Match Report

St Ives Town v Kings Langley

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  20-08-2022

Ives bounced back from their midweek defeat at Needham Market to take the three points from the previously unbeaten Kings in even more impressive style than the score line would suggest. 

Manager Ricky Marheineke made three changes from the Tuesday evening defeat with left sided pairing Dylan Williams and Enoch Andoh returning to the side at the expense of Andrew Osei-Bonsu and Nabil Shariff respectively. Cambridge United loanee Myles Cowling also came in for his first start in Ives colours taking the central midfield role from Ed Hottor.

The visitors suffered a blow to their hopes even before a ball had been kicked in anger as centre forward Kennedy Feyi limped out of the pre-match warm up. Edu Toiny-Pendred stepped into the starting eleven from the bench to take his place.

Ives kicked off into the sun at the car park end and it became evident from very early on that this was going to be a very different game from Tuesday evening with both sides eager to play out from the back whenever possible and the ball being played through the midfield into the front men rather than the more direct style of the previous game.

It took until the eleventh minute before the first real effort on goal from either side and it came in familiar fashion from Ives with Greg Kaziboni taking on and beating his man on the right hand side, getting to the bye line before hanging up an inviting cross to the near post where Jonny Edwards met it at pace but he caught the ball a bit to cleanly and powered his header wide of the near post.

Ives continued to enjoy the lion’s share of possession but were struggling to find a route through the Kings back line of five. One successful route for them was around the outside and another chance arrived in 25^th minute with Edwards and Kaziboni again combining. This time the latter fed in the former down the right and the wide man picked out Dylan Williams on the edge of the box with his pull back. The Ives number ten’s powerful strike took two deflections on the way through and it took an acrobatic reaction save from keeper Alfie Marriott to keep it out.

There were hopeful claims for a penalty from Ives next attack five minutes later as Edwards just beat keeper Marriott to a curling cross in from the left by Johnny Herd. The big centre forward’s header flew well wide as he was clattered into by the Kings keeper and referee Thomas Harvey deemed that he had missed his opportunity.

As the half wore on half chances continued to come and go for Ives. Centre back Jordan Williams got on the end of a Herd long throw in 34^th minute but he failed to hit the target with his header under pressure from Kings defenders.

James Goff’s first real save of the afternoon came five minutes before the break as Cain Keller got fed in by Alex Lafleur at the end of a quick Kings break from an Ives free kick. The Kings midfielder hit his effort well from just outside the box but Goff was down smartly to his left to keep the ball out.

With Richens and Cowling ruling the centre of the park throughout the first period Kings manager Harry Crawford decided to try and change things around at the break replacing centre back Jaden Ogwuazor with Alie Bangura and going with a flat back four to give his side an extra body in midfield.

The tactical ploy did not really work for the visitors as Ives continued to run the show with Richens and Cowling becoming, if anything, even more dominant. Edwards came within millimetres of putting Ives in front just three minutes after the restart. A slip by Jamie Jellis let Richens get a clean run into the box. His attempted shot was deflected along the six yard line and Edwards sliding in at the back post only made minimal contact with the ball which rolled past the post.

Ives continued to press and only moments later the all action Andoh robbed James Kaloczi inside the centre circle. The ball was fed on to Richens who in turn fed it on to Kaziboni but the winger’s teasing cross was a little to close to keeper Marriott who claimed it well.

Left back Lafleur was still getting forward at every opportunity and he was at the heart of a sporadic raid from Kings in 58^th minute. Kaloczi picked him out as he sprinted away down the left and his early cross almost caught out the Ives back line but fortunately Toiny-Pendred directed his header from ten yards wide of the post.

After that escape the host began to build up a real head of steam. Kaziboni almost found a way through on the hour but his effort from just outside the box was blocked by the combined efforts of Jorell Johnson and Lafleur. Two corners followed in quick succession. Edwards should really have put Ives in front from the second of these. Kaziboni delivered it deep beyond the far post, Callum Milne headed it back into the box where Williams flicked it on to find Edwards unmarked by the back post but the ball came a little to quickly and he failed to direct his header on target from close range.

Edwards only had to wait about 90 seconds before he had chance to make amends. Herd delivered another towering long throw from the right. A whole group of players went up for the ball by the penalty spot and it dropped to the floor. Edwards was first to react slamming home a low drive past the unsighted Marriott to give Ives a deserved lead.

Putting the ball in the back of the net was Edwards last action of the day as he was replaced by Shariff before the restart. Getting their noses in front only lifted Ives to greater endeavour and they continued to rule the show. The impressive Cowling set up the next opportunity in 78^th minute as he burst through the centre before feeding in substitute Shariff through the left channel. His rising drive from the edge of the box was palmed away spectacularly by the diving Marriott.

Patient build up from the hosts allowed Kaziboni to sew up the game four minutes from time. The move involving at least a dozen passes ended with Richens feeding in substitute Tyrone Baker down the right. He got outside Lafleur before pulling the ball back. It looked like it had evaded everyone in the centre but Kaziboni was arriving at pace at the back post where he gleefully side footed the ball home.

There was just time for Kings to go close to halving the arrears deep in added time when a ball from the left was met at the near post by Keller who knocked it into the side netting.

Overall an impressive victory achieved in style against a quality side. The sponsors picked Myles Cowling on his first start as their man of the match and with performances like that the Steve Spriggs like midfielder can look forward to picking up many more of those accolades in the future. Ives can also look forward to their Bank Holiday weekend fixtures with anticipation as a trip to Derbyshire to face new boys to the Southern League Mickleover will be quickly followed by a mouth watering Bank Holiday Monday afternoon visit to quattro tech Westwood Road from old rivals the Diamonds.  

Final Score: St Ives Town  2  Kings Langley  0     

Goals: 

ST IVES: Edwards 63, Kaziboni 86

KINGS LANGLEY:

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Goff, Saka, Herd, Richens (capt), J. Williams, Milne, Kaziboni, Cowling, Edwards (Shariff 64), D. Williams (Hottor 84), Andoh (Baker 77), Unused subs: Sheriff, Osei-Bonsu

KINGS LANGLEY: Marriott, Okaye-Ahaneiku, Lafleur, Kaloczi, Johnson (capt), Ogwuazor (Bangura 46), Case, A. Tajbaksh (Boorn 69), Toiny-Pendred (N. Tajbaksh 62), Keller, Jellis Unused subs: Hoskins, Deal

Cards: Yellow: ST IVES: J. Williams (53),  KINGS LANGLEY: A. Tajbaksh (37), Keller (67)

SPONSORS MAN OF THE MATCH: Myles Cowling

Attendance: 201

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