Streete got in the way of the ball and knocked it straight back to Barton who reacted well to get a shot away but the angle was to narrow and the ball ended up in the side netting.

The visitors improved form continued and an excellent 64^th minute Richens free kick allowed them to pull a goal back. The ball from the right was delivered into the no man’s land between keeper and defenders. Jordan Williams attacked it well and prodded the ball home from eight yards to reduce the arrears. Only seconds later there was a chance that could have changed the course of the afternoon and would certainly have put a lot more pressure on the hosts had it gone in. Kaziboni raced away down the right and delivered a teasing cross to the near post where Njoku got in front of his man but his flick flashed across the face of Callum Hawkins goal and much to the keepers relief drifted inches wide of the far post.

But that was the final Ives chance to get anything from the game and as the time ticked down the most noteworthy item in the remaining time was a frustrated Richens picking up two yellow cards in seven minutes. Having already been warned that he was living on the edge for persistent fouls throughout the game he picked up the first for clattering Walker in midfield in 75^th minute and the second for taking down Quaynor inside his own half only moments later.

Losing their skipper took all of the momentum away and effectively killed any hope of a late charge from Ives. The late chances fell to the hosts as Walker directed a header just wide from a Landers cross and the host’s hat trick hero almost added a fourth to his tally as he fired an 86^th minute drive inches wide having been fed in down the right by Dan Meredith.

An interesting fact from this game is that the last time anyone scored a hat trick for the Brakes it was three years ago in Ives last visit to the Co-Op Community Stadium in an FA Trophy tie played behind closed doors during the time of Covid in December 2020.

Pluses from today’s game were returns to fitness for Tomlinson and Kaziboni. The short break between now and Boxing Day will also hopefully give Edwards chance to recover ahead of what now looks like a vital fixture at the wrong end of the table against local rivals Kettering Town at the quattro-tech Westwood Road. Get their early as the game has a 1.00pm kick off.

Final Score:  Leamington    3   St Ives Town   1

Goals:

LEAMINGTON: Landers 14, 20, 36

ST IVES: Williams 64

Team Line Ups:

LEAMINGTON: Hawkins, Meredith, Quaynor, Clarke, Edwards, Streete, Landers (Medrano 86), Walker (capt), Stewart (Shorrock 79), Barnett (Taylor 90), E. Williams, Unused subs: Brown-Hill, Baldwin

ST IVES: Brearey, Joyce (Mensah 77), Harris, Richens (capt), J. Williams, Casey, Barton, Cowling, Oti (Kaziboni 46), Njoku, Tesler (Tomlinson 46), Unused subs: Hottor, Edwards

Cards:   Red: ST IVES: Richens 2 x yellow (75) (82)

Yellow:  LEAMINGTON:  none      ST IVES:  Kaziboni (84)

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Dan Barton

Attendance:  463

St Ives Town travel to Leamington tomorrow as they start their festive football programme.

After Saturday, the Ives host Kettering Town on Boxing Day which is then followed by a trip to Stamford on New Years Day.

The trip to Lemington will be a tough one for the Ives as they look to return to winning ways after suffering three straight defeats at the hands of Telford, Stourbridge and Hitchin. Leamington are one of the in form teams in the division, and have only lost one of their last 10 league matches. That coming against current league leaders Needham Market on 5 December. Since then, they have drawn their last two matches against Barwell and Mickleover. The Brakes currently sit third in the table, but have played more games than most of those around them.

Leamington v Ives – Team News

The Ives travel looking to return to form. They looked to be on course for an important 3 points against Hitchin last Saturday only to lose the game 2-1, with the winner for the visitors coming late in the match. Boss Ricky Marheineke will be hoping to have some more players available over Christmas as the likes of Josh Tomlinson and Aaron Smith were missing last Saturday.

The reverse fixture

The two teams have already met this season. It was back on 26 August, and the Ives suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat.

Boxing Day Preview – Ives v Kettering

A bumper crowd is expected at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road on Boxing Day as the Ives host Kettering Town. It will be the third time that the two teams have met this season. The reverse league fixture ended in a 1-1 draw in August. Meanwhile, the Ives gained a 3-2 victory in the third qualifying round of the FA Trophy when the two sides were paired together in October. Like the Ives, Kettering endured a difficult start to the campaign, but have gradually hauled themselves out of the bottom four and head into Christmas having defeated the likes of Mickleover and Halesowen in recent weeks. Both sides will be looking for a big 3 points to give them some real breathing space between them and the bottom four as they head into the new year. Supporters are reminded that kick-off at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road on Boxing Day is at 1:00pm.

As usual, there will be updates across the club social media channels over Christmas along with match reports and post match reaction and highlights.

St Ives Town 1 v Hitchin Town 2

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  16-12-2023

Nigel Howlett Reports

Ives battled long and hard to finally get their noses in front with twenty minutes to go only to be denied any reward from a game where their overall play certainly deserved something as Arnold Matshazi came up with two late goals in five minutes to snatch full reward for the high flying Canaries.

With both sides missing a few players due to the inevitable injuries and illness that come along at this time of the season and both keen to get back on track after recent defeats in games where they would have hoped to get some return the expected cagy opening was exactly what we got.

Things could have been a little different though had ex Ives man Jack Snelus converted the only decent chance in those first twenty minutes. The opportunity came very early, only three minutes in, when Snelus dropped off his marker at the back post to get a free header onto Kye Tearle’s deep cross. But fortunately Benji Mensah got his body in the way of the effort to deflect the ball wide of the post.

The next noteworthy attempt at goal by either side did not arrive until 17^th minute when Mensah was brought down wide right by Layne Eadie. Myles Cowling’s free kick to the near post was met by the head of Michael Richens but like Snelus’s earlier effort the ball was deflected wide off a well placed defender.

The first save for either keeper came only moments later at the other end as the Canaries broke quickly from the resulting corner. Matshazi managed to turn Luke Harris in midfield before teeing up Isaac Galliford whose 25 yard effort dipped and swerved on its way towards goal forcing Eddie Brearey into a flying save high to his left. Brearey’s opposite number Charlie Horlock was called into his first meaningful action two minutes later, diving to his right to clutch onto Richens well struck drive from distance.

Another Ives corner led to panic in the Canaries box in 21^st minute. Stephen Gleeson swung a boot at the ball as it bounced around the box and was fortunate to see his attempted clearance ricochet off a team mate and drift across the face of goal with no one on hand to force it home. The closest that Ives came to opening their account in the first period was ten minutes before the break when Cowling’s corner was fed back to him giving the midfielder chance to side step his man and curl a left footer inches wide of the far post.

Each side had one more noteworthy attempt on goal before the half time whistle. Richens fired a 25 yard free kick over the visitors wall, but also over the crossbar in 37^th minute and seconds before the break Matshazi fired well over the top from just inside the box after being fed in by Gleeson at the end of a flowing move which started with a good advantage being played by referee Haydn Lavender.

Ives started the second half the brighter of the two sides with their two Cambridge United loanees combining to go close five minutes after the re-start. Dan Barton burst through the centre on one of his trademark jinking runs before feeding the ball to Brandon Njoku who fired inches wide from just outside the box. There were claims for a handball outside the box against Horlock two minutes later as the keeper rushed forward to block Barton’s attempt to flick the ball over him at point blank range right on the edge of his area.

The Canaries responded to the Ives powerful start to the second half and game then opened up a little more with chances starting to appear at both ends of the park. Toby Syme found a little space beyond the back post to get on the end of Gleeson’s 58^th minute corner but Jonny Edwards back defending did very well to divert his header back into the mix away from danger. With most of the visitor’s threat coming from dead ball situations conceding a free kick only inches outside the box brought real danger for Ives. A clever Canaries free kick saw the ball shifted sideways to give Tearle chance to get his shot away but Cowling was alert to the danger and closed down and blocked the effort.

At the other end a 64th minute Richens free kick looked like the perfect inviting delivery, but somehow the ball evaded everyone as it flashed along the six yard line and away to safety. Ives went even closer in 68^th minute as once again Horlock had a lucky escape as he rushed from his line to block an Edwards effort at point blank range right on the edge, or maybe just outside, his box. But once more the claims for handball against the keeper were waved away.

But Ives only had to wait three more minutes to finally get the goal that they deserved, although it came in bizarre fashion courtesy of Canaries centre back Stan Georgiou who met Dan Barton’s low cross from the right perfectly at the near post to side foot the ball high into the net past his startled keeper from eight yards. Now in front the question was could the hosts consolidate and possibly build on that lead. They had a half chance to add to it only ninety seconds later with Barton again scampering through the midfield to tee up Njoku but the usually deadly striker had not got his radar right today and his effort from just outside the box flew high and wide.

Having previously mentioned that the Canaries looked most threatening from dead ball situations sure enough it was from just such an opportunity that they got level in 75^th minute Galliford delivered a free kick from the left deep beyond the far post where Syme won the header and knocked the ball down into the mix for Matshazi to sweep it home from close range.

Having looked a beaten side only a few minutes earlier suddenly the visitors looked the more likely to claim all three points. It took a very well timed tackle from Richens to prevent Matshazi putting them in front two minutes later. But the vibrant Canaries number seven was not to be denied for long and it was he who ghosted in to nod home Galliford’s perfectly flighted clip to the back post with ten minutes to go.

Ives pushed hard in the remaining time to get themselves at least a point from the game but it was not to be with Njoku and Edwards both failing to hit the target with efforts from the edge of the box. The former being set up well with a ball pulled back from the bye line by Paddy Casey and the latter teed up by substitute Khris Oti.

The Canaries complete their double over Ives and remain in fourth place eleven places above their hosts who are now on a three game losing run following their six game winning streak that had boosted them up the table. With the only game ahead of the Christmas and New Year fixtures being a trip to third placed Leamington the squad now need to dig deep and show their character to swiftly get back to winning ways.

Final Score:  St Ives Town    1   Hitchin Town   2

Goals:

ST IVES: Georgiou 71 (own goal)

HITCHIN: Matshadzi 75, 80

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Brearey, Mensah (Joyce 80), Harris (Hottor 89), Richens (capt), Williams, Casey, Barton, Cowling, Edwards, Njoku, Tessler (Oti 89) Unused subs: none

HITCHIN: Horlock (capt), Tearle, Eadie, Syme, Emovon, Georgiou, Matshazi, Gleeson, Snelus (Wilkinson 70), Galliford, Freeman (Thomas 89), Unused subs: Bell, Jolley, Idiakhoa

Cards:   Yellow:  ST IVES:  Edwards (50), Williams (66)        HITCHIN:  Thomas (90+4)

SPONSORS MAN OF THE MATCH: Myles Cowling

Attendance:  389

St Ives Town return to home action tomorrow when they host Hitchin Town at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road.

It’s been a fortnight since the last home action, and that was when the Ives recorded a sixth straight victory courtesy of a 5-0 win over Long Eaton United. Since then, the winning run has come to an end and the Ives go into the game tomorrow on the back of two straight defeats against AFC Telford United and Stourbridge.

IVES TEAM NEWS

Ives boss Ricky Marheineke has decent numbers to select from for the match. Ben Mensah played at Stourbridge in midweek and could be in line for a start once again whilst Callum Milne who has returned to the club in recent weeks could also feature from the start. Fellow new signing Khris Oti is pushing for a place too, but the potent striking force of Jonny Edwards and Brandon Njoku will be spearheading the Ives attack.

INTRODUCING HITCHIN

Hitchin arrive at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road fourth in the table. Despite their decent position in the league, the Canaries arrive on the back of two straight defeats. A 2-1 reverse at Leamington last Saturday followed by a 4-1 home defeat at the hands of Leiston on Monday night. So they will be looking to return to winning ways as they look to remain in the play-off places heading into the Christmas programme.

THE REVERSE FIXTURE

The two teams have already met this season. Back in August, it was Hitchin who secured the points courtesy of a 3-2 win. It was the same score when the two teams met last season at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road, but this time it went in favour of the Ives as skipper Michael Richens scored a last minute winner to secure victory.

MATCH SPONSORS

A group of five supporters are sponsoring the game tomorrow. If you would like to follow suit and get a group together to sponsor a game, then please contact Mark Taylor mark@marktaylormarketing.co.uk for further information.

DAVE BULL

Prior to the game tomorrow, there will be a minutes applause as the club comes together to remember former club official and supporter Dave Bull. Dave sadly passed away recently and the thoughts and prayers of everyone connected with St Ives Town are with the family of Dave at this sad time.

ADMISSION PRICES

• Adults: £11.00
• Concessions (Over 65’s): £8.00
• Military Discount/Students with ID: £6.00
• 12 -16’s: £2.00
• Under 12’s (Accompanied by an Adult): £2.00

Kick-off at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road is at 3:00pm.

Stourbridge 2 v St Ives Town 0    

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  12-12-2023

Nigel Howlett Reports from the War Memorial Athletic Ground 

A lacklustre performance saw Ives slip to their first defeat of the season against a team in the lower half of the table. However having endured the same three hour struggle through the Birmingham traffic to get to this game I can offer a little sympathy with the players and perhaps offer a small modicum of an excuse for the below par performance of so many. Fortunately Eddie Brearey was not one of those and it was thanks to him that the hosts did not record a more emphatic victory. But just to give an indication of an opportunity the Ives may have missed here Brearey’s opposite number in this game was Glassboys 41 year old goalkeeper coach Lewis Solly standing in for injured regular keeper Charlie Price. Not only was he not tested but Solly did not have a save worthy of note to make throughout the evening. 

After the struggle to get to the West Midlands on time it was perhaps no surprise that it was the hosts who started on the front foot and Brearey’s first action came in fifth minute when Brad Bood cut in from the left and hit a low driven cross shot that was turned away by the Ives keeper. The Glassboys kept up the pressure and only seconds later Charlie Dowd cut inside from the opposite side of the pitch and fizzed a shot from the edge of the box just wide of the far post. 

Niall Flint had picked up an early booking for pulling back Benji Mensah right in front of the referee, but he was soon a man causing Ives problems with his pace down the left creating two chances in quick succession around the ten minute mark. Initially picking out Alex Prosser in space on the left corner of the box. His fierce low drive beat the diving Brearey but flashed wide of the post. Flint’s pace saw him get away down the left again moments later and this time it took an excellent block from Paddy Casey to prevent Luke Benbow turning home the wide man’s low cross. 

The host’s found a route through in spectacular fashion in 21^st minute. Dowd’s initial run was blocked thirty yards from goal by a solid challenge from Myles Cowling but the loose ball ran to Prosser who put his foot through it to unleash a thunderbolt that flew past Brearey’s dive and nestled in the top corner of the net. 

The one-way traffic continued as the Glassboys went close again seven minutes later Joel Kettle did well to keep alive a deep Bood free kick from the left. The centre back’s knock down fell to Dowd whose fierce first time effort flew through the crowd in the centre of goal and flashed past the far post. 

Ives one bright spark in the first half came ten minutes before the break when a quick Aaron Smith throw put Jonny Edwards away down the left. He fed the ball into the well timed run of Dan Barton who picked out Mensah on the edge of the box with his pull back. But rather than take on the chance first time the young wing back took a touch giving Bood the opportunity to get across and take all of the sting out of the shot allowing Solly to make a very comfortable save. 

Had that gone in it would have given Ives something to build on, but it did not and very quickly play was back at the other end where Joel Kettle’s 25 yarder was well held by Brearey diving low to his left.  

The host’s second goal arrived just before the break and was a poor goal to concede at a very bad time to concede it. Brearey’s long punt down the field was won by an unchallenged Jesse Bavanganga who powered his header back up the park where Benbow outmuscled Jordan Williams leaving the Ives centre back on the deck as he raced clear bearing down on Brearey’s goal. The young stopper did his best not committing early and forcing the striker to try and go around him. But Benbow is a wily old fox and as Brearey dived in to try and grab the ball he felt the contact and went down leaving a simple decision for referee Lewis Mountain penalty and a yellow card for the Ives keeper. The Glassboy’s centre forward picked himself up and beat Brearey high to his left from the spot. The keeper going the right way and getting a hand to it but beaten by the power. 

There was still time for referee Mountain to have to make a more difficult decision before the break Michael Richens appearing to stamp on Reece King as the two skippers tangled in the centre of the park and it took a consultation involving all three officials before the final decision was a yellow card for the Ives man much to the chagrin of most in the ground. 

The second half started in similar vein to most of the first with the hosts on top and being kept out by the gallant Brearey. Prosser dispossessed a dallying Paddy Casey deep inside his own half only two minutes after the re-start. Brearey did well to get down smartly to his right to keep out the effort but the loose ball fell to Jack Fletcher who probably should have scored, but screwed his shot wide. 

Ives did get a shooting opportunity only ninety seconds later as patient build up down the right ended with Richens delivering a clip into the centre that was missed by a defender and arrived at the feet of Edwards who to sum up his evening failed to react with the ball bouncing off him and being scrambled away. 

Back at the other end Brearey was in action again four minutes later diving low to his left to keep out a fierce low drive from the edge of the box by Bood after the overlapping full back had been played in by Flint. 

Ives carved out a couple of opportunities around the hour mark but again failed to test Solly. Initially Mensah tried to catch out the veteran stopper as he floated a clip from the right over his head and had he got the effort right it might well have crept in as the keeper was struggling to back peddle but unfortunately the ball landed on top of the net. Seconds later an even better chance arrived as Barton picked out Brandon Njoku arriving at the near post in front of his man. But again, to sum up Ives evening the usually deadly striker completely missed his kick and the opportunity was gone. 

Play quickly returned to the other end and it took an excellent recovery tackle from Williams to prevent Dowd getting a shot away after the speedy winger looked like he had got clear down the right. Five minutes later and it took more heroics from Brearey to keep the score line down as he initially plunged to his left to keep out a fierce low drive from Benbow that skimmed off the wet turf. The young stopper did even better to recover and dive onto the loose ball just ahead of Fletcher following up. 

As the game wore on Ives began to enjoy a bit more possession with the hosts sitting back a little more looking to preserve their lead. Even with seeing a little more of the ball the visitors were still not able to work an opening to test Solly, or even force him into a meaningful save. The closest that they came was two minutes from time when a Smith long throw dropped to Williams inside the box. The centre back struck his effort well but Bood flung himself across the line to deflect the ball away and see the Glassboys home to a comfortable win and leave the Ives to look forward to another three hour drive home, thanks to a couple of diversions for night time roadworks. 

The result means that the Glassboys leapfrog Ives in the table with the visitors dropping to fourteenth and with the next two games for the boys from Cambridgeshire against teams in the top four the run in to Christmas looks a tough one. 

Final Score:  Stourbridge   2   St Ives Town   0 

Goals:  

STOURBRIDGE: Prosser 21, Benbow 40 (pen) 

ST IVES:  

Team Line Ups: 

STOURBRIDGE: Solly, Bavanganga, Bood, Prosser, Kettle, Forde (Portman 73), Dowd (Knights 84), King (capt), Benbow, Fletcher, Flint, Unused subs: Steward, Walters, Wilson 

ST IVES: Brearey, Mensah (Oti 76), Smith, Richens (capt), Williams, Casey, Barton (Hottor 68), Cowling (Harris 80), Edwards, Njoku, Milne, Unused subs: Tesler,  

Cards:   Yellow:  STOURBRIDGE: Flint (3)       ST IVES:  Brearey (39), Cowling (45), Richens (45+2) 

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Eddie Brearey 

Attendance:  372 

The home league clash against Kettering Town on Boxing Day will now kick-off at 1pm. A reminder that the Christmas Draw will also take place that day with a number of prizes on offer. You can purchase tickets at just £1.00 each from the clubhouse on Saturday and also leading up to the draw on Boxing Day.

AFC Telford United 2 v St Ives Town  1 

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  09-12-2023

Nigel Howlett reports from the New Bucks Head Stadium

Ives winning league run came to a halt after six on the bounce, but they were unfortunate to get nothing from their first ever trip to the impressive New Bucks Head Stadium where their equally in-form hosts stretched their unbeaten league run to nine games. The Bucks last league defeat being against Needham Market way back on 23^rd September.

The visitors made a confident start and enjoyed the lion’s share of early possession going very close to getting in front in eleventh minute when Callum Milne did very well to keep alive a deep cross beyond the far post. Brandon Njoku looked like he was going to poke home Milne’s header back into the six yard box only to have the ball touched off his toe by Orrin Pendley.

Not to be outdone the hosts then also went close to grabbing that all important opener only ninety seconds later. The dangerous Reece Styche executed a brilliant turn just outside the box before delivering a low skidding ball to the far post that only just evaded Ricardo Dinanga sliding in at full stretch.

The game continued in an even pattern but whist Ives struggled to create clear chances, or even good half chances their opponents did manage to force a save from Eddie Brearey midway through the half. Jared Hodgkiss picked up a loose ball fully thirty yards out and unleashed a low drive that skipped off the wet turf but Brearey was equal to it holding on well low to his right.

Ives only conceded two free kicks in the entire first half but the first one of those in 24^th minute saw the hosts go very close indeed to going ahead. Nathan Fox’s in-swinging delivery was met acrobatically at the back post by Montel Gibson and it took an equally spectacular goal line clearance from Paddy Casey to keep the ball out of the net. He was in just the right place to twist and deflect the ball over the crossbar with Brearey beaten.

The aerial bombardment was looking like the favoured route for the Bucks and they managed to get in front with a scrappy goal on the half hour. Fox was again the provider. This time being given space to deliver a deep cross from the left to beyond the far post where Styche got above Casey to head the ball back into the mix. Brearey looked favourite to get a fist to the looping ball, but Gibson bravely went in with the keeper and won the header. Brearey kept the effort out at point blank range but Gibson was first to react to the loose ball slamming home into the roof of the unguarded net.

Ives had one chance to get level before the break as Myles Cowling seized an opportunity to run into the heart of the Bucks defence before being unceremoniously taken down by Sam Whittall inside the D. Michael Richens stepped up and thumped the free kick past the edge of the four man wall but straight at keeper Brandon Hall whose hands were warmed on a cold afternoon as he parried the effort away.

The Bucks showed off a clever short corner routine right at the end of the first half as all of the big boys started in front of the near post before taking their markers across the face of goal opening up a gaping space to allow Fox to play his corner low into the feet of Styche arriving late at that near post but fortunately for Ives the host’s number ten did not give the move the finish that it deserved firing over the top from a very good position.

The hosts came out of the traps fast in the second period and doubled their lead only four minutes after the re-start. Once more it was a delivery from wide left by Fox that caught out the visitors. This time he exchanged passes with Dinanga before delivering another curling cross to the centre that was powered home by Jordan Piggott as the Bucks skipper ghosted in between Ives centre backs to head home from ten yards giving Brearey no chance.

Ives lost the vital presence of Jordan Williams for a five minute spell soon after that second goal as he was receiving treatment for a bloody nose picked up in his running battle with the powerful Styche and Gibson. It took an excellent saving header from Milne to prevent the hosts adding a third in 55^th minute. Another perfect delivery from Fox was hanging in the air in the centre of Ives goal with both of the Bucks strikers homing in on it but somehow Milne managed to get between the two and even more amazingly he managed to direct his header away from goal when it looked far easier to steer it past his own keeper.

Having survived the fifteen minutes of pressure from the hosts only two goals in arrears and still in the contest Ives began to lift themselves again and they almost found a route back into the game just after the hour. A flowing move was ended with Cowling skipping through a gap in the hosts back line before feeding the ball into the run of Dan Barton through the right channel. His well struck effort from the edge of the box was kept out by full length diving save from Hall as the athletic keeper thew himself to his left to palm the ball away.

But Ives were not to be denied and only sixty seconds later a similar move saw Richens drive through the centre before feeding the ball into the feet of Barton just inside the box. This time a clumsy challenge from behind by Fox gave the excellent referee Tom Swift little choice but to point to the spot. Jonny Edwards made no mistake thrashing the ball high past the diving Hall to halve the deficit.

Only four minutes later it should have been 2-2 as Cowling worked a short corner routine with Barton before cleverly hanging the ball up to the back post where Edwards rose unmarked but powered his close range header inches the wrong side of the upright as Hall and his defenders looked on.

Having survived that let off the hosts then had one good opportunity of their own to kill the game with twenty minutes to go and Piggott was left shaking his head in amazement that he did not do just that as he again lost his marker to cleanly meet a corner from the left at the near post. His close range header flashed past Brearey but rebounded to safety off the crossbar.

Ives huffed and puffed and sent on the pace of Ben Mensah and Khris Oti in the closing stages but the nearest that the came to grabbing an equaliser was two minutes from time when Mensah burst forward from his own half before sliding the ball inside to Richens whose effort from 25 yards just required a routine save from Hall to ensure that the Bucks claimed the three points.

Final Score:  AFC Telford United    2   St Ives Town  1

Goals:

TELFORD: Gibson 30, Piggott 49

ST IVES: Edwards 63 (pen)

Team Line Ups:

TELFORD: Hall, Tebbutt, Fox, Piggott (capt), Pendley, Whittall, Dinanga, Walker, Gibson, Styche (Yusuf 86), Hodgkiss (Kerr 90+4), Unused subs: Webster, Jones, Forsyth

ST IVES: Brearey, Harris (Mensah 76), Smith, Richens (capt), Williams, Casey, Barton (Oti 84), Cowling (Hottor 78), Edwards, Njoku, Milne, Unused subs: Tessler,

Cards:   Yellow:  TELFORD:  Styche (18), Gibson (44)            ST IVES:  none

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Myles Cowling

Attendance:  855

St Ives Town are currently the form team of the division, but their sequence of six consecutive victories will be put to the test on Saturday as they make the trip to AFC Telford United.

The Ives go into the game on the back of league victories against Royston, Coalville, Halesowen, Berkhamsted, Barwell and Long Eaton.  It was Long Eaton who were their latest conquest as they defeated the bottom club 5-0 last Saturday at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road.  During that game, Jonny Edwards scored twice and his strike partner, Brandon Njoku was also among the goals as the Ives cruised to victory.

Introducing Telford

The match-up against Telford on Saturday will provide a much harder test.  The Bucks have lost twice at home in the league all season and sit ninth in the table, two places and five points above the Ives.  The hosts haven’t played since 18 November which was a 1-0 win at Berkhamsted.  They were knocked out of the FA Trophy at Quorn in early October, but since then their form has improved and go into the game unbeaten in the last six with the only points dropped being against Leamington when they had to settle for a 1-1 draw.

The reverse fixture

The two teams met earlier this season at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road.  Telford returned home with maximum points courtesy of a 3-2 victory.  The Ives looked as though they were going to secure victory when Michael Richens put his side 2-1 up, but an equaliser and an injury time winner meant that Telford returned home with the points.

Going to the Game

Tickets can be purchased in advance for the game.  All tickets can be scanned at the turnstiles from a mobile device, or a PDF ticket can be printed for scanning.  No cash is accepted at the turnstiles.  However, you can use cash and card for on the day ticket sales.  These tickets can be purchased from the ticket office which is based outside the East Terrace near to the Learning Centre Building.  The ticket office is open from 1:00pm-3:15pm on a Saturday matchday.  The link to purchase tickets online is AFC Telford United v St Ives Town (ticketco.events)

• Adults – £13.00
• Concessions – £10.00
• 17-18 Year Olds – £6.00
• 12-16 Year Olds – £3.00
• U12s – Free (When accompanied with a paying adult or concession)

AFC Telford United FC

The Bucks Way

TELFORD

TF1 2TU

Kick-off is at 3:00pm.