Harpenden Town 0 v St Ives Town 0
Emirates FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round 31-08-2024
An entertaining cup tie that Ives could have won at a canter had they take one or two of their first half chances but in the end they could so easily have slipped up on the proverbial banana skin against the battling Harps who ply their trade in Spartans South Midlands Premier Division, two levels lower than their visitors.
Home keeper Connor Coulson was their first half hero as he almost single handedly kept Ives at bay. His heroics began as early as sixth minute when he plunged low to his left to keep out Jordan Williams near post flick to Aaron Smith’s long throw.
But the hosts also showed that they were going to be no push overs as Jake Anthony warmed the hands of Dan Wilks from the right hand corner of the box after he was fed by Josh Rodrigues on a quick Harps break two minutes later.
Coulson was back in action at the other end only 90 seconds later as he flung himself high to his right to palm away a stinging Jonny Edwards free kick from 25 yards that had beaten the hosts three man wall. Edwards got on the end of Meade’s resulting corner but failed to hit the target with his header from eight yards.
There was controversy two minutes later when Peter Abimbola ran onto Ed Hottor’s threaded pass through the left channel and duly beat the exposed Coulson. But although Abimbola looked well on side as the ball was played through the flag had gone up against Edwards who had been in an offside position in the centre. Needless to say the “goal” was ruled out.
Ives continued to press but Coulson remained an impenetrable barrier. The big keeper was smartly down to his near post to deny Alexandrou in 15th minute and Ives again thought that they had got in front from the resulting Meade corner as Williams rose above the crowd to power home a header. But again the referee’s whistle had blown with Alexandrou adjudged to have impeded the keeper in the goalmouth as the corner came in.
The busy keeper again denied Alexandrou as he plunged low to his right to turn away the striker’s crisp drive from 25 yards on the midway point of the half. Ives were being patient and a passing move from one side of the pitch to the other created Paddy Casey room to deliver a 26th minute cross to the back post where Alexandrou outjumped Rodrigues to knock the ball down for Meade but his first time half volley flew over the top.
Having done all of the pressing Ives then had a huge let off of their own just before the half hour. Dave Keenleyside’s in-swinging corner from the left deceived everyone in the centre and rebounded off the far post to create a scramble in the goalmouth. Anthony had a prod at it which Wilks did well to block at point blank range before Jake Collins hammered the loose ball over the top.
Back at the other end Coulson’s heroics continued as he hurled himself to his left to keep out Alex Collard’s downward header after the Ives skipper had won the battle to get on the end of Meade’s teasing corner. Edwards was given another shooting opportunity in 38th minute as he was hauled down inside the D by Dan Palmer. The big centre forward went for power with the resulting free kick but Coulson was again equal to it pushing the ball over the bar.
With half time approaching Ives pressure looked like it must bring a goal. It took a combination of Coulson and Palmer to deny Edwards in 41st minute as the Ives striker tried to force home Collard’s flick to another Smith howitzer. The crossbar then saved the Harps in the final minute of the half as Edwards got on the end of Meade’s clip in from the left and steered his header past Coulson only to be denied by the goal frame.
Having done all of that hard work with no reward to show for it, Ives came within millimetres of falling behind in the first added minute. The rebound from Edwards effort was thumped clear and Danny Webb sprinted away onto it. He beat the onrushing Wilks to it and looked like he only had to roll the ball into the empty net only for Casey to appear out of nowhere to save the visitors blushes by knocking the effort wide.
The visitors were a little slower out of the blocks in the second half but they thought that they had finally made the breakthrough in 56th minute. Smith’s long throw from the right got the added impetus of the strengthening breeze and floated over all in the centre ending up in the net. Initially the assistant referee on the right gave the goal, presumably under the impression that Coulson’s upraised fist had made a tiny contact with the ball. But after consultation with the referee the final verdict was that no one had got a touch and again the “goal” was chalked off.
Ives continued to huff and puff but they seemed to be running out of ideas allowing the hosts to enjoy a decent period of possession for the first time in the game. The next two half chances both involved to the Harps number ten Keenleyside who curled an effort from the right hand corner of the box just over on the hour and then charged down Collard’s 76th minute attempted clearance before feeding in Anthony who was denied a shooting opportunity by a well timed challenge from Williams.
With time ticking down the hosts put Ives under some pressure winning three corners in quick succession with ten minutes to go. The initial corner was won by Harps substitute Hadley Gleeson who drove in a low cross from the left that Collard deflected wide at the near post. It took a brilliant save from Wilks to keep out Gleeson’s rising drive as the youngster seized on the half cleared ball and let fly a screamer from 25 yards. The second corner was won in the air by Alfie Osborne whose header was deflected wide. It was a relief to all Ives supporters when Wilks rose majestically to claim the third flag kick.
The remaining time was played out with Ives camped around the Harps box but still unable to find a way through. Alexandrou and Edwards both failed to hit the target from good positions. Meade did better hitting the target with his crisp drive from the edge of the box but again Coulson was in the right place to make the save.
The final action in the first of four added minutes saw Abimbola fire wide from the edge of the box after the hard working Alexandrou had again got down the left before picking him out with his pull back.
The two sides will rejoin their battle again at quattro tech Westwood Road on Monday evening by which time both sides will know who awaits the winners of this enthralling tie with the second Qualifying Round draw taking place Monday lunch time.
Final Score: Harpenden Town 0 St Ives Town 0 Half Time 0 – 0
Team Line Ups:
HARPENDEN: Coulson, Rodrigues, Wiffin, Plowright (capt) (Osborne 75), Palmer, Locke, Collins (Gleeson 65), Spaul, Anthony, Keenleyside, Webb (Hilaire 61) Unused subs: Keeley, Ajana, Sweeting
ST IVES: Wilks, Meade, Smith, Hottor (Obeng 86), Williams, Collard (capt), Alexandrou, Abimbola, Edwards, Chong (Kaziboni 70), Casey (Creary 70), Unused subs: Adegbola, Lawrence,
Referee: Maros Valko
Cards: Yellow: HARPENDEN: none ST IVES: Abimbola (31), Edwards (35), Hottor (77)
IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Jernade Meade
Attendance: 431