Bromsgrove Sporting v St Ives Town

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Match Report

Bromsgrove Sporting v St Ives Town

BetVictor League Southern Premier Division Central 23-11-19

Despite playing 75 minutes against ten men and twice coming from behind Ives still failed to glean any reward from their first ever trip to the Victoria Ground. With more players returning from injury they looked likely to go into this game against the inconsistent Rouslers on a more positive footing but that was somewhat tempered by the news that Cambridge United loanee keeper Finley Iron had succumbed to an injury sustained in training meaning that young Shay Griffiths was going to get his first outing of the season between the sticks.

The game had an explosive start with Ben Seymour-Shove missing a golden opportunity to put the Ives in front in third minute. George Bailey and Robbie Parker combined well to put him through into the box but as debutant home keeper Dan Platt came to meet him the winger blazed the ball well over the top from an excellent position.

That miss was massively compounded as the Rouslers veteran marksman Michael Taylor showed him how to finish only twenty seconds later. A deep cross from the left by Jack Wilson was headed back into the mix by Will Shorrock and was slammed into the roof of the net from eight yards by the lurking Taylor giving Griffiths no chance.

But the hosts lead only lasted six minutes thanks to a brilliant first goal for the Ives from Northampton Town loanee Cameron McWilliams. Matt Foy put him away down the right but the young full back still had a tremendous amount to do as he out muscled Wilson to fight his way into the box then side stepped around Platt as the keeper slid in to try and rob him  before firing in a shot from a narrow angle that deflected over the line off Harry Higginson with the goal awarded by a well positioned assistant in spite of the defenders effort to hack the ball away.

Referee Bradley Hall made a brave decision on the quarter hour mark as he flashed an instant red card to Leon Broadhurst as the Rouslers experienced midfield man dived in on Seymour-Shove right in front of the official in the centre circle. 

Going down to ten men seemed to have little impact on the hosts and they regained the lead in 20th minute as Higginson lost his marker to rise high above the Ives defence and power home Greg Mills corner at the back post.

Ives first corner on the half hour could have lead to another equaliser as Charlie Johnson rose high above the hosts defence to meet Seymour-Shove’s flag kick by the penalty spot but he failed to keep down his free header which flew over the top.

Griffiths was a little fortunate to get away with a heavy touch to a Tom Wood back pass in 37th minute Taylor reacted instantly to get in and rob him but fortunately referee Hall deemed that the hosts striker had fouled the Ives keeper to spare his blushes. The ten men continued to press forward at every opportunity and two minutes later Shaquille McDonald almost managed to get away from Johnson on the edge of the box but fortunately the Ives centre back just managed to recover and block the striker’s well struck shot. The resulting corner was knocked down to Shorrock inside the box but Wood was on the spot to block his effort at point blank range. There was still time before the break for Griffiths to earn his corn as he plunged low to his right to keep out a crisp drive from the same player.

The young keeper pulled off an even better save only 50 seconds after the re-start as he flung himself to his right to palm away a fierce drive from the edge of the box by McDonald after the striker had exchanged passes with Taylor to work the space. Taylor again managed to get free to get on the end of the resulting corner but his downward header hit Wood and was scrambled away.

Wood went close at the other end three minutes later as he got on the end of Seymour-Shove’s corner to the near post but he steered his effort wide of the near post. 

Mr Hall further enraged the home supporters in 48th minute as he adjudged that Wilson’s push on Bailey as the Ives striker burst into the box was worthy of a penalty. The ever reliable Robbie Parker despatched the spot kick with aplomb to level things up for the second time.

Ives tried to push on from there and Johnson forced keeper Platt into a save on the hour as he got on the end of a deep Joe Curtis free kick from the right but his effort from a narrow angle was tipped over the top.

Taylor’s clever movement was still causing problems at the other end and he cunningly dropped off Tom Wood to get on the end of a deep Jak Hickman cross in 68th minute but fortunately his header hit the recovering Wood and was scrambled away.

The game continued in end to end fashion with both teams still searching for a winner. In 74th minute Rouslers substitute Nathan Hayward blazed over from a good position after being played in by McDonald. Four minutes later Curtis and Matt Foy exchanged passes on the edge of the box before the latter fired straight at keeper Platt who held on well.

Griffiths had a shaky moment in 81st minute as he spilled a hanging cross from the right by Hickman to concede a corner. But he did a lot better from the resulting flag kick as he came bravely to claim the in-swinger before being clattered by Taylor to win a free kick.

The winning goal to break Ives hearts arrived seven minutes from time courtesy of the deadly Taylor as the Rouslers striker took advantage of a slip by Wood deep inside Ives territory before curling the ball beyond the despairing dive of Griffiths and into the far corner.

There was one opportunity for Ives to grab a deserved point from the game deep in added time when Foy exchanged passes with Johnson inside the box but the Ives striker wanted an extra touch which allowed Gift Mussa to stride across and take the ball off his toe.

Ives now face a vital run of pre-Christmas fixtures against sides around them in the table and despite the score line in this fixture the performance and the fact that most of the squad are now back to nearing full fitness means they must enter those games in a positive frame of mind.

Final Score : Bromsgrove Sporting  3  St Ives Town  2      

Goals :  McWilliams 10, Parker 51 (pen)

Team : Griffiths, McWilliams (Snaith 84), Ward (Clifton 43), Wood, Jackson, Johnson, Bailey (Dylan Wilson 78), Parker (capt), Foy, Curtis, Seymour-Shove 

Unused subs : none

Supporters man of the match : Cameron McWilliams

Attendance : 803

Report by Nigel Howlett. Video by Dave Hook. Photos by Louise Thompson.

St Ives Town

Goals
3
2
MOM
0
1

Details

Date Time League Season Full Time
November 23, 2019 15:00 Southern Premier Central 2019-20 90'

Results

Club1st HalfFinal Score
Bromsgrove Sporting23
St Ives Town12