Match Report

Needham Market v St Ives Town

Evo-Stik League Southern Premier Division Central 20-04-19

Ives seven game unbeaten away run dating back to January came to a juddering halt at Bloomfields as the hosts took their chances to claim all three points in this mid table end of season clash. However the score line rather flattered the hosts as Ives created as many chances as their hosts but whilst they were unable to finish the Marketmen took advantage of an unusually poor second half defensive performance from the Ives to condemn them to a heavy defeat.

All this came after the visitors had the perfect start a fourth minute Ben Seymour-Shove corner was only half cleared to Robbie Parker his clip back into the box was flicked on by Tom Wood and fell perfectly for Jake Newman who picked his spot low past the exposed Jake Jessup’s left hand from by the penalty spot.

The lead was however only short lived as The Marketmen equalised in simple fashion only six minutes later. A Russell Short free kick from half way was won on the left edge of the box by Adam Mills his header back into the mix was only headed down by an under pressure Jarvis Wilson and Mills peeled around to pounce on the loose ball and slam home a right footed drive low to Martin Conway’s right.

Mills was giving stand in right back Munashe Sundire a tough time and he caught the Ives defender in possession in 18^th minute. Robbing the full back he strode forward before unleashing a powerful drive from 25 yards which was fortunately straight at Conway who held on well. Conway was in action again in 23^rd minute plunging to his left to palm a powerful Joseph Marsden drive around the post. The Marketmen’s winger had been allowed space to cut in from the right before firing off his powerful strike.

Most of the remainder of the first half was fairly even with both sides looking to attack at every opportunity and although both defences were stretched on occasions Kieran Morphew for the hosts and Owen Wallis for the visitors both ensured that their respective back lines remained intact.

Ives then created two good opportunities in less than sixty seconds to put themselves in the driving seat before the break. In 40^th minute a Seymour-Shove free kick from the left caused problems for the home defence. A poor defensive header from Morphew fell to Wilson on the edge of the box. He chested the ball down but was quickly closed down by Short who blocked his well struck shot a point-blank range. Within seconds the ball was fed back into the feet of Newman on the edge of the box. He in turn laid the ball into the run of Parker who curled a cross to the back post where Ty Ward had ghosted in unmarked but the Ives midfielder was always stretching and steered his close range header over the top.

The game seemed to open up at the start of the second half with both sides looking to get in front. It took an excellent recovery tackle to prevent substitute Decarry Sheriff giving the hosts the lead in 51^st minute after he had been played through the left channel by Short.

Ives were not so fortunate two minutes later when a poor ball from Sundire was picked up on half way by Callum Sturgess. He exchanged passes with Mills before hanging up a cross to the back post where Gareth Heath found a clear path between defenders to power home a header giving Conway no chance from eight yards.

Ives fought hard to get back to try and get on terms, keeper Jessup almost presented them with an equaliser as he spilled a right wing Seymour-Shove corner on the hour. The ball fell to Wood who had two goes at stabbing the ball home both blocked by defenders before the ball was finally scrambled clear. Seymour-Shove went close himself two minutes later as he ran onto a perfectly weighted clip over the top by Ward. He looked like he would beat Jessup to the ball but in the end both players missed the bouncing ball and it took the covering Morphew to hack it clear as it rolled towards goal.

Having twice gone close to getting back on terms the visitors found themselves two behind in the simplest fashion in 66^th minute. A deep Heath free kick from the left found Marsden in space beyond the far post. He rolled the ball first time into the six yard box where Mills got between defenders to stab the ball home from close range.

The visitors still looked to get forward at every opportunity to try and find a route back into the game. Their next opportunity came from yet another teasing Seymour-Shove corner. Wood won the ball beyond the far post and headed it back into the mix. A poor defensive header fell to Parker who cleverly fed the ball back out to Seymour-Shove it took a brave block from Morphew to prevent Newman forcing the ball home at the near post.

Whilst Ives continued to look dangerous going forward they continued to look unusually vulnerable every time the Marketmen broke. Mills came close to claiming his hat trick fifteen minutes from time. Sturgess and Heath combined well down the left the move ending with the latter feeding the ball through to the host’s wide man who lifted the ball over the exposed Conway but also over the crossbar from twelve yards.

Conway pulled off an excellent save to deny Sheriff and keep the host’s lead to only two goals in 79^th minute. The substitute’s opportunity had arisen when Ives struggled to clear a Marsden cross into the box from the right the ball eventually falling to Sheriff’s whose low left foot shot was only just kept out at full stretch by Conway. Heath was following up but was prevented from prodding the loose ball home by an assistant’s upraised flag.

The final nail in Ives coffin arrived as Mills completed his hat trick nine minutes from time. Dan Morphew was given time to deliver a cross from the right that skimmed off Sundire’s head and fell invitingly for Mills on the left. The winger gleefully accepted the gift and steered the ball over Conway and into the net before wheeling away knowing he would be getting a match ball for his mantlepiece a few minutes later.

To their credit Ives continued to go in search of another consolation goal substitute George Bailey showed that he was still willing as he chased down a long ball into the left corner in 86^th minute. He pulled the ball back to Seymour-Shove who unselfishly fed the ball into the run of Wood on the edge of the box. Unfortunately the battling midfielder was undone by a bobble off the otherwise excellent surface and fired his shot over the top.

The final effort of the afternoon also went the way of Ives as the industrious Parker found space in the centre of the park before striding forward and firing in a rising effort from 25 yards that failed to trouble Jessup as it flew past the post to end a sad afternoon for the visitor’s.

With the results going against them today St Neots come to Westwood Road on Monday with only pride to play for. We will hope for a positive reaction from Ives after this game to ensure that we give our big local rivals a suitable send off on their way down to step four. 

Final Score : Needham Market  4  St Ives Town 1    

Goals :  Newman 4

Team : Conway, Sundire, Coulson, Wood, Wallis, Jarvis Wilson, Penfold (Snaith 84), Parker (capt), Newman (Bailey 84), Ward (Osei-Bonsu 76), Seymour-Shove 

Unused subs :Griffiths

Supporters man of the match : Ben Seymour-Shove

Attendance : 337

Report by Nigel Howlett. Photos by Louise Thompson.