Match Report

Nuneaton Borough v St Ives Town

Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central 04-01-2022

Ives moved up to eleventh after this massive three points on the road that came courtesy of a well planned set up enabling the visitors to control long periods of this game against their struggling hosts and without a late goal from the Boro’ this would have not only been a comfortable victory it would also have been a long awaited clean sheet.

The well planned changes to the starting line-up following Saturday’s chastening defeat at Rushden saw Ben Toseland dropped to the bench and a welcome return from Northampton Town for Josh Flanagan in his spot at left back. Nathan Hicks also missed out with Ed Hottor returning on the left side of midfield and Dylan Williams moving inside to a more central position. This put Hottor and Flanagan as the barrier to the well known threat of Ives former flying full back Camron McWilliams who had departed Westwood Road to join the Boro’ only a few weeks previously. 

Ives started on the front foot as the Boro’ showed the nervousness caused by their precarious position in the drop zone. The first shot of the evening after six minutes was a dipping 25 yarder from Williams that just went over the top. 

Tyrone Baker was also causing problems with his direct running style and six minutes later he burst past Jaden Charles into the box before firing off a shot that deflected off a defender and ricocheted to Nabil Shariff by the penalty spot but he did not make clean contact and home keeper Tony Breeden made a comfortable save.

All the careful planning that Ives had put in pre-game was almost undone in 15^th minute. Skipper Brett Solkhon had limped off with a knee injury to be replaced by Toseland but before the visitors could settle a quick Boro’ throw led to the ball arriving in the centre where Kyle Perry was initially denied by a brilliant reaction save from Lewis Patching. The big Boro’ striker was first to the loose ball and forced it home only to spot the linesman’s upraised flag to cut short his celebration.

Another Boro’ break from an Ives corner three minutes later saw the hosts go close again. McWilliams broke at pace and managed to scamper fully sixty yards before feeding in Perry. Toseland slipped as he tried to block the striker’s path to goal but still did enough to force him wide and stop the shot. The ball eventually falling to Chris Clements wide right who delivered it to the centre where Dan Bradley was adjudged to have fouled Patching as the pair both went for the ball.

Patching was again in action in 31^st minute as he plunged low to his left to keep out a well struck effort from the edge of the box by Charlie Dowd. The dangerous winger had been given the opportunity to get into a shooting position by an excellent cross field ball from Isiah Osbourne.

That proved to be the host’s last shot on target for a long time as Ives took control of the centre of the park and the game. Chances started to come their way. In 35^th minute Baker again got past his man to get to the bye line his low cross was met at the near post by Ethan Johnston but unlike his flicked goal from an identical position against Biggleswade this time his contact was not clean and Breeden made the save.

Johnston had a big shout for a penalty turned down three minutes later as he was put through one on one with Breeden and rather than shoot he tried to take the ball around the big keeper who dived in but did not get the ball. The referee’s interpretation was that Johnston went looking for the keeper’s arms to go over them and I must say that in the match officials defence he did almost go down in slow motion.

Ives went close twice more before the break as initially Michael Richens teed up Johnston for a shot from the edge of the box that deflected inches wide off the outstretched leg of Liam Daly. The second effort from Ives fifth corner of the half saw the ball knocked out to the back edge of the box where Callum Milne met it perfectly on the half volley the ball was destined for the top corner but for the palm of Bredden who just managed to knock it away.

The pattern of the game continued in the second half with Ives well on top and probing hard for the all important opening goal. When it finally arrived six minutes after the re-start it came in somewhat comical fashion. Baker was initially fouled just outside the box by Boro’ substitute Gift Mussa. Toseland took the free kick, he may say he was expecting the wall to jump (seemed unlikely as there were some large players in the wall) but I will say that he did not strike it well however it somehow wriggled it’s way through the hosts four man wall taking a big deflection off Perry on the way. The deflection was enough to completely fool Breeden, as the big keeper ended up in one corner of the goal the ball rolled in by the opposite post.

Now with their noses in front the Ives went for the jugular taring into the hosts struggling back line. Five minutes later they doubled their advantage thanks to a flowing move and an excellent advantage from referee Niall Smith. Baker initially fed Westwood on the overlap and then continued to gallop on into the box flicking on the full back’s cross when it came. The ball arrived at the feet of Johnston on the edge of the six yard box but he was crudely taken down by a desperate lung from Daly before he could get his shot away. Referee Smith immediately spotted Shariff about to pounce on the loose ball and allowed play to continue for him to lash it home.

The visitors continued to dominate the game looking very comfortable in possession and continuing to create chances that should really have put the game to bed. Baker and Shariff combined to set up a shooting opportunity for Johnston on the edge of the box in 58^th minute. His effort lacked power but was spilled by Breeden who was fortunate that the loose ball fell to the feet of one of his team mates. Johnston and Shariff both fired efforts wide from good positions in the next ten minutes and Richens hit a well struck free kick from 25 yards straight at Breeden in 74^th minute. 

Boro manager Jimmy Ginnelly had already thrown on wide man Greg Kaziboni and in 77^th minute he tried his final card throwing on striker Luke Benbow to replace the powerful, but immobile, Perry. When their route back into the game did arrive four minutes later it came from a needlessly conceded corner. Westwood misdirected his header back and Patching was unable to prevent the corner. The flag kick was delivered into the mix with everyone except Breeden inside the box. The ball ricocheted around with Ives unable to clear before it was finally prodded home at the back post by Anthony Dwyer.

Now seeing their way to a possible undeserved point the hosts tried to find a route through Ives resolute back line but this had now been formed up into the proverbial two banks of four looking to preserve what they had and they were pretty effective in doing that as the Boro’ despite a lot of late possession only went close once in the remaining time. In 87^th minute Toseland fouled the tricky Benbow just outside the box. The Boro’ striker picked himself up and took on the free kick coming within millimetres of successfully getting it up and down over Ives five man wall.  

The result leaves Ives in the heady position of exactly half way in the table whilst the big spending Boro’ still find themselves in a very precarious position only one from bottom with all of the teams around them having games in hand. 

Final Score : Nuneaton Borough  1  St Ives Town  2       

Goals : 

NUNEATON: Dwyer 81

ST IVES: Toseland 51, Shariff 56

Teams

NUNEATON: Breeden, McWilliams, Charles, Clements, Daly (capt), McManus, Dwyer, Osbourne (Mussa 45+1), Perry (Benbow 77), Bradley (Kaziboni 67), Dowd, Unused subs : McCrory, Edmunds

ST IVES: Patching, Westwood, Flanagan, Richens, Solkhon (capt) (Toseland 14), Milne, Baker, Hottor, Shariff, Johnston (Davison-Gordon 87), Williams, Unused subs : Hicks, Dwumfuo, Manangu

Ives Supporters man of the match : Michael Richens 

Attendance : 322

Report by Nigel Howlett. Video Clips by Dave Hook.