Match Report

Nuneaton Borough v St Ives Town

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  22-04-2023

Ives run of three wins on the bounce was very effectively stopped by a Boro side needing just one point to ensure themselves of fourth place and a play-off semi-final trip to Leiston. A good contingent of Ives supporters made the trip to the First Class Safety Stadium hopeful that the run that had ensured the visitors place at step three for another season could be continued, sadly they will have set off home disappointed as a lacklustre performance saw their heroes comfortably beaten by a home side that wanted it more and did not choose to rest any of their first choice players ahead of the upcoming play-off.

Fast out of the blocks the hosts should have gone in front only ninety seconds in as the silky Kyle Storer picked out Matty Stenson at the back post and his header back across goal found the unmarked Kane Richards. Fortunately for Ives the Boro number seven dragged his first time effort wide.

Ex Ives full back Camron McWilliams always loved to roam forward at every opportunity at Westwood Road and he did just that in eighth minute cutting in from the right before being taken down clumsily by Enoch Andoh. Storer curled the dangerous looking free kick into the box where it was well claimed by James Dadge.

The hosts were faster thinking and constantly looking to catch Ives out. They did just that in 15^th minute as the quick thinking Storer precisely picked out the run of Stenson with a quick free kick. The Boro centre forward cut inside from the right and fired a rising drive over the top from the corner of the box.

With news filtering through that Boro’s competitors for fourth place, Rushall, were a goal down at home to Alvechurch things seemed to settle down and Ives began to enjoy a bit more possession but with skipper Michael Richens missing from the side the creativity was just not there. On the other hand Boro had a man in the centre of their midfield with creativity in abundance and he was involved again in carving out another chance on the half hour. He exchanged passes with Richards on the left before brilliantly picking out Jaanai Gordon inside Ives box. Gordon somehow found enough space to take down the ball, spin, and shoot just over the top.

A few Boro players picked up knocks during the first half with Joe Magunda, Isaiah Osbourne and Gordon all receiving lengthy periods of treatment. The latter two both being substituted before half time. But those delays lead to an added seven minutes and the introduction of the two substitutes seemed to put a new spark into the hosts. In the first of those added minutes Richards played a delicate chip over the top of Ashton Fox to pick out the run of Stenson and the Boro striker took a touch before unleashing a rising drive that beat the despairing dive of Dadge but went over off the top of the crossbar.

The late first half pressure from the hosts continued though and in their very next attack they took the lead. Substitute Tyrell Waite threaded through an inch perfect pass to put Ricardo Dinanga clear through the left channel and he made no mistake beating the exposed Dadge low to his left. It was two in four minutes for the rampant Boro as Dinanga added his second of the game in sixth added minute picking up the pieces to round Dadge and slot home after Stenson had been tackled by Fox on the edge of the box.

There was barely time for shell shocked Ives to re-start the game before the referee’s whistle brought a quick to be forgotten half to an end. With the game now more, or less, decided the hosts took the opportunity to make their third and final substitution at the break replacing McWilliams with Prince Mancinelli. The first chance of the second period in 51^st minute saw Ives offside trap again caught out with Waite getting onto a long ball down the right. His driven cross just evaded Stenson sliding in at the back post.

Ives first noteworthy attempt on goal of the game arrived four minutes later. Skipper Johnny Herd delivered an in-swinging corner from the right. Jordan Williams rose powerfully at the back post and knocked a header down into the six yard box that Jonny Edwards acrobatically hooked over the crossbar.

Stenson was still proving a big threat at the other end and he was involved in creating two good opportunities for the hosts around the hour mark. The big centre forward initially cleverly took down another perfect clip into him, by Storer, inside the box and it took a brave block from Dadge to keep out his effort at point blank range. Seconds later Stenson managed to wriggle himself around Fox forcing the Ives man to bring him down inches outside the box. Fortunately for the visitors the free kick was close enough to make it difficult for Beswick to get it up and down over Ives five man wall and the shot crept just over the angle of post and bar.

The visitors best chance of the day fell to Williams in 72^nd minute as he again forced his way through the crowd to get a good connection on Herd’s in-swinging free kick from the right. The on-target header forced home keeper Tony Breeden into a save palming the ball away low to his right. Andoh kept the ball alive and his clip back into the centre was only half cleared to the edge of the box from where Herd hammered it high and wide.

The hosts finally killed the game off completely twelve minutes from time when another of Storer’s clips over the top again sprung the visitor’s offside trap to put Stenson clear and the big striker finished with aplomb to claim the goal that his hard working performance deserved.

A snap shot from 20 yards by substitute Ethan Johnston in added time forced Breeden into a save low to his right to preserve his clean sheet but overall this was very much a damp squib to end Ives inconsistent league season. One that started so well and promised so much with a record breaking FA Cup run that ended only just short of what would have been a first ever appearance in the first round proper. Unfortunately a serious dip in form after the FA Cup exit saw the club slide into the relegation battle. A battle that had been won courtesy of a fantastic home win against champions Tamworth and excellent follow up wins against Royston and Bedford. Final league position 16^th, eleven points clear of the bottom four and a chance to retain the Hunts FA Senior Cup still to come.

Final Score:  Nuneaton Borough  3  St Ives Town  0     

Goals: 

NUNEATON: Dinanga 45+2, 45+6, Stenson 78

ST IVES: 

Team Line Ups:

NUNEATON: Breeden, McWilliams (Mancinelli 46), Dinanga, Magunda, McManus (capt), Richards, Storer, Stenson, Gordon (Waite 44), Noble, Osbourne (Beswick 44), Unused subs: Dowd, Chong 

ST IVES: Dadge, Casey, Herd (capt), Hottor, J. Williams, Fox, Kaziboni (Baker 53), Harris, Edwards, Johnson (Toseland 83), Andoh (Johnston 79), Unused subs: Richens, Cowling, 

Cards: Yellow:  NUNEATON: Stenson (90)    ST IVES: Williams (61), Hottor (80), Fox (85) 

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Ed Hottor 

Attendance: 683

Report by Nigel Howlett