Huntingdon Town 1 v St Ives Town 5
Huntingdonshire FA Senior Cup – Quarter Final 29-10-2024
Nigel Howlett reports from Jubilee Park
Four goals in eight minutes late in the first half saw Ives canter into the semi-finals of the Huntingdonshire FA Senior Cup for another year. The disappointment, and something for gallant step six strugglers Huntingdon to celebrate, will be the lapse in concentration late on which let Raj Badiani in to score the first goal that the all conquering visitors have conceded in the competition in six years.
It is always hard to motivate a side for a game where on paper they are expected to win by a cricket score and sure enough Ives started slowly with Dan Wilks being forced into an excellent save to prevent the visitors going in front after nine minutes. Kass Rajani and Ahri Chaddah combined well down the left before the latter picked out Ian King with a cross field ball. King’s clip to the back post was met on the volley by Marley Manser who was only denied by a brilliant reaction save from Wilks.
Will Glennon came within inches of putting Ives ahead in their first real attack four minutes later. Johnson Gyamfi danced down the right and delivered a cross into the mix that was only half cleared to Glennon on the edge. His careful curler looked destined for the top corner but struck the underside of the crossbar and was hacked away. The resulting throw in was hurled into the mix by Aaron Smith and bounced up for Kymani Skyers to get a header on target that was headed off the line by Ben Burton.
Ives then went into a period where they enjoyed a large percentage of the possession but were being kept at bay by the hard working Hunters. But as the half wore on the visitors began to wear down their opponents and chances began to appear. Amaru Kaunda was proving a handful for the hosts back line and in 26th minute he managed to get away down the left. His ball into the centre found the feet of Silvano Obeng who unselfishly knocked it on to David Adegbola arriving at the back post but the angle was to narrow and his first time effort was deflected into the side netting.
The opening goal arrived six minutes later when Aaron Smith was given acres of space on the left. He took his time and served up a delightful chip to the back post that Kaunda cleverly headed back across the exposed keeper Oliver Steinke to find the back of the net. After defending so well for the opening half hour conceding one goal suddenly seemed to open the flood gates. Kaunda should have made it two only sixty seconds later fed through by a precise pass from Ethan Cleary he turned back inside before guiding his shot past keeper Steinke but just the wrong side of the post.
The second goal arrived in 36th minute when Kaunda was again fed through and this time rounded Steinke before keeping his cool and picking out Glennon arriving in the centre. The bustling midfielder made no mistake prodding home from close range. Number three arrived only 50 seconds later as Adegbola burst down the right before picking out Glennon again arriving in the centre. His header was on target but keeper Steinke looked like he had it covered until defender Dylan Hughes intervened to direct the ball in the opposite corner of the net.
Obeng should have made it four, three minutes later as Smith served up the opportunity on a plate for the big man. Again left in acres of space on the left edge of the box the wing back picked out the unmarked Obeng at the back post. But the big striker failed to get over his header and directed the ball over the top from eight yards. By this time though chances were coming like buses and Obeng made up for his miss only seconds later. Adegbola cut out a poor pass out of defence and got away down the right again. His pull back found Glennon on the edge of the box. The midfielders low drive was turned home at close range by a relieved Obeng.
There were still more opportunities to add to the score before the break. Kaunda had a goal bound effort headed off the line by Jay Taylor and Adegbola had a close range shot turned away by the diving Steinke.
The question at half time was would Ives really put their foot down and try to crush their gallant opponents or would they ease off the gas and coast through the second half. They certainly started well lead by Kaunda who was still searching for more goals. Peter Abimbola fed him through on the right two minutes after the restart and the lively strikers pull back picked out half time substitute Benji Mensah on the edge of the box. But the young wing back’s shot was well held by Steinke.
Kaunda’s next effort stunned everyone as he conjured up a rocket from absolutely nothing. Side stepping on the left corner of the box he let fly a fierce effort that flew past the startled Steinke and rattled first crossbar and then post before rebounding away. A double opportunity fell to Kaunda in 51st minute. Put clear by Glennon his initial shot was blocked by Steinke with the rebound going back to the feet of the lively striker but this time he snatched at the chance from a narrow angle and fired over.
In a rare sortie for the Hunters Manser spurned a good chance for the hosts firing wide after being put through by King in 53rd minute. Back up the other end and it was Gyamfi’s chance to shine as twice in succession he danced his way past defenders to the edge of the hosts box. First time in 62nd minute he saw his curling effort pushed away at full stretch by Steinke. Seven minutes later he repeated the run but this time slid the ball into the feet of Kaunda who skilfully flicked it past the exposed Steinke to increase the advantage to five.
Gyamfi again failed to hit the target from a good position, firing well over from 20 yards having exchanged passes with Glennon with fifteen minutes to go. Then came the lapse in concentration to let the Hunters grab a consolation goal. Substitute Badiani found space in the centre to pick up a loose ball and punish Ives beating the exposed Wilks from just outside the box.
That was never going to be more than a consolation but it lifted the hosts and Badiani was again involved six minutes later when Chaddah tested Wilks at his near post with a powerful low drive that the keeper did well to cling onto.
There was a final chance for Ives to add a sixth with five minutes to go but they were denied by a brilliant double save from Steinke. The keeper initially dived low to his right to keep out a well struck shot from the edge by Kaunda. Mensah pounced on the loose ball and looked like he must score by Steinke recovered quickly to dive in and bravely block at the youngster’s feet. The ball again rebounded into play and Glennon fired in another follow up that deflected wide off the covering Taylor.
Overall job done with some players who have been on the fringes of the side or working their way back in after injury getting good game time. Newcomer Glennon getting a further chance to integrate into the side and youngsters Jamari Hart and Jacob Dickson making their first team debuts as second half substitutes. Ives will take their place in the semi-final draw alongside St Neots Town, Eynesbury Rovers and Eaton Socon and will once again be the team that the others want to avoid.
Final Score: Huntingdon Town 1 St Ives Town 5 Half Time 0 – 4
Goals:
HUNTINGDON: Badiani 77
ST IVES: Kaunda 32, 69, Glennon 36, Hughes (own goal) 37, Obeng 40
Team Line Ups:
HUNTINGDON: Steinke, Hughes (Greviskis 66), Burton, Taylor, Chaddah, Quintero, Morton (Hutt 86), King (capt), Rajani, Manser (Badiani 69), Mendy (Allen 63), Unused subs: none
ST IVES: Wilks, Creary (Hart 69), Smith, Skyers, Williams (capt), Gyamfi (Dickson 75), Abimbola, Glennon, Obeng, Kaunda, Adegbola (Mensah 46), Unused subs: Collard, Meade
Referee: Ryan Andrews
Cards: Yellow: HUNTINGDON: Burton (45) ST IVES: none
IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Amaru Kaunda
Attendance: 83