Match Report

Alvechurch v St Ives Town

BetVictor League Southern Premier Division Central 19-10-19

A poor performance from the lacklustre Ives saw them fall to defeat against one of their rivals in the lower reaches of the table as the Church grabbed their first maximumreturn from a League game since August.

Finley Iron’s loan period from Cambridge United had been extended into the new year in midweek and he was already earning his money as early as second minute when he had to get down smartly to his right to keep out a crisp low drive from Jordan Goddard after Aaron Birch had cut out a poor clearance from Ty Ward and fed in the midfielder.

Charlie Johnson was also earning his corn early on and he did well to bravely slide in and block a Kevin Monteiro shot at point blank range after the speedy number ten had run onto a Kyle Perry flick.

The early pressure from the Church continued and the combination of Perry and Monteiro continued to cause problems for Ives. In 27^th minute Perry flicked on a long ball down the park to the feet of his fellow striker who returned the compliment to set up the big man for a rasping drive from 20 yards that Iron saved well low to his right.

The incessant pressure finally brought reward for the hosts in 29^th minute as Javia Roberts picked up a ball 35 yards from goal and cut in from the left before firing in a low drive from just outside the D that crept in the bottom corner past an unsighted Iron.

Ives first real attack of the game finally arrived ten minutes before the break when Dylan Wilson pinged a perfect pass out of the centre of the park to pick out Ben Seymour-Shove wide on the left. His driven cross was spilled by home keeper Joe Slinn but he was saved from embarrassment by his skipper Jamie Willets who just scrambled the loose ball away from Matt Foy.

The visitors first shot on target came only sixty seconds later when full back Jeff Woodward got away down the right before picking out debutant George Boland just outside the box. He took a touch then fired in a right footed effort that Slinn saved well low to his left.

The final few minutes of the half were a little more even but neither side were able to create much so the hosts went into the break with their slender advantage intact. Ives supporters were not to downhearted at this point as they were still remembering Tuesday evening when in similar circumstances their heroes came out for the restart with all guns blazing and quickly got themselves in front. But sadly there was no repeat at Lye Meadow and it was the hosts who quickly returned to running the show. Iron was forced to turn a 30 yard strike from Monteiro around the post only two minutes after the restart.

With the sun still shining but rain clouds building up a rainbow appeared over the clubhouse but there was little time for the embattled Ives to enjoy its splendour as the hosts continued to enjoy the possession and the larger the life Perry continued to be a thorn in their side. He combined well with Roberts just after the hour before delivering a low cross from the left which Monteiro was just unable to turn home at the back post.

The Church continued to rack up chances but were unable to put them away. In 71^st minute centre back Kyle Morrison managed to lose his marker at the near post to get a free header from a Goddard corner from the right but he failed to hit the target from eight yards. 

The hosts chances to kill the game off continued to rack up and in 74^th minute Mitchell Botfield delivered a deep cross beyond the back post which Roberts diving in should have done better with but again he failed to hit the target with his free header.

Four minutes later it was Willets turn to be wasteful as he towered above the Ives defenders to get on the end of another Goddard corner but like his colleagues before him he failed to trouble Iron as his header flew well over the top.

The best opportunity for the hosts to finally kill things off came eleven minutes from time as Goddard got away clear down the centre at pace and closed on goal. But Dylan Wilson showed that he to has some real pace as he caught up with the speedy winger and did just enough to deflect his shot onto the foot of the post. Fortunately for Ives the rebound took the ball straight into the hands of the grateful Iron.

The wasteful Church had a final chance to finish off the woeful Ives three minutes later as Perry showed a surprising turn of pace to close down Iron as the keeper sprinted from his line to try to hack clear a long ball out of defence. The big striker blocked the attempted clearance and gained possession but he was still denied the goal his performance probably deserved as Johnson slid in to block his goal bound effort inside the six yard box.

Having missed so many chances to clinch the three points the hosts must have been nervous of conceding late but the closest Ives came to threatening them was a couple of corners in the last five minutes although neither of these led to an effort on goal so they happily claimed what has to be said was a fairly comfortable win.

The only few positives for Ives on such a poor day were that at least the many injured players must be getting closer to fitness and the other sides down the bottom end of the table, except rock bottom Leiston, all lost as well.

Final Score : Alvechurch  1  St Ives Town  0     

Goals :  none

Team : Iron, Phillips (Moyes 80), Ward (Dawkin 64), Wood (capt), Woodward, Johnson, Jarvis Wilson, Boland (Clifton 58), Foy, Dylan Wilson, Seymour-Shove 

Unused subs : Patrick, 

Supporters man of the match : Charlie Johnson

Attendance : 183

Report by Nigel Howlett. Photos by Louise Thompson.