St Ives Town 0 v Royston Town 1
Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central 26-12-2024
Nigel Howlett reports
A hard fought Boxing Day derby that was full of endeavour but lacking artistry was decided by a goal three minutes before half time from ex Ives man Tyrone Baker. A master stroke from Crows manager Chris Watters who gave Baker his first start for the visitors since 15th October, excluding a Hertfordshire Senior Cup tie, and the speedy winger duly obliged against his old club.
The story could have been so different though if Will Glennon had put away an 18th minute penalty for the Ives which was awarded in bizarre circumstances as Crows goalkeeper Tommy Dixon-Hodge took exception to a challenge from Amir Hadi and put his head into the face of the hosts centre forward whilst he had the ball safely in his hands. The match officials deemed the contact sufficient to award the spot kick and book the keeper but not sufficiently violent to warrant the red card which had been anticipated by many in the crowd.
Dixon-Hodge then proceeded to redeem himself in the eyes of Crows supporters as he flung himself to his right to keep out Glennon’s well struck spot kick. Johnson Gyamfi then compounded Ives woes as he was first to the rebound but sliced his effort horribly wide with the keeper still on the deck.
The visitors started on the front foot and many in the large crowd were still taking up their chosen positions in the ground when Kian Harness got in front of his man to flick Damaray Anyadike’s near post cross over the top after only 45 seconds.
Both sides battled hard to win the midfield contest and referee Joseph Karram tried his best to let the game flow by allowing a few crunching tackles to occur in those early stages. Ives first half chance came in 13th minute when Hadi forced his way down the right before delivering a near post cross that Josh Allen got on the end of but his first time effort was blocked at point blank range by Archie Locke.
Jernade Meade lost possession deep in his own half allowing Anyadike to get away a 15th minute snap shot from 30 yards that had Dan Wilks scrambling across his goal to cover as the ball flashed just wide.
Two minutes later the niggling that had been bubbling just below the surface exploded into full view. Hadi fairly but heavily challenged Dixon-Hodge for a ball that the keeper had at that point not claimed cleanly. The keeper came up with the ball and then proceeded to vent his angst against Hadi who stood his ground. A head pushed into his face then sent the Ives striker reeling away. Referee Karram and his assistant on the far side both had a good view of the incident and decided on awarding the spot kick but just issuing a yellow card against the enraged keeper.
Crows skipper Ed Asafu-Ajaye went down in the incident and required treatment. That plus the delay listening to the protestations of Dixon-Hodge and his colleagues meant a long wait before Glennon was able to seize the ball and put it on the spot. The powerful midfielder struck his kick well, but it was at a nice saving height and the keeper guessed the right way and made an excellent stop to redeem himself. Gyanfi failing to hit the target having latched onto the rebound added to the woe.
The reprieve seemed to lift the visitors and they enjoyed a good period. Wilks made an excellent save to deny Anyadike in 25th minute. Baker’s cross from the left was flicked on by Harness with Anyadike getting across his man to get in a close range effort but Wilks reacted brilliantly to make the save.
It was Jordan Williams turn to make a goal saving block just after the half hour. Anyadike was again the man denied as he latched onto Josh Dawodu’s threaded through ball and unleashed a fierce first time effort the Williams slid in to block. The ball was eventually fed back to James Brighton who calmly curled his effort from the corner of the box around the diving Wilks and just past the post.
Ives otherwise solid defence finally cracked three minutes before the break Dawodu put Harness through the right channel and with Anyadike in an offside position in the centre there was a moments hesitation but Dawodu strode on and hit a low right footed effort that the spreading Wilks managed to block with his body. But the ball rolled on towards the far post where Baker slid in to force it home from close range despite a gallant effort from Ethan Creary to scoop it away.
There was still time for Ives to get the ball in the net before the break. Meade’s corner from the left was won in the air beyond the back post by the leaping skipper Alex Collard and his looping header back into the mix in the six yard box seemed to float over all and find its way into the back of the net. But referee Karram blew for a foul in close packed box and much to the Crows relief chalked off the “goal”.
The visitors came out for the second half determined to hang onto what they had got and they were working their socks off the preserve that slender advantage. Ives players were given no time on the ball at all as they were instantly pressurised and tackles snapped in. A triple substitution by manager Ricky Marheineke twenty minutes after the break saw David Adegbola replace Aaron Smith, Peter Abimbola replace Gyamfi and most influentially wide man Greg Kaziboni replace defender Ethan Creary.
Kaziboni began to find some space down the right and his skill and pace started to cause the Crows a few problems. Ives best move of the game came in 75th minute Abimbola picked out the winger in a little bit of space and he danced past Brighton before feeding inside to Allen. His ball across the box picked out Hadi but the central strikers first time effort flew well over the top.
Moments later another piece of Kaziboni magic carved out another opportunity as he once more danced down the right before trying to pick out a team mate at the near post but Glennon and Allen got in each other’s way and neither was able to get a shot away.
Ives best chance to grab a deserved equaliser came in 82nd minute and again Kaziboni was the provider combining well with Benji Mensah before delivering a teasing cross to the back post where Hadi arriving at pace slid in but could only succeed in knocking the ball wide.
Meade went close to grabbing the leveller in an unconventional way with four minutes to go curling his corner from the right goalwards it took a decisive leap from Brighton protecting the near post to do just enough to keep the ball out. There was one final opportunity for the battling hosts to claim a just reward as the game entered added time. Harvey Beckett brought down Allen 25 yards from goal. Glennon lined up the free kick but skied his powerful effort well over the top.
The Crows survived the remaining seven minutes without any further scares and reach the half way point in the season one point and two places below the Ives who sit tenth. The crazy table still remains as tight as ever though with Ives 29 points seeing them five points off the top five but exactly the same number above the relegation zone.
Games come thick and fast at this time of year and a trip to Banbury awaits then in only 48 hours time followed by a New Years Day trip to Spalding four days later with a home game against Stourbridge on Saturday 4th January.
Final Score: St Ives Town 0 Royston Town 1 Half Time 0 – 1
Goals:
ST IVES:
ROYSTON: Baker 42,
Team Line Ups:
ST IVES: Wilks, Mensah, Smith (Adegbola 66), Meade, Williams, Collard (capt), Gyamfi (Abimbola 66), Glennon (Skyers 90+2), Hadi (Wilson 82), Allen, Creary (Kaziboni 66), Unused subs: none
ROYSTON: Dixon-Hodge, Asafu-Adjaye (capt), Brighton, Coldicott-Stevens, Beckett, Baker (Rookard 78), Weyman, Harness, Anyadike, Dawodu (Murray 50), Locke, Unused subs: Akubuine, Ngwa, Johnson
Referee: Joseph Karram
Cards: Yellow: ST IVES: Williams (24), Hadi (45+4) ROYSTON: Dixon-Hodge (16), Coldicott-Stevens (18), Asafu-Adjaye (30), Rookard (90+5), Locke (90+6)
IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Greg Kaziboni
Attendance: 471