League: Southern League Premier Division Central

Nuneaton Borough v St Ives Town

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 15th 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 51st 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 72nd 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 16th, 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

v

St Ives Town v Bedford Town

St Ives Town v Bedford Town

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  15-04-2023

After the two fantastic Easter performances and results Ives had given themselves a huge push up the ladder to safety and it left them going into this, their last home fixture of the season against already doomed Eagles needing only a single point.

On paper they could not have asked for better opponents for this fixture as their struggling visitors are on the sort of form that no club ever wants to be on with not a single win in 2023 and having not scored a goal in their last eight games.

Often things do not work out in reality as they appear that they should on paper but on this occasion they certainly did as Ives claimed a very comfortable two goal victory without ever really getting out of second gear.

The Eagles spent the first five minutes moving the ball around well without ever looking likely to penetrate Ives back line and when the hosts were presented with their first chance to deliver the ball into the visitor’s box in 7th minute they should really have scored. Johnny Herd’s deep free kick from the right arrived on the head of the unmarked Michael Richens at the back of the six yard box but rather than direct the ball back into the centre where three other players were waiting to knock it home he went for goal from a narrow angle and only found the side netting.

Having survived that scare the Eagles again reverted to knocking the ball around well without real purpose. The nearest they came to threatening James Dadge’s goal was in 12th minute when Connor Furlong got down the right and delivered a teasing cross that just evaded Carlos Lyon at the back post.

Jonny Edwards should have put Ives in front in their next meaningful attack in 25th minute as he was fed clean through the centre by a clever touch from Greg Kaziboni. He drew keeper Lewis Elsom towards him and seemed to be waiting for the stopper to commit himself before dinking the ball past him. But Elsom made it difficult for him staying upright and eventually making the save as Edwards dink went straight into his hands.

With Ives looking very comfortable at the back and likely to score at any time when they went forward what happened in 27th minute was completely unexpected. Richens picked himself up a needless yellow card for fouling Kirkpatrick on the half way line and Ives manager Ricky Marheineke picked the wrong moment to vent his frustration at the decision of referee Graham Swanton. With the stadium unusually silent at the moment, everyone in the ground heard his opinion. The only question as the official walked over to the dug out was what colour the card would be. It was red and a humbled Marheineke took his place in the grandstand for the rest of the game.

Almost immediately after the re-start Ives did get their noses in front. Edwards was looking to get on the end of another perfectly weighted clip over the top from Kaziboni when he was unceremoniously bundled to the ground inside the box by Ben Tomkins. Referee Swanton was again the perfect position to see and had no hesitation in awarding the spot kick. Cool as ever Edwards waited for Elsom to go to his right before dinking the ball down the middle.

The Eagles responded well and Dadge was called upon to make his first save of the day ten minutes later as a patient build up was ended with Joe Butterworth playing in Lyon through the right channel. The big striker unleashed a powerful drive from just inside the box that the keeper saved well plunging low to his left.

The second unexpected flashpoint in an otherwise quiet first period came a couple of minutes before the break. Kaziboni was leading an Ives breakaway and looking likely to get clear when he was taken down cynically by George Thorne on the half way line for what would be a routine yellow card. But a melee then developed in front of the dugouts involving most of the players on the pitch. When the dust settled a discussion between referee Swanton and his assistant lead to a straight red card being issued to Eagles Edward Gyamfi his crime was grabbing Charlie Johnson around the neck, fortunately Johnson was wise enough not to react.

Already a goal down and now also a man down the visitors were rocking and Ives twice went close to increasing their lead before the break. A Herd long throw from the left was flicked on by Johnson and it took a brilliant flying save from Elsom to keep out Edwards header from six yards as he got on the end of the flick. Richens also had a close range shot blocked by a defender from the resulting corner.

There was still time before the break to Dadge to show his abilities. In third added minute Johnson upended Connor Tomlinson just outside the box. Thorne went for power from the resulting free kick forcing Dadge to leap to his right to push the ball away.

Ex professional Thorne did not come out for the second period and was replaced by the even more experience ex Peterborough United man Renee Howe. But it was Ives now looking comfortable who effectively killed off the game with a second goal in 57th minute. Johnson bundling home Herd’s in-swinging corner at the back post. 

With any small flicker of confidence that the visitors may have had now completely drained Ives began to knock the ball around as comfortably as the Eagles had in the first period. The difference was that the hosts looked more like scoring when they went forward. Kaziboni burst through the centre before firing over the top in 71st minute. Two minutes later substitute Myles Cowling rode a couple of tackles just outside the Bedford box before teeing up Edwards who matched Kaziboni before him by firing about a metre over the crossbar.

Ives were now comfortably running down the clock in a professional manner and their next couple of chances did not arrive until three minutes before the end. Substitute Nabil Shariff almost repeated his feat at Royston on Easter Monday as he had the ball in the net within moments of joining the action. But this time he was denied by an assistant’s flag as he turned in the rebound after Elsom had done well to block Edwards initial shot. Kaziboni had set up the shooting opportunity for Edwards and only a minute later the winger himself went close as he turned inside Butterworth before trying to curl an effort inside the far post. But Elsom was equal to it flinging himself high to his right to fingertip the ball away.

With the game now decided as a contest the only remaining question was could the visitors break their long goal drought. They did have a couple of chances in added time. In the first added minute D’Sean Theobalds fired in a fierce effort from a narrow angle that Dadge did well to cling onto with Lyon waiting to pounce on any slip and with the last kick of the game Furlong weaved his way through the centre of Ives defence before letting fly with a left footed effort from just outside the box that curled away from the diving Dadge but just wide of the post.

All in all a very good day at the office for Ives who take their winning run to three and go to promotion chasing Nuneaton for their final game now safe and looking to cause an upset. The despondent Eagles on the other hand have only one aim left this season and that is to find the back of the net before the time since they scored a goal ticks past the thousand minute mark. After this, their ninth blank in a row, that clock is now up to nine games and 844 minutes, we wish them well.

Final Score:  St Ives Town   2  Bedford Town  0  

Goals: 

ST IVES: Edwards 30 (pen), Johnson 57 

BEDFORD:  

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Dadge, Casey, Herd, Richens (capt) (Hottor 61), J. Williams, Fox, Kaziboni, Harris (Cowling 69), Edwards, Johnson, Andoh (Shariff 85), Unused subs: Toseland

BEDFORD: Elsom, Dreyer (capt), Tomkins, Theobalds, Tomlinson (Donnelly 68), Butterworth, Kirkpatrick, Furlong, Thorne (Howe 46), Lyon, Gyamfi, Unused subs: Keeble, Sheriff, 

Cards: 

Red: ST IVES: Marheineke (manager) (28), BEDFORD: Gyamfi (44)

Yellow:  ST IVES:  Richens (27), Johnson (45+3)   BEDFORD: Tompkins (29), Thorne (43), Kirkpatrick (62), Butterworth (67)

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH:  Jonny Edwards 

Attendance: 383

Report by Nigel Howlett. Interview by Andrew Dunn. Match Highlights by Ollie Jones. Photos by Louise Thompson.

v

Royston Town v St Ives Town

Royston Town v St Ives Town

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  10-04-2023

Easter can so often be a pivotal period in any season and it looks like that is very much going to be the case for Ives in the 2022/23 season. Going into the Bank Holiday weekend on a run of ten games without a win had seen them slip to a position that left them on the precipice of falling into the relegation places. But what a difference 72 hours can make as two cracking performances and excellent results now sees them going into their last two games realistically needing just one more point to ensure themselves of an eighth successive season at step 3.

There was hope that the momentum gained from their hard fought victory against champions elect Tamworth on Saturday could be taken into this game but to counter it the pessimists amongst us were worried that may have taken a bit to much out of the players and Garden Walk is always a tough place to come. For once the optimists were proved correct as right from the off Ives playing with a strong breeze at their backs were getting into the faces of their near neighbours and rattling them. 

Both sides struggled to come to terms with the strengthening wind early on with Ives over hitting attempted balls over the top and the hassled Crows simply struggling to get the ball forward at all. The first noteworthy moment came in 12th minute when Luke Harris picked up an attempted clearance only just outside the box and chose to run at the home defence weaving his way past two before going down under challenge from Ronnie Henry but referee John Perry did not get a good view through the crowd of players and waved the appeals away.

The first real chance of the game fell to the hosts in 19th minute when Charlie Castle cleverly fed in Crows danger man Matt Bateman through the left channel. Fortunately Ives keeper James Dadge was alert to the danger and closed him down quickly to make a vital block at close range.

As the half wore on Ives began to realise that their real route through the Crows back line was probably best to be found by going around the outside. Tyrone Baker’s pace and trickery was finding some joy down the left and twice in a six minute spell he carved out good opportunities which with a little more composure from those given the shooting opportunities could have seen the visitors get their noses in front. In 25th minute the speedy winger got around Fernando Bell-Toxtle to the bye line before picking out Michael Richens arriving at pace on the edge of the box but the skipper got it all wrong and his shot ended up worrying the neighbours in the houses behind the goal more than Crows stopper Dimi Kyriatzis. Six minutes later Baker repeated the feat this time his attempted pull back ricocheted off a defender and was retrieved by Enoch Andoh wide on the right. He precisely picked out full back Paddy Casey just inside the box, sadly Casey’s effort was only a little better than Richens a few minutes earlier.

Battling against the wind and a resilient Ives defensive line the hosts opportunities were very limited in the first period and their only other noteworthy attempt before the break was a half chance in 32nd minute where Adam Murray dropped off to the back post to get on the end of Cole Dasilva’s free kick but the Crow’s skipper could only direct his header wide of the post under pressure from Ben Toseland.

The best chance of the first half fell to Ives skipper Richens seven minutes before the break and it had an element of good fortune about it as Johnny Herd’s free kick from half way drifted over everyone on the breeze and landed at the feet of the unmarked Richens at the back post. He had time to take a touch but was quickly closed down by Kyriatzis who made an excellent save.

Home supporters were perhaps the more positive group at the break as their side were now playing with the strong breeze at their backs and to back up this theory it was the hosts who started the second period on the front foot. A 48th minute ball over the top caught Dadge in two minds as to whether to come, or not. Bateman got on the end of it but fired wide from a good position. But the keeper redeemed himself three minutes later as Kian Harness weaved his way into the Ives box and got in a close range shot that Dadge did well to block before also making a brilliant recovery to smother the loose ball before Bateman could pounce.

That save proved even more vital when the visitors went straight down the other end and took the lead. Harris won the ball in the centre of the park before feeding in Edwards through the right channel. Henry came over to try and block but only succeeded in deflecting the effort over the body of Kyriatzis as the keeper spread himself. The ball bobbled on goalwards from the grounded group of players and just had enough impetus to find the net before Bell-Toxtle could hack it away.

The goal lifted Ives and they tore into their hosts for the next few minutes creating a couple more shooting opportunities. Almost straight from the kick off Andoh robbed George Hoddle in the centre circle and strode forward before unleashing a stinging effort from 25 yards that Henry bravely blocked with his body. Five minutes later more good hassling from Harris again won him the ball inside the Crows half, again he fed in Edwards but this time Kyriatzis was equal to the striker’s effort saving well low down to his right.

The wind had been creating problems for both sides throughout the afternoon and it gifted the Crows a route back into the game on the hour as with more than half the players on the pitch inside his six yard box Dadge found no room to move to prevent Tom Newman’s in-swinging corner from the left curling straight in at the back post to level the scores.

But Ives were not to be denied and only three minutes later they got themselves back in front. An almighty scramble in the hosts box saw shots from Andoh and Edwards blocked by the bodies of flying defenders before the ball eventually ricocheted to Baker just inside the box, the winger showed a level of composure way beyond that of his colleagues in the first half as he calmly curled his shot around the bunch of players between him and the goal and past the unsighted Kyriatzis to find the bottom corner of the net.

Now behind again Crows manager Steve Castle instantly made a triple substitution that bore a hint of desperation. James Brighton, Alfie Williams and Franco Cluffa replacing Castle, Isa Rotimi and Hoddle respectively. But the changes did little to change the flow of the game and Charlie Johnson was unlucky not to increase the lead with fifteen minutes to go as he lost his marker to get on the end of Herd’s deep free kick at the back post. His goal bound header struck Kyriatzis at point blank range and rebounded wide with the keeper unaware that he had made the save.

As the clock ticked down the nerves at the importance of the result began to show a little and the Crows began to threaten. Jordan Williams misjudged a long wind assisted free kick from Kyriatzis in 82nd minute allowing Murray to get on the end of it but the Crows skipper directed his header straight at Dadge.

A couple of corners in the 90th minute provided further threat as the Crows again crowded the six yard box. Johnson rose highest to the first to head the ball to safety over his own crossbar. The second in-swinger from Dasilva rattled the near post and rebounded to the edge of the box where Bell-Toxtle teed up Harness who skied his effort well over the top as Ives defenders threw themselves across the potential line of the shot.

With five added minutes there was still a little bit of time to chew the finger nails left but substitute Nabil Shariff who had only been on the field two minutes did what he does best to relieve all of the potential pressure. In the third of those added five, with most of the Crows players forward, Edwards seized the chance to break into the box. He scuffed his left foot effort, but crucially it was on target and the diving Kyriatzis could only get a hand to the ball pushing it back into play straight to the feet of the lurking Shariff six yards out. He duly obliged by rolling the ball home to spark wild celebrations amongst the large contingent of travelling Ives supporters.

Final Score:  Royston Town  1  St Ives Town  3      

Goals: 

ROYSTON: Newman 61,

ST IVES: Edwards 52, Baker 64, Shariff 90+3

Team Line Ups:

ROYSTON: Kyriatzis, Bell-Toxtle, Dasilva, Rotimi (Williams 65), Murray (capt), Henry, Castle (Brighton 65), Hoddle (Cluffa 65), Bateman, Harness, Newman, Unused subs: Hall, Marsh-Brown, 

ST IVES: Dadge, Casey, Herd (Fox 89), Richens (capt), J. Williams, Toseland, Andoh (Shariff 90), Harris, Edwards, Johnson, Baker, Unused subs: Hottor, Cowling, Kaziboni

Cards: Yellow:  ROYSTON: none     ST IVES: none 

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH:  Jonny Edwards

Attendance: 409

Report by Nigel Howlett. Match highlights by Ollie Jones.

v

St Ives Town v Tamworth

St Ives Town v Tamworth

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  08-04-2023

This massive win, Ives first in ten games, is a huge boost in their battle to avoid the drop. The result also puts a very big dent in the stuttering visitors quest for the title. Make no mistake this result has been coming and the game was deservedly won by a fantastic all-round performance carefully planned on the training field. The Lambs had bullied their way to top spot with a long ball game that supporters of Cambridge United from the 1980s would have remembered as the John Beck style. Taking every opportunity to deliver the ball into the box where Dan Creaney has successfully fed on the scraps to claim over 30 goals.

Ives manager Ricky Marheineke’s plan to combat that style was to field a side with three centre backs to ensure that the hosts got to every ball into their box first. The central defenders were well backed up by everyone else around the park who closed down the Lambs at every opportunity ensuring that those deliveries into the box were hurried rather than measured. The game plan was executed so effectively that the group of National League scouts watching Creaney had all probably departed long before the end as the Lambs centre forward barely got a touch all afternoon.. 

The visitors started the game on the front foot and there were only two minutes on the watch when Michael Richens tripped Gift Mussa just outside the box. Ben Hart curled his effort around Ives four man wall, but keeper James Dadge was equal to the effort flinging himself spectacularly to his left to palm the ball around the post. Dadge had to be on his toes again seven minutes later as he had to back peddle at pace and launch himself backwards to tip a clever Creaney flick onto the crossbar as the striker tried to turn home Hart’s low cross from the right.

Having survived those two early scares Ives began to work their way into the game with ex Lambs wingers Greg Kaziboni enjoying some success down the right. It was he who delivered the host’s first effort on target in 10th minute. But his well struck 25 yarder was straight at visiting keeper Jas Singh who made a comfortable save.

The winger caused more problems for the visitors only seconds later when it took an excellent defensive header from Callum Cockerill-Mollett to prevent Jonny Edwards getting on the end of his dangerous cross at the back post. The resulting corner gave Johnny Herd chance to deliver a teasing in-swinger to the edge of the six yard box where Michael Richens who had somehow lost his marker powered home a header to put Ives ahead.

It should have been two midway through the half when Ed Hottor robbed a dallying Mussa inside the centre circle and threaded the perfect pass into the well timed run of Kaziboni. One touch to many made the angle a little tighter than it should have been and when the winger clipped the ball past the exposed Singh he also clipped it just wide of the far post.

By this time Ives were well on top and Kaziboni was beating Cockerill-Mollett at will down the right flank. His 25th minute run saw him get to the bye line and hang up an inviting cross to the back post where Edwards directed his header on target from a narrow angle but with Singh beaten the ball deflected wide off Lambs skipper Alex Collard.

Kaziboni also tried his luck down the left where he had equal success and it was Charlie Johnson’s turn to see a goal bound effort blocked on the line in 33rd minute. The Ives centre back had got on the end of the deep cross from the Ives wide man after a short corner routine had given him the chance to deliver the ball into the box. The man blocking the shot on the line was Creaney and he did just enough to scramble the ball clear.

Ives pressure in the first period probably deserved a second goal and that duly arrived two minutes before the break. Kaziboni was again heavily involved breaking at pace before being taken down by Collard on the left hand corner of the box. Herd’s initial delivery was half cleared to Kaziboni who’s delivery back into the box was knocked down by Richens and prodded home by Edwards as a static Lambs defence vainly appealed for offside.

Lambs manager Andy Peaks decided on a change of tactics at half time and replaced Mussa with the more attack minded Jamie Jellis and the substitute forced an excellent early save from Dadge three minutes after the re-start the keeper leaping high to his right to push the well struck effort away.

Ives did have one long ball threat of their own and that was Herd’s long throws. His 51st minute delivery from the right was allowed to drop at the feet of Edwards on the six yard line but his attempt at a spectacular overhead kick flew over the top.

The visitors continued the quest to get back into the game but Ives resistance remained strong. A 58th minute scramble in the host’s box saw shots from Eoin McKeown and Creaney blocked by Jordan Williams and Ashton Fox respectively before Dadge was able to smother the loose ball. McKeown was also denied by the keeper ninety seconds later as a well positioned Dadge held onto his 25 yard effort.

Ives defenders continued to put their bodies on the line for the cause and this was perfectly demonstrated in 64th minute when fierce shots from McKeown and Creaney were bravely blocked at point blank range by the flying bodies of Herd and Johnson respectively. 

Whilst most of the second half had been spent with Ives defending gallantly to preserve their advantage they still had an out-ball to the ebullient Kaziboni who continued to make things difficult for his former colleagues. A 72nd minute foray forward won a corner, Herd’s flag kick into the mix was palmed away by Singh and fell to Johnson 12 yards out but his acrobatic volley flew well over the top.

It looked like all of Ives hard work might be undone with ten minutes to go when substitute George Cater got put clean through the left channel. It looked like he only had Dadge to beat but Fox appeared out of nowhere to slide in with a perfectly timed tackle to take the ball of the toe of the Lambs striker just as he shaped to shoot.

That resilient rear-guard action was continuing as the clock ticked down and McKeown was denied three times in the same attack in 82nd minute. His first two efforts were blocked by Ives defenders and although the third attempt found the target it was kept out as Richens headed it off the goal line.

There was still time for young Dadge to top off his best performance to date for Ives with seven minutes to go as he brilliantly denied Cater after the substitute had been put clean through by his fellow replacement Jellis. The Ives keeper was smartly off his line to deflect Cater’s effort onto the underside of the crossbar and then brilliantly recovered to pounce on the loose ball. That save killed any danger of a nervy last few minutes and ended Ives run of ten games without a win.

It was also a vital victory as all around them in the scramble to avoid the last relegation place picked up points. With three games left Ives now sit one place and five points above the dreaded red line. With the side presently in that final relegation spot Kings Langley scheduled to play the bottom two sides in their last two games there is still much more hard work required yet before safety can be assured.    

 

Final Score:  St Ives Town  2 Tamworth  0    

Goals: 

ST IVES: Richens 11, Edwards 43

TAMWORTH:  

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Dadge, Casey, Herd, Richens (capt), J. Williams, Fox, Kaziboni (Andoh 85), Hottor (Cowling 88), Edwards, Johnson, Baker (Harris 88), Unused subs: Toseland, Shariff, 

TAMWORTH: Singh, Hart, Cockerill-Mollett (Cater 62), Mussa (Jellis 46), Collard (capt), Dolman, McKeown, Meikle (Finn 78), Creaney, Deacon, Fairlamb, Unused subs: Fallows, Willets,  

Cards: Yellow:  ST IVES: Baker (81)       COALVILLE: Collard (42), Cockerill-Mollett (55), Hart (71), Deacon (90)

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH:  Greg Kaziboni

Attendance: 363

Report by Nigel Howlett. Interview by Andrew Dunn. Video clips by Ollie Jones. Photos by Louise Thompson.

v

St Ives Town v Coalville Town

St Ives Town v Coalville Town

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  01-04-2023

This very hard-earned victory on the road took the Ravens to the top of the table but they were pushed all the way by the battling Ives who could, and probably should, have got something from this game.

With Eddie Brearey still injured there was a return between the sticks for James Dadge and Ives also welcomed a fit again leading scorer Jonny Edwards back to lead their attack as they continued their quest to end their run of nine games without a win. Their visitors equally determined to continue their five match unbeaten run and claim top spot off Tamworth.

The hosts should have got their noses in front less than forty seconds after the kick off as Greg Kaziboni got fed clean through on goal. A slightly heavy first touch did for him though as it gave ex Ives keeper Paul White chance to get that little bit closer as he spread himself forcing Kaziboni to lift the ball a little higher over him and that proved just to high as the ball rattled the crossbar and bounced away.

Ives continued to look the better side in the early exchanges and White was forced to make a diving save low to his left to keep out Kaziboni’s snap shot from the edge of the box four minutes later. The speedy Ives winger was causing the Ravens defence a few problems and he was fed in down the left by Johnny Herd in 15th minute. He hung up his cross to the back post where Herve Pepe-Ngoma did well to prevent Edwards getting on the end of it.

Coalville are very much the ball playing side of the leading bunch and once they had settled onto the excellent 3G surface at quattro tech Westwood Road they began to patiently build themselves into the game. Dadge was called into his first real action in 18th minute as an excellent Ravens passing move ended with Ashley Chambers feeding in Tom McGlinchey cutting in from the left. The Ives keeper had to leap high to his left to push away his fierce rising drive.

Just to prove that they knew how to play route one as well the Ravens next opportunity two minutes later came as Chambers looked to get away onto a long punt from White. But a poor touch allowed Ashton Fox to get around and rob him. Dadge had to be alert to prevent Tom Berridge getting onto a 35th clip over the top the keeper rushing to the edge of his box to just head the bouncing ball away from the centre forward. Berridge continued his run and clattered into the keeper going down to claim a penalty but referee Luke Scott’s decision went in favour of Dadge.

Since those early stages the visitors had enjoyed the majority of possession but just as it was beginning to look like Ives might make it to the break on level terms the visitors found a little stroke of luck to get themselves in front. Another swift interchange of passes down the left ended with McGlinchey running at Ives back line and his ball across the face of the box fell to Luke Shaw cutting in from the right. He cleverly got past Herd before unleashing a shot that deflected past Dadge off Charlie Johnson.

Falling behind rattled Ives a little and they could have conceded another only seconds later as George Wilson ran at the defence before being stopped by an effective challenge from Jordan Williams but the ball ran on to Joe Doyle-Charles who played in Berridge. His shot from just inside the box deflected off Fox and looked like it was heading in but this time Dadge recovered his position quickly to make the save.

There was still time before the break for both keepers to need to make a save from free kicks. Paddy Casey brought down McGlinchey on the left corner of Ives box in 44th minute. Shaw got the free kick up and down over the wall but Dadge moved his feet well to make a comfortable save. White was called into similar action at the other end two minutes into added time as he kept out Kaziboni’s 25 yard free kick that came over the Ravens four man wall.

Similar to the start of the first half Ives had a shot on goal inside the first minute as Tyrone Baker cut in from the left and unleashed a powerful 25 yard right footer that was straight at White. Baker caused the visitors more problems in 55th minute as he got around the outside of Alex Dean and was hauled down just outside the box in a wide position. Kaziboni clipped the resulting free kick into a large pack of players inside the six yard box where the ball rebounded wide off Johnson as a defender tried to clear.

Once again though Ives were undone by clinical finishing from the Ravens. Another patient build up from the visitors concluded with McGlinchey finding a little space inside the box and calmly rolling the ball into the bottom corner of the net past an unsighted Dadge. The keeper did much better two minutes later as he bravely slid in to take the ball off the toe of Doyle-Charles after the midfielder had been played through by Chambers.

It may have been the visitors taking their foot off the gas a little bit, or simply Ives lifting themselves to another level but the passing of the hour mark seemed to lift the hosts and they really began to take the game to their opposition. That new belief received a massive boost in 65th minute as Edwards pulled a goal back. Casey delivered a teasing clip in from the right behind the Ravens back line. White started to come for it but with Baker bearing down at pace Dean decided to try to cut out the ball but he only succeeded in knocking it to Edwards on the edge of the box and with the keeper out of position the Ives leading scorer kept his cool to roll the ball home.

With the bit now between their teeth the hosts really tore at their visitors and they had two excellent penalty claims turned down within seconds of each other with fifteen minutes to go. Initially centre back Robertson got his upraised arm in the way of a Herd long throw but referee Scott deemed the contact unintentional. The ball was hoofed clear for another throw in the same spot this time the ball was knocked down to Enoch Andoh on the edge of the box and his goal bound shot struck the arm of a defender and deflected wide. This time referee Scott was unsighted. The resulting Herd corner was won at the back post by Johnson but his header was straight at White.

Ives kept up the pressure and an 80th minute scramble saw both Edwards and Baker have shots blocked before the ball was eventually hacked clear. But the golden opportunity for the hosts to get on level terms came in 84th minute. With full back Casey now thrown forward it was he who seized an opportunity to drive into the Ravens box. The ball ricocheted around before eventually falling to the usually deadly Nabil Shariff who had only been on the pitch ninety seconds. He found himself all on his own ten yards out with only keeper White to beat. He tried to beat the keeper low to his left but the big stopper had anticipated it and got down well to block.

Shariff had another half chance as the clock ticked into 90th minute as he got on the end of a clip over the top from inspirational skipper Richens but this time he did not get enough of a touch to deflect the ball past White. 

The board went up for an added eight minutes to give Ives hope but by this point they had replaced both full backs with forwards and were throwing everyone forward at every opportunity and perhaps unsurprisingly they got caught on the break. McGlinchey got away into the gap that would have normally been filled by Casey and he cut inside before teeing up substitute Max Brogan who beat Dadge low to his left from 20 yards to take the Ravens to the top of the table.

National League North is beckoning for the ex- mining town from Leicestershire whilst the Ives are still in real danger of heading the other way into what would probably be the Northern Premier League Midlands Division. But this performance again gives Ives hope and the rest of the results still means that their destiny is in their own hands. Second placed Tamworth, no doubt smarting from losing top spot, are next up at the quattro tech Westwood Road so get down and support the boys.  

Final Score:  St Ives Town  1  Coalville Town  3    

Goals: 

ST IVES: Edwards 65

COALVILLE: Shaw 41, McGlinchey 57, Brogan 90+2 

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Dadge, Casey (Higgs 90), Herd (Shariff 82), Richens (capt), J. Williams, Fox, Kaziboni (Andoh 69), Harris, Edwards, Johnson, Baker, Unused subs: Toseland, Hottor, 

COALVILLE: White, Pep-Ngoma, Putman, Dean, Robertson, Wilson (Brogan 69), Shaw (Chitiza 85), Doyle-Charles (capt), Berridge (Kee 77), Chambers, McGlinchey, Unused subs: Smith, Wilkinson 

Cards: Yellow:  ST IVES: Edwards (20), Harris (44), Kaziboni (62), Andoh (89), Fox (90+3)          COALVILLE: Dean (55), Doyle-Charles (89)

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH:  Michael Richens

Attendance: 454

Report by Nigel Howlett, Interview by Andrew Dunn, Match Highlights by Ollie Jones, Photos by Louise Thompson. 

v

Rushall Olympic v St Ives Town

Rushall Olympic v St Ives Town

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  25-03-2023

In a season where bad luck has dogged Ives this game topped most others as the visitors found themselves beaten by the high riding Pics thanks to a goal that I think even the scorer Andre Landell will admit was a 27th minute fluke. 

Going into this game on a run of eight games without a win Ives might have expected the worst as they were visiting a team unbeaten in five, almost assured of a play off place and very much hunting down a top three finish to assure themselves a home semi-final in those play offs. However the visitors had received a huge boost of their own ahead of the game with the deadline day signing of last season’s saviour Eddie Brearey from Oxford United. That good news was seriously dampened by the news ahead of kick off that Brearey, the only keeper that had travelled with the squad, had picked up a knee injury pre-game. There was even possibility that he may not be fit enough to start. But despite clearly being somewhat hampered by the injury start he did.

It looked like Brearey may get an early test as Jordan Williams brought down Leon Clarke 25 yards from goal in a central position in only the second minute. Fortunately Ives four man wall did its job staying big to deflect Sam Mantom’s effort wide for a corner. Alex Moore tried to drop the resulting corner in on top of the hobbling Brearey but his defenders came to his aid with Williams rising highest to head the ball clear.

Ives had started with their midfielders closing down Pics men all over the park and that tactic almost brought them reward in 15th minute as Sam Whittall was pressured into a mistake his square pass being cut out by Tyrone Baker who sprinted down the left before a recovery tackle by the desperate Whittall stopped his progress at the expense of a corner. Greg Kaziboni’s in-swinging corner was delivered deep beyond the far post where Ashton Fox had ghosted in, unmarked, but the youngster tried to go for goal from a narrow angle and the ball bounced wide off the body of Whittall. Johnny Herd’s flag kick from the opposite side was met powerfully by Charlie Johnson by the penalty spot but his header flew over the top.

The Pics had the ball in the net in 20th minute but that action only picked up a yellow card for Landell as the striker blatantly stuck out his left hand to knock home Jourdain Masidi’s cross from the right. However it was Landell who had the last laugh as he put the hosts ahead seven minutes later his attempted cross from the right arcing beyond the outstretched hand of the struggling Brearey and finding the top corner of the net. Mantom’s pass to put Landell away down the right was a good one but the striker looked as surprised as everyone else in the ground when his miss hit cross found the net.

But Ives did not crumble and in fact lifted their efforts to ensure that they prevented the smooth passing hosts adding to their lead. The epitome of that determination not to concede more was shown by youngster Luke Harris on the half hour as patient Pics build up had been finished by an incisive ball which had put Mantom clear but the Peterborough United loanee had tracked his man and flung himself across the shot when it came to deflect the ball wide.

Mantom went close again ten minutes before the break as the ball broke to him just outside the box at the end of what looked like a pinball session inside the Ives box with Clarke and Landell both having efforts blocked by the flying bodies of Ives defenders before Mantom fired his effort just over the top as the usually athletic Brearey struggled to get across to cover.

Ives had one half chance to get level before the break a couple of minutes later but keeper Jacob Weaver got down bravely to claim Michael Richens low cross from the right at the feet of Nail Shariff.

Brearey succumbed to his injury at the break and the spectators returned from their half time refreshment to see Ben Toseland proving that he has yet another string to his bow as a utility player and donning the gloves to go between the sticks in a fetching green outfit.

But it was Ives who had the first attempt of the second half only three minutes after the re-start when Shariff got on the end of Herd’s deep cross from the left but the striker failed to hit the target from a narrow angle, and even if he had found the net the assistant’s upraised flag would have chalked it off.

Toseland had the first opportunity to show his ability as a keeper five minutes later and he did very well to quickly leave his line and close down Mantom after the midfielder had been fed through the left channel by Moore. Having got into the right spot the stand in keeper did well to bravely block the shot at close range.

The guys in front of him were also doing their bit working like trojans to ensure that Toseland was not going to get tested to much. In 56th minute Clarke and Mantom combined well just outside the box to set up a shooting opportunity for Landell but Herd put his body on the line to block the shot at point blank range.

Kaziboni came within inches of copying the feat of Landell on the hour. Fed in down the right by Paddy Casey the right winger hung up a cross into the centre that had beaten the fast back peddling Weaver, but the luck was not with him and instead of finding the corner of the net the ball bounced to safety off the top of the crossbar.

At the other end the hosts went close twice inside sixty seconds around the 68 minute mark. Initially Moore played what looked like the perfect ball to set up Clarke just inside the box. But the big centre forward got everything wrong and ended up executing a complete fresh air, the ball then hitting his standing foot to allow Ives to clear. The clearance resulting in the visitors winning a throw well up the pitch but Herd’s long throw was cleared and Clarke looked like his was getting away clear. As Toseland came to meet him the striker unselfishly tried to pick out Landell which just allowed Harris to slide in and block the ball.

A couple more Pics corners followed which again they tried to drop right in on top of the stand in keeper but Toseland did well to get a fist on one of them and Johnson rose powerfully to clear the other to keep the deficit to a single goal.

As time ticked on into the last ten minutes Ives managed to build a little bit of pressure without really testing Weaver. Herd fired a 25 yard free kick into the host’s four man wall in 78th minute. In the last few minutes two Ives corners and two Herd long throws added to that pressure but a clear cut chance did not materialise and the hosts were somewhat relieved to claim the three points at the final whistle.

Fortunately for Ives none of the teams around them picked up a win. This battling performance still gives hope of finding those vital couple of wins which could lift them to a potential point of safety but with the next two games against the top two the most important people in the next seven days could be the physio at Oxford United who we will all hope can work a miracle to get Brearey fully fit and Ives physio Jardaine Patel-Joseph who needs to do a similar job to get Jonny Edwards fit after the Ives leading scorer spent the afternoon on the bench nursing a hot water bottle on a back injury that prevented him joining the fray.   

Final Score:  Rushall Olympic  1  St Ives Town  0      

Goals: 

RUSHALL: Landell 27

ST IVES: 

Team Line Ups:

RUSHALL: Weaver, Green, Mitchell, Moore, Brown, Whittall, Mantom, Clarke (Cook 79), Landell (Coyle 79), Batchelor (capt) (Shorrock 70), Masidi, Unused subs: Fletcher, 

ST IVES: Brearey (Toseland 46), Casey, Herd, Richens (capt), J. Williams, Fox, Baker (Johnston 85), Harris, Shariff, Kaziboni (Higgs 70), Johnson, Unused subs: Edwards, Hottor 

Cards: Yellow:  RUSHALL: Landell (20)          ST IVES:  none

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Ben Toseland 

Attendance: 462 

Report by Nigel Howlett.

v

St Ives Town v Stourbridge

St Ives Town v Stourbridge

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  18-03-2023

Those that saw the preceding game between these same two sides only seven days earlier will find this scoreline hard to believe. Ives were the better side and came within seconds of claiming all three points at War Memorial Athletic Ground but just one week later on their own patch they were a very poor second best and this score does not flatter the visitors who simply blew away a very flat and uninspiring home side.

Some analysis of the Glassboys away record may give a little more of a clue to why this game went the way that it did as they boast the best record on the road of any side outside the top five. But that record can give no excuse for the error strewn performance from the hosts which started as early as the third minute when they gifted their visitors the lead. A short goal kick from James Goff was worked around inside Ives box until a fateful slip from the usually so reliable Jordan Williams allowed the speedy Jason Cowley to nick the ball and slot it home.

Falling behind so early clearly rocked the Ives fragile confidence but to give them their due they battled back and went close to levelling three times inside the next five minutes. A 5th minute Johnny Herd corner from the left picked out Jonny Edwards in space beyond the far post but his attempted knock back into the danger zone was comfortably claimed by keeper Charlie Price. Four minutes later another Herd cross from the left was more successfully headed back into the mix by Michael Richens and Kieran Higgs bursting onto the loose ball looked like he must score only for Joe Hull to bravely hurl himself across the line of the shot at point blank range to deny him. Herd’s resulting corner found the head of the unmarked Ashton Fox arriving in the centre of goal six yards out. But the young centre back failed to get over his header and the guilt edged chance was gone. 

Ives continued to work hard to get back on terms, but their endeavour lacked end product and despite winning more corners they struggled to offer any real further threat on Price’s goal. A 33rd minute Herd long throw offered them an opportunity to perhaps find a route through but instead it acted as their undoing as Williams was again the man who lost possession, but this time inside the opposition box!. The ball was quickly fed forward and the fastest man on the pitch Obinna Anaebonam somehow found himself in a foot race from the half way line with Paddy Casey. There was only going to be one winner and the speedy Glassboys winger also showed his composure as he kept his cool to slot past the exposed Goff and double the visitor’s advantage.

With half time approaching Ives were desperate to find themselves a toe hold into the game and Edwards had a fierce shot from the corner of the box deflected wide in 42nd minute. There had been quite a few stoppages in the first period and the board had gone up for an added six minutes. In the fourth of those added six the hosts did find that toe hold courtesy of Ed Hottor who fired home from edge of the box after Herd’s long throw had been half cleared to him.

Now back in the game Ives just had to see it through to half time to give themselves a fighting chance in the second half. But they instantly self destructed again as Williams was turned inside out by the tricky Cowley on the edge of the box and then taken down clumsily by Goff inside the box as the keeper tried to knock the ball away from him in an unorthodox style with his legs. Anaebonam stepped up to send the keeper the wrong way from the spot and restore the visitors two goal advantage at the break.

Conceding the third goal so late in the first half meant any possible lift that Ives may have got from scoring themselves had been extinguished and there was no real build up of pressure on Price’s goal early in the second period. It was the visitors who carved out the first noteworthy opportunity after the re-start on the hour as a quick exchange of passes through the centre of Ives back line ended with Cowley being put clear by Darryl Knights, but the Glassboy’s number nine was denied his second of the day by an assistant’s upraised flag.

Ives continued to work hard, but they still could not offer any real threat on Price’s goal, although half chances did come and go. A deep 65th minute cross from Luke Harris picked out Richens beyond the far post, but rather than try and direct his header into the feet of players arriving in the centre he tried to go for goal from an impossible angle and failed to hit the target. The Ives skipper did even worse with a thirty yard free kick eight minutes later as his attempt to get up and down over the visitors three man wall just kept on going up!. The free kick had been well won as substitute Nabil Shariff jinked his way clear through the centre only to be unceremoniously taken down by Joe Hull in what originally looked like a promising position.

The host’s final opportunity to make it an interesting last fifteen minutes then came and went in 75th minute. Substitute winger Greg Kaziboni raced away wide right but was effectively stopped by Hull sliding in to block his attempted cross. The resulting Herd corner from the right was flapped at by keeper Price giving the usually deadly Shariff chance to direct his header from six yards on target. But the flying keeper had done just enough to put off the striker who, like Fox before him, flashed his header over the crossbar.

That proved to be Ives final opportunity because the Glassboys dynamic duo up front combined to grab another goal each in a three minute spell with about ten to go. Anaebonam completed his hattrick in 79th minute as he got fed through by Cowley to, once more, coolly beat Goff from close range. The goal came at the end of another lightning fast break by the visitors.

The pattern was repeated in 82nd minute as for the umpteenth time the Glassboys broke at pace. This time it was substitute Callum Gittings who got away down the right before cutting inside and clipping a ball into the centre where Ives centre backs and keeper had all gone AWOL leaving Cowley with the simple task of heading home from close range to complete his brace and put the final nail in Ives coffin.

The result, their eighth game without a win, leaves Ives now teetering on the brink of falling into the bottom four and with their next three games all against teams in the top four things are beginning to look very ominous. A return to early season form is urgently required now to get them out of the mire and a positive return from at least one of those very tough next three games is essential. It can be done, as relegation rivals Needham Market proved by winning at league leaders Tamworth today but to achieve it everyone has to pull together and all believe!.

Final Score:  St Ives Town  1  Stourbridge 5       

Goals: 

ST IVES: Hottor 45+4

STOURBRIDGE: Cowley 3 & 82, Anaebonam 33, 45+6 (pen) & 79

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Goff, Casey, Herd, Richens (capt), J. Williams, Fox (Toseland 78), Baker (Kaziboni 69), Harris, Edwards, Hottor (Shariff 58), Higgs, Unused subs: Johnson, Johnston 

STOURBRIDGE: Price, Vaughan, Burton (Wilson 46), Prosser, Kettle, Hull, Anaebonam, King (capt), Cowley, Rowe (Gittings 69), Knights (White 77), Unused subs: Worley, Knight

Cards: Yellow:  ST IVES: Fox (54), Harris (90)    STOURBRIDGE: Hull (73), Wilson (81), Prosser (86) 

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Ed Hottor 

Attendance:  241

Report by Nigel Howlett. Interview by andrew Dunn. Video by Ollie Jones. Photos by Louise Thompson.

v

Stourbridge v St Ives Town

Stourbridge v St Ives Town

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  11-03-2023

A very hard earned point on the road in awful conditions at a tough ground to visit, but it could have easily been so much more for battling Ives. New loan signings from Peterborough United, Ashton Fox and Luke Harris both came straight into the starting line up and had an immediate impact in raising the energy level from what had looked a tired Ives performance at Basford last Saturday. 

The higher intensity approach from Ives showed straight from the off and they shocked their hosts by going in front inside the first three minutes. The high press saw Enoch Andoh rob a dallying Alex Prosser deep inside his own half. The Ives winger then fed the ball across the pitch to Johnny Herd on the left edge of the Glassboys box and his perfectly placed right foot chip deceived keeper Charlie Price and nestled in the bottom corner of the net.

Falling behind that early sparked a reaction from the hosts and they hit the woodwork in their first meaningful attack two minutes later. Overlapping full back Demico Burton got down the left and hung up a cross to the back post where Reece Styche outjumped Ben Toseland but his header back across the face of goal glanced wide of the outside of the post with keeper James Goff beaten.

The small home crowd, all sensibly sheltering from the driving rain and biting wind, were stunned to silence for a second time in 13th minute as Ives deservedly doubled their advantage. A clip down the left found Kieran Higgs somehow on the wrong side of his marker, Lee Vaughan. The Glassboys skipper was unable to get a challenge in on the Ives man as Higgs drove into the box before picking out Jonny Edwards six yards out in the centre of goal and Ives leading scorer did the rest.

Now two goals to the good and with their tails up Ives continued to dominate these early exchanges and twice went close to further increasing their advantage. In 21st minute Paddy Casey got past Obinna Anaebonam down the right before delivering a teasing cross that beat the outstretched fingers of Price but rebounded to safety off the top of the crossbar. Two minutes later Edwards fed in Andoh through the right channel but the tricky winger was forced wide and a well positioned Price made his first save of the day to block the shot.

Goff was forced into his first meaningful save at the other end two minutes later as he reacted brilliantly to keep out a fierce close range volley from Styche, a teasing cross into the box by Burton had bounced up into the air off the head of a stretching Ashton Fox and fell to the host’s number ten who struck it cleanly only to be left with his head in his hands as Goff kept the effort out..

Back at the clubhouse end Ives spurned a great opportunity to make it 3-0 only moments later as Higgs was fed through the centre completely clear but failed to beat Price who closed him quickly and spread himself well to bravely block the shot with his body at point blank range.

That proved to be a turning point in the game as the hosts wrestled control and started to look for a route back into the contest. Goff pulled off another excellent save to deny them in 32nd minute. The very mobile James Cowley got around the outside of Jordan Williams to get to the bye line and picked out Anaebonam by the penalty spot with his pull back. The Glassboys number eleven struck his shot well but Goff was equal to it getting down smartly to his right to keep the ball out.

But the Ives stopper had no chance to keep out the goal that got the hosts back into the game six minutes before the break. Vaughan delivered a cross from the right that Ives struggled to deal with and the ball dropped to the feet of Cowley who crashed it home from eight yards to halve the arrears.

The hosts had one opportunity to get level before the break as the all action Luke Harris took down Reece King as the midfielder tried to surge through the heart of Ives back line. Anaebonam took the responsibility with the free kick 25 yards out but although he got it over Ives four man wall he could not get it back down to hit the target.

Ives probably expected an onslaught from their hosts at the start of the second half, but it was they who went close to increasing their lead only three minutes after the re-start. A Herd long throw was flicked on by Williams and Fox forced himself between defenders to knock the ball goalwards but Price got down smartly to his left to make the save.

The host’s first threatening attack on Ives goal in the second period did not arrive until eight minutes later when Vaughan and Callum Rowe combined well on the right. The latter delivered a cross to the near post where Styche battled Ives defenders and the ball dropped to the striker but he snatched at the chance a screwed horribly wide from a good position.

The following 15 minutes were fairly even with neither side creating a clear cut opportunity. The next half chance fell to Edwards with twenty minutes to go but he did little better than Styche as he fired high and wide from just inside the box having been fed in by Higgs.

The game began to open up as the heavy pitch started to take its toll and chances started to appear at both ends as the game entered the final fifteen minutes. The busy Cowley battled his way to the bye line on the right before delivering a cross to the back post where Styche leapt highest but could not keep his header down.

Edwards should really have sewn the game up for Ives in 78th minute. Substitute Tyrone Baker battled hard to get the ball and fed in Edwards clear inside the box with only Price to beat, but as in the first half the big stopper did well quickly closing the striker and blocking his attempt to lift the ball over him with an outstretched palm.

With the clock ticking down the hosts began to show more urgency in their quest for an equaliser. A long cross from the left by substitute Darryl Knights picked out King who directed his headers goalwards but straight at Goff who held on well. A mistake by Toseland let in King for a run at goal in 88th minute and the covering Fox was forced to bring him down 30 yards from goal. Prosser delivered the free kick into the danger zone where Ives just managed to scramble it clear but a clash of heads between Toseland and Cowley left both players on the deck and requiring lengthy treatment leading to an added eight minutes going up on the board.

This lifted the hosts to double their efforts and sure enough an equaliser came in the fourth added minute when Knights wriggled his way to the bye line before picking out Joe Hull with his pull back. The Glassboys centre back showed good composure to pick his spot and beat Goff low to his right to level things up.

Even then the nervy hosts could have been caught out as Baked ran clear onto a flick through the right channel and could probably have gone for goal but tried to pick out his fellow substitute Nabil Shariff with a square ball that the lunging Hull just manged to cut out.

On the negative side this was a seventh game without a win, But there were more positives than negatives from this game as the battling point keeps Ives six points clear of the drop zone with seven games to go and the level of effort and endeavour shown in this game if repeated in the remaining games should see them keep their noses above water. The return in the double header with the Glassboys takes place at quattro tech Westwood Road next Saturday afternoon and it is another vital game in the quest for survival at step three.

Final Score:  Stourbridge   2  St Ives Town  2      

Goals: 

STOURBRIDGE: Cowley 39, Hull 90+4

ST IVES: Herd 3, Edwards 13

Team Line Ups:

STOURBRIDGE: Price, L. Vaughan (capt), Burton, Prosser, Kettle, Hull, Rowe, King, Cowley, Styche, Anaebonam Unused subs: Worley, Gittings, E. Vaughan, 

ST IVES: Goff, Casey, Herd (Johnson 88), Richens (capt), J. Williams, Fox, Andoh (Baker 68), Harris, Edwards, Higgs (Shariff 78), Toseland, Unused subs: Johnston, Kaziboni 

Cards: Yellow:  STOURBRIDGE:  King (27), Vaughan (61)   ST IVES: Higgs (17), Andoh (37), Herd (81), Harris (86), Toseland (88)

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH:  Luke Harris

Attendance:  373

Report by Nigel Howlett. Video by Ollie Jones.

v

Basford United v St Ives Town

Basford United v St Ives Town

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  04-03-2023

An impressive goalkeeping performance from James Goff deserved to gain Ives a vital point. The reason it didn’t was an unexpected error from Michael Richens who played a back pass towards his keeper without looking 18 minutes from time. The skipper’s pass from the half way line was woefully under hit giving Lions substitute Gregg Smith the freedom of the park to slot the ball past the exposed keeper for the only goal of the game.

Goff had earlier impressed with a series of vital saves to keep the hosts at bay, all topped off by an excellent penalty save 13 minutes before the break diving low to his right to push away Matt Thornhill’s well struck spot kick. But Ives also had their chances to win this vital contest, the best of those falling to Jonny Edwards right on half time. But the usually deadly striker failed to hit the target with a free header from six yards out.

The game was a very nervy affair between two out of form side both looking over their shoulder at the sides below them who are beginning to pick up points in the battle to avoid the drop. 

The early exchanges showed that edginess particularly in front of goal. The first opportunity to fell to the hosts from a well worked corner in 8th minute. Tyreace Palmer came short to receive Josh Barnes’s flag kick and a clever back heel set Barnes free to scamper in along the bye line. His pull back found Thornhill in space just inside the box but he snatched at the chance and fired well over.

That was the only real opportunity in the first 25 minutes of endeavour but little quality from either side. Ives first half chance came in 25th minute as Richens rose highest to get on the end of Johnny Herd’s out-swinging corner at the back post but he could not get over his header under heavy pressure from defenders.

Richens also wasted a good shooting opportunity on the half hour. A poor clearance from Thornhill had gone straight to Myles Cowling just outside the box. As he was closed down he fed the ball sideways to Richens inside the D but he snatched at his shot which flew high into the car park behind the goal.

The penalty incident came two minutes later Kevin Da Silva Bastos fed in Palmer through the right channel and the centre forward went down under challenge from Jordan Williams, but excellent referee Haydn Lavender waved away the appeals and it looked like the risk was gone. However Palmer managed to retain possession as he got back to his feet and was dribbling the ball away from goal towards the corner flag when Williams needlessly had another nibble and clipped his heels. Referee Lavender had the easy task of awarding the penalty. But Williams blushes were spared by his keeper as Goff guessed correctly diving low to his right to turn Thornhill’s spot kick around the post. 

Following that reprieve Ives got on top for the remainder of the first period. In 39th minute the busy Enoch Andoh robbed Mitchell Tait just outside the box and was taken down by a desperate attempt from the defender to recover the ball. Richens and Ben Toseland both eyed up the free kick and it was the latter who took it on but unlike earlier in the season he did not find the top corner only the roof of the stand behind the goal.

Then as the half entered it’s final minute Edwards spurned the perfect opportunity for to put Ives in front. Andoh fed in Kellan Hickinson down the right and the Peterborough United loanee hung up the perfect cross over the head of keeper Kieran Preston. Edwards arriving at the back post only had to direct his free header on target but he failed to get over the ball and his effort flew harmlessly over the top to ensure that the two sides went in to the break all square.

The hosts came out at the start of the second half determined to take the game to their visitors and Goff had to be at his best to ensure the parity was maintained. His first excellent save came only four minutes after the restart plunging low to his left to keep out a close range effort from Revarnelle James after the striker had been set up by Da Silva Bastos. Ives struggled to clear the loose ball and Ben Starkie’s well struck effort from just inside the box was deflected wide.

Lions skipper Thornhill was still struggling to make the most of good shooting opportunities and he was another to fire into the car park as he failed to hit the target following good work from Palmer in 53rd minute. The pressure from the hosts continued and another clever corner routine brought a chance for Starkie two minutes later. Barnes picked him out with another short flag kick this time on the right and the midfielder was able to get a clean run into Ives box before firing wide.

Another excellent save from Goff denied Palmer just after the hour. The centre forward found just enough space to take down a long free kick, swivel and unleash a fierce drive from just outside the box that Goff was equal to leaping to his left to push the ball around the post.

Another Lions attack in 66th minute saw Da Silva Bastos drive deep into Ives territory before having a shot blocked. The ball looped to Thornhill at the back post and the skipper went for the spectacular trying a scissor kick that he executed well but again Goff was equal to the effort plunging low to his right to clutch onto the ball.

That was Da Silva Bastos’s last act as he was replaced by Smith just moments later and it was the powerful substitute who claimed the only goal of the game just three minutes after coming on. Ives were enjoying a good period of possession moving the ball around well just outside the host’s box without finding a route through. They fed the ball back to Richens on half way and he made the costly mistake of simply moving it on towards his own goal without looking. Smith had anticipated the move and easily cut out the poorly struck back pass before slotting the ball low past the left hand of the exposed Goff.

To their credit Ives lifted themselves and battled hard to get back into the game, creating a number of chances to haul themselves back on terms in the last ten minutes. Edwards rose above Brad Beatson to get on the end of Paddy Casey’s hanging cross in 80th minute, but as earlier he failed to hit the target with his header.

Only moments later an in-swinging corner from Johnny Herd somehow evaded everyone as it flashed across the six yard box then bounced off the shins of an unexpectant Andoh beyond the back post. Andoh went a lot closer with two minutes to go as he ghosted between defenders to get on the end of Tyrone Baker’s cross from the left but like all before him in the orange shirts he failed to test keeper Preston. The only time that the keeper was called upon to make any sort of save all afternoon was in the final added minute as a Herd cross from the right flicked off the head of his own centre back Lewis Carr and would have gone in under the crossbar but in reality it was a comfortable catch for Preston.

At the end it was the home side celebrating what could prove to be a vital three points that sees them leapfrog Ives in the table and more importantly maintain the daylight between themselves and the bottom four. The visitors will again feel that this was a game where they should have got some reward but this is now six games without a win and with the matches running out, the gap to the relegation places now down to six points and the teams below them picking up points Ives must all pull together to get some results before they find themselves drawn into the dogfight.

Final Score:  Basford United  1  St Ives Town  0     

Goals: 

BASFORD: Smith 72

ST IVES: 

Team Line Ups:

BASFORD: Preston, Roma, Tait, Thornhill (capt), Beatson, Carr, Bastos (Smith 69). Starkie, Palmer, James, Barnes, Unused subs: Peters, Clark, Irvine, Musson

ST IVES: Goff, Casey, Herd, Richens (capt), J. Williams, Toseland, Andoh, Cowling (Higgs 51), Edwards, Hickinson (Shariff 67), Baker, Unused subs: Johnston, Kaziboni,  

Cards: Yellow:  BASFORD: Starkie (90+3),  ST IVES: none

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: James Goff 

Attendance:  313

Report by Nigel Howlett. Video by Ollie Jones.

v

St Ives Town v Barwell

St Ives Town v Barwell

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  25-02-2023

Ives left it late to grab a winner against the Canaries in their last home game. They left it even later to claim a well deserved and vital point against a different group of Canaries in this game. Both of those vital goals came from captain courageous Michael Richens, his header against Hitchin was celebrated to the rafters but although this 97th minute goal only claimed one point it was a true wonder strike from 30 yards that anyone who left a little early to try and beat the traffic down Westwood Road will be hugely disappointed that they missed.

With James Dadge picking up an injury on Tuesday evening James Goff was recalled between the sticks for the hosts. Myles Cowling also made a reappearance after injury replacing Peterborough United loanee Kellan Hickinson who dropped to the bench.

The visitors made three changes to their starting eleven following last Monday evenings 1-1 draw in the clash of the Canaries at Hitchin. Ben Hart and Oisin Gallagher came in for the injured Janos Bodnar and Josh Tomlinson respectively and Micah Edwards gave way to Dominic Brown-Hill in centre of midfield.

Ives started off very slowly and the early chances all fell to the visitors at the car park end. Two opportunities arrived in quick succession in tenth minute. The hosts initially struggled to deal with a long throw into their box the ball falling to Brady Hickey whose effort from just inside the box was deflected wide for a corner. Gallagher’s resulting corner was half cleared to Melis Bushaj who also saw his shot from 25 yards deflect wide off an Ives defender.

The very mobile and tricky Beck-Ray Enoru was causing problems down the flanks and two minutes later he combined well with Hart before firing in a low shot from the corner of the box which Goff got down well to save at his near post.

Ives first real venture into Canaries territory in 17th minute saw Kieran Higgs win the hosts first corner of the game. But Kyle Rowley rose above the crowd to powerfully head Johnny Herd’s flag kick away from danger.

At the other end the visitors were clocking up their corner count much more quickly and their fourth of the game in 20th minute was delivered to the back post from the left by Gallagher where Brown-Hill rose highest but could not keep his header down under pressure from Ives defenders.

Ives first effort at goal arrived just before the half hour courtesy of Ed Hottor. This hosts midfielder exchanged passes with Jonny Edwards before unleashing a long range pile driver that flew about a metre over Andy Wycherley’s crossbar with the keeper looking on. 

At the other end Enoru was still looking the main danger for the visitors and three minutes later he showed his pace to get around the outside of the covering Hottor and drill in a dangerous low cross that flashed across the face of Goff’s goal evading everyone in the centre.

But that was the visitors last attempt before the break as Ives finished the first half with a very strong ten minutes. In 35th minute Richens tried to go for the spectacular to force home a clip into the box that was falling behind him, but his attempted bicycle kick flew well over the top. From the resulting goal kick Hottor robbed Brown-Hill high up the park and tried to feed in Edwards but his pass was a little to fierce and the ball bounced off Ives centre forward and was hacked clear.

Patient build up saw Herd force keeper Wycherley into his first real action of the game seven minutes before the break. Higgs and Cowling combined well deep in Canaries territory before the latter teed up Herd whose curled effort from just outside the box forced the visitor’s keeper to leap high to his left to paw the ball away.

The nearest either side came to breaking the deadlock inside the first 45 minutes was when Edwards met the resulting corner at the back post with a powerful downward header that bounced up, hit the unknowing George Ward on the goal line and went over the crossbar.

Having finished the first half well Ives came out and took the game to their opponents straight from the restart. Less than sixty seconds in Tyrone Baker tore down the left and delivered a low cross across the face of goal that was only just out of reach of Edwards arriving at the back post. Five minutes later Richens curled a 25 yard free kick over the top.

But that bright start was quickly extinguished as the Canaries applied a bit of pressure and got their noses in front. In 52nd minute Hart delivered a dangerous ball into the box from the right that picked out Hickey arriving at the back post. The visitors skipper stooped to direct the dropping ball at goal but failed to hit the target with his header. The reprieve was only very short lived for Ives as less than sixty seconds later the visitors did find the back of the net. Enoru fed in Hickey through the right channel and his fierce rising drive from just inside the box beat Goff but rattled the crossbar. With the hosts defence in disarray the ball was fed back into the box where Connor Taylor dived in to head it home at the back post.

Now in the driving seat the Canaries looked to push home their advantage and it took a brave save from Goff to prevent Enoru doubling the lead three minutes later. Hickey was again the provider delivering a ball in from the left that the keeper did well to dive in and prevent the Canaries number seven heading it home.

Richens picked up his customary yellow card in 74th minute as he slid in on Gallagher forcing the wide man out of the game to be replaced by Julian Donnery. The usually deadly Hickey failed to hit the target with the resulting free kick from just outside the box. There were still a couple of hairy moments for Ives before they really lifted themselves to put on that barnstorming finish. Hickey and Enoru were again involved in 80th minute as the two combined down the right, the move ending with a fierce shot from a narrow angle by Enoru that Goff did well to push away. But the keeper was almost left red faced seconds later as he allowed a much tamer shot from the same player slip through his fingers. Fortunately, the keeper’s blushes were saved by Paddy Casey who covered behind his custodian to hack away the loose ball.

Manager Ricky Marheineke had made a couple of changes in 65th minute to try and freshen up his attack and it was the two substitutes who combined to spark the hosts to life in 84th minute. Centre back Ben Toseland won the ball well in the centre of the park and strode forward before slipping the ball to substitute Hickinson who in turn played a perfectly weighted pass into the run of his fellow replacement Enoch Andoh who finished with aplomb only to be frustrated by the assistant’s upraised flag.

That move was the catalyst which sparked a period of real pressure from the Ives but it looked like the dogged Canaries back line was going to hang on as try as they might the hosts just could not find a way through. But the visitors time wasting tactics came back to bite them in the bum in the end. An added six minutes going up on the board lifted the Ives supporters and they roared on those on the pitch to even greater efforts. They almost found a route through four minutes into added time as Richens fed in Edwards down the right and his ball into the near post was met by Ethan Johnston sliding in. But Wycherley spread himself bravely and blocked the substitute’s effort with his body. The resulting corner bounced around the Canaries box before Toseland fired it wide and it looked like the chance had gone. But a substitution and a few more delaying tactics in added time meant a further added minute which was just long enough for skipper Richens to send the quattro tech Westwood Road into raptures as he put his right foot through the ball from fully thirty yards out. It swerved in the air just out of reach of the sprawling Wycherley and into the net via the inside of the post. There was just time to kick off again before the final whistle blew. 

Final Score:  St Ives Town  1  Barwell  1

Goals: 

ST IVES: Richens 90+7

BARWELL: Taylor 53

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Goff, Casey, Herd, Richens (capt), Williams, Toseland, Higgs (Andoh 63), Hottor (Hickinson 63), J. Edwards, Cowling (Johnston 86), Baker, Unused subs: Kaziboni,

BARWELL: Wycherley, Hart, Bushaj, Kerr, Rowley, Ward, Enoru (Nassuncolu 90+2), Brown-Hill, Taylor (Davisdon-Miller 85), Hickey (capt), Gallagher (Donnery 74), Unused subs: Master, M. Edwards 

Cards: Yellow:  ST IVES:  Casey (40), Hickinson (67), Richens (74)      BARWELL: Bushaj (62), Brown-Hill (77), Davidson-Miller (90+5)

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Michael Richens  

Attendance:  301

Report by Nigel Howlett. Interview by Andrew Dunn. Video by Ollie Jones. Photos by Louise Thompson.


v

Coalville Town v St Ives Town

Coalville Town v St Ives Town

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  21-02-2023

If this was a boxing match Ives would have taken the first half on points, sadly it was football and they went in at half time a goal in arrears despite enjoying good periods of possession, creating chances and forcing ex Ives stopper Paul White into a world class save to deny Kieran Higgs early on. The likable Irishman’s brilliant reaction save high to his left was worthy of the rendition of “Ireland’s number one” that it got from the large youthful group of Ravens supporters behind his goal.

A 16th minute wonder strike on the half volley from Tom McGlinchey then put the hosts in front. But Ives continued to press although they only tested White once more as he had to palm over a Michael Richens free kick from 25 yards four minutes before the break. Returning to the boxing analogy Ives then dealt themselves a knockout blow conceding two poor goals early in the second half to end the contest.

There was mixed news on the virus that has been decimating the Ives camp over the last few weeks as Charlie Johnson became the latest to fall to it. To counter that there was a return to the squad for a couple more recovering players as Jonny Edwards and Tyrone Baker were both deemed fit enough to start. The high flying hosts made only one change from their goalless draw with fellow promotion chasers Leiston three days earlier with Luke Shaw coming into midfield to replace George Wilson who dropped to the bench.

The visitors started very positively taking the game to their hosts and that wonder save from White came only six minutes in as Edwards did well to battle through the middle before laying the ball off to Higgs on the edge of the box. The winger hit the ball cleanly and it was destined for the top corner before the outstretched fingers of the flying White tipped the ball around the post. Even before that chance had come and gone Jordan Williams had forced his way through the crowd in the box to get on the end of a first minute in-swinging Richens free kick from the left but directed his header from ten yards wide of the target.

The early chances continued to go Ives way and Edwards missed a golden chance to put them in front in 11th minute. Johnny Herd delivered a free kick from the left that forced Herve Pepe-Ngoma into a poor defensive header that looped up into the air inside his own box and dropped to the feet of the Ives centre forward just outside the six yard box. But he snatched at the chance and completely missed his kick with the goal at his mercy. 

Only four minutes later Tom McGlinchey showed him exactly how it should be done at the other end. Elliot Putman’s corner from the right arrived into a very crowded six yard box where Williams won the header and managed to get much better distance on his header than Pepe-Ngoma. But the ball dropped to McGlinchey just outside the box and he struck it perfectly on the half volley to send a screamer into the top left hand corner of James Dadge’s goal before the young stopper could move.

Ives reacted well to going behind and were soon back putting pressure on the Ravens back line. Only two minutes after the hosts got in front another Herd long throw, this time from the left, was flicked on at the near post to Williams arriving in the centre but his header from eight yards was straight into the grateful hands of White.

Mobile centre forward Tim Berridge was putting in a real shift for the hosts constantly making probing runs that he hoped that his team mates would pick out and Eliot Putman did just that in 21st minute. Fortunately for Ives Dadge was alert to the danger and got down smartly to his left to hang onto the strikers first time effort.

A very promising break by Baker just before the half hour was halted unfairly by Jake Eggleton in the centre of the park. The Ravens centre back earned himself a yellow card and also injured himself sufficiently in the process to require replacement by Alex Dean.

The final action of the half was Richens 25 yard free kick that dipped over the hosts four man wall but was comfortably dealt with by White as he palmed the ball over the top.

The hosts showed a little more of why they are in the promotion race at the start of the second period as they came at Ives and started to create chances. Only ninety seconds after the re-start McGlinchey fizzed a shot across the face of goal and only inches wide as he cut in from the left. Less than a minute later Shaw and McGlinchey combined well on the left before the latter delivered a low cross to the near post where Joe Doyle-Charles poked it just wide.

The pressure continued and in 51st minute Tendai Chitiza and Doyle-Charles exchanged passes down the right before the latter cleverly floated a ball to the back post to pick out McGlinchey who probably should have scored, but like his colleagues before him he failed to hit the target from close range.

However the reprieve was only short lived as the hosts did finally succeed in doubling their advantage in 54th minute in very unfortunate circumstances. A low bouncing cross shot from the left by Berridge got right across the face of goal. Dadge seemed slow to react to it and with Ash Chambers fast closing in was then caught in two minds as to whether to try and claim it or push the ball around the post and only succeeded in pushing the ball onto the inside of the post from where it rebounded into the net.

Rattled by his initial mistake the young keeper then went on to make a second error four minutes later as he needlessly took down Chambers as the striker closed him down on a ball that looked like it was running out for a goal kick. Ever deadly from the spot Putman made no mistake finding the bottom corner as Dadge went the wrong way.

Those two goals took the steam right out of the contest and both sides started to make substitutions to try and sharpen things up a little without any real success. The tiring Ives did not manage a single shot at White’s goal in the remainder of the second period. The hosts on the other hand did twice go close to adding further to their lead.

Dadge showed his ability to much better effect in 70th minute as he pulled off a remarkable point blank save to deny Ravens substitute Billy Kee. The chance had been created by a flowing move down the left with Doyle-Charles originally feeding in McGlinchey who in turn picked out the well timed run of the tireless Berridge. He got to the bye line before picking out Kee with his pull back. The striker’s shot from ten yards was destined for the roof of the net before being deflected over by the outstretched arm of Dadge.

The young keeper also did well two minutes from time as he got his positioning spot on to block Doyle-Charles effort from just inside the box with his legs. The Ravens number eight had been fed in by Chitiza.

Ives will not be sad to see the end of this run of four tough games on the road in eleven days which has only gleaned the return of a single point. But there are some excuses with the virus decimating their small squad at a time when it was least wanted. Injuries and suspensions have also played their part. To add to that woe Nabil Shariff will miss this Saturdays home game against Barwell as he serves his one match ban having been sent off very unluckily at Alvechurch last Saturday. On top of that Ed Hottor needlessly picked up his tenth yellow of the season late on in this game and will miss the Ives upcoming trips to Basford and Stourbridge. Hopefully to counter those problems more of the squad will return to full fitness to enable the lads from Cambridgeshire to get their season properly back on track and finish strongly.   

Final Score:  Coalville Town  3  St Ives Town  0   

Goals: 

COALVILLE: McGlinchey 16, Berridge 54, Putman 58 (pen)

ST IVES: 

Team Line Ups:

COALVILLE: White, Pepe-Ngoma, Putman, Eggleton (Dean 30), Robertson, Shaw, Chitiza, Doyle-Charles, Berridge (Wilson 74), Chambers (Kee 66), McGlinchey, Unused subs:, Laban, Dean, Smith, Shaw, Kee

ST IVES: Dadge, Casey, Herd, Richens (capt), J. Williams, Toseland, Higgs, Hottor, Edwards (Johnston 76), Baker (Kaziboni 76), Shariff (Hickinson 65).

Cards: Yellow:  COALVILLE:  Eggleton (27),  ST IVES: Hottor (84)

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Kieran Higgs 

Attendance: 465 

Report by Nigel Howlett.

v

Alvechurch v St Ives Town

Alvechurch v St Ives Town

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  18-02-2023

Ailing Ives were put to the sword by The Church in a one sided affair which saw the hosts in need of points to pull themselves away from the bottom four show no mercy to their visitors who were so decimated by illness and injury that they could only name two on the bench and had at least four players in the starting eleven still suffering badly from the virus which has laid low so many of the squad in recent weeks.

To add to Ives woes they had Nabil Shariff dismissed early in the second half by an over officious match official who deemed an innocuous tackle in the centre of the park worthy of showing the visitors striker a second yellow card. To give referee Liam Beames his due very few could have disagreed with the first card that Shariff had picked up for jumping into Ben Cassidy right in front of the home dugout just before half time but he was massively unlucky to pick up the second.

There was a little good news for Ives before the off as they welcomed back skipper Michael Richens from suspension and Ed Hottor was considered recovered enough to start, but to counter that Jonny Edwards and Tyrone Baker had both succumbed to the virus raging through the camp and had not travelled. They were added to the already missing Enoch Andoh, Myles Cowling and Callum Milne. With doubts over whether, or not, Jordan Williams, Ben Toseland, Hottor and Kellan Hickinson would last the course as they too were suffering.

The one thing that Ives needed to steady the ship was a solid start but they got anything but as Tom Edge’s attempted cross from the right struck the outstretched arm of Ben Toseland inside the box in only the second minute. Danny Waldon made no mistake sending James Dadge the wrong way with the resulting spot kick. Things went from bad to worse for the visitors ten minutes later. Edge and Ash Carter combined well just outside the box to present Waldron with another shooting opportunity. His shot is blocked by Williams but the ball ricochets to the unmarked Remi Walker who slots it home from ten yards to double the host’s lead.

Toseland was clearly suffering, but with only two on the bench an early change would be far from ideal. Another error from him in 23rd minute presented the Church with another good opportunity. The struggling centre back’s poor defensive header fell to Leo Brown just outside the box and Dadge did well to keep out his well struck effort plunging low to his left and hanging onto the shot.

Dadge was in action again in 29th minute as he leapt high to tip over a well directed header from Harry Williams. The chance had been carved out by a clever corner from the right by Edge who had picked out Ben Cassidy in space 25 yards out and his cross had in turn picked out Williams in the centre.

Ives then surprised their hosts by pulling a goal back in 34th minute. Johnny Herd delivered a long free kick into the box from the right. Keeper Dan Jezeph elected to come to try and claim it but under pressure from friend and foe alike he spilled it allowing Williams to direct an effort on goal. The initial shot was blocked but the ball ran out to the edge of the box where Hickinson unleashed a fierce drive that may, or may not, have been going in. Either way Ethan Johnston showed his predators touch by directing the ball just inside the post to put Ives back in the game.

Sadly that optimism lasted less than two minutes as Toesland was again caught out with Waldron powering past him down the right, cutting inside and beating Dadge emphatically low to his left from just inside the box to restore the host’s two goal advantage.

Shariff picked up his first yellow card for leading with an elbow as he jumped into a challenge with Church full back Cassidy three minutes before the break. He picked up his second to take Ives down to ten men eleven minutes later for what could be described as nothing more than a clumsy attempt to take the ball off Aurio Neto-Teixeira inside the centre circle. Referee Beames took plenty of time to consider his decision before eventually issuing the second yellow, followed by the red to the bemused Ives centre forward.

Manager Ricky Marheineke had already made one substitution at half time replacing Johnston with Kieran Higgs so with only one card left to play and that a defender in Charlie Johnson he had no real options to change things much to compensate for going down to ten men. The only real change was Greg Kaziboni being given a bit more licence to come inside from the right to try and fill that missing central striker role.

Three minutes after going down to ten men the visitors conceded another poor goal to allow Waldron to complete his hat trick. The struggling Toseland was again at fault as he allowed Walker to get the wrong side of him. The host’s number ten got to the bye line before picking out Edge with his pull back. The midfielder miss hit his shot across the face of goal, but the ever alert Waldron pounced on the loose ball to prod it home at the back post.

The ailing Toseland was replaced by Johnson immediately after the goal in an effort to put a little more solidity back into Ives back four. But it was the Church who continued to go in search of more goals. Brown was denied a goal by an assistants upraised flag on the hour after he had been fed clean through the centre by Walker. Three minutes later Edge had a shot blocked on the edge of the box and Walker slammed the loose ball inches wide of Dadge’s left hand post.

The ten men of St Ives had two noteworthy efforts in the second period and they came in a five minute spell starting with twenty minutes to go when Richens forced Jezeph to scramble across his goal as his thirty yard effort crept about one metre wide. The second effort in 75th minute was a genuine chance as Herd’s long throw from the left touchline fell to Johnson inside the box. But the substitute snatched at the chance and dragged his effort well wide.

The remainder of the game saw the hosts enjoying complete control and moving the ball around well against the tiring ten men. But to give them their due Ives continued to work hard to limit the chances for Church to add to their lead. Young striker Ben Beresford came close to opening his account for the club in 77th minute as he fired a ball fed in from the right by Neto-Tiexiera inches wide.

The last two chances both fell to the hard working Brown who looked desperate to claim his first goal since early November. In 86th minute he combined well with substitute Jed Abbey to get inside the box, but Williams did just enough to deflect his effort wide. The final opportunity for Brown to claim that elusive goal arrived two minutes into stoppage time as he cut inside from the right before firing in a powerful drive from just outside the box that was straight into the midriff of Dadge.

His never say die attitude earned the battling Ed Hottor the accolade as Ives man of the match from the small travelling contingent. However he blotted his copy book by picking up his ninth yellow card of the season in the closing minutes and he needs to somehow avoid picking up another before 12th March to evade a two game ban. The win moves Church three points clear of the drop zone with up to six games in hand on the teams around them and they look a certainty to stay up. Defeat sees Ives drop to thirteenth only six points ahead of the day’s victors and just nine points above the bottom four.

Final Score:  Alvechurch  4  St Ives Town  1   

Goals:

ALVECHURCH: Waldron 3 (pen), 36 & 57, Walker 13

ST IVES: Johnston 34

Team Line Ups:

ALVECHURCH: Jezeph, Dugmore, Cassidy, Alabi, H. Williams, Carter (capt), Neto-Teixeira, Edge (Burton 65), Brown, Walker (Abbey 81), Waldron (Beresford 74), Unused subs:, Randle, Concannon

ST IVES: Dadge, Casey, Herd, Richens (capt), J. Williams, Toseland (Johnson 58), Kaziboni, Hottor, Johnston (Higgs 46), Hickinson, Shariff, Unused subs: none

Cards: Yellow:  ALVECHURCH: Neto-Teixeira (20), Edge (45),   ST IVES: Richens (61), Hottor (89)

Red: Shariff (54) (2 x yellows)

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Ed Hottor

Attendance:  294

Report by Nigel Howlett. Video by Ollie Jones.

v

Stratford Town v St Ives Town

Stratford Town v St Ives Town

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  14-02-202

Without a central midfield due to injuries, illness, and suspension it took an enterprising and gutsy Ives performance to earn themselves a point against the struggling Bards who are scrapping for every point as they try to haul themselves out of the drop zone. Behind after eleven minutes, losing the nearest thing they had to a central midfielder as Kellan Hickinson succumbed to the virus after just half an hour and 3-1 down just after half time the decimated Ives dug very deep to earn their deserved reward at the Arden Garages Stadium.

With the team full of defenders and attackers and plenty of height in attendance the visitors fell behind in very disappointing circumstances in 11th minute. Lewis Ison delivered a long throw from the right that arrived at the near post where Ives struggled to clear it. The ball eventually dropped to the feet of Bards centre back Paul McCone who hooked it home from close range.

Ives first half chance arrived in 17th minute when Nabil Shariff got away down the left before turning inside and delivering an in-swinging cross to the back post where a stretching Jonny Edwards managed to divert it on target but straight into the hands of Bards keeper Liam O’Brien. The visitors pressure continued as they won two corners in quick succession in 20th minute, the second of which fell to Callum Milne at the back post but his powerful shot was blocked by a defender and the ball scrambled clear.

Up the other end Charlie Johnson did just enough to prevent Andre Wright turning home Jamie Molyneux’s low cross from the right at the near post in 23rd minute. Edwards then found an equaliser for Ives out of nothing two minutes later. Taking in a knock down from Tyrone Baker 25 yards from goal he took a sidestep to the right before unleashing a fierce dipping drive that beat the diving O’Brien low to his right.

The goal sparked a reaction from the hosts and Jesse Akubuine should have put them back in front in 36th minute. A driven cross field ball somehow got through the crowd in the centre and arrived at the feet of the Bards midfielder cutting in from the left. He only had keeper James Dadge to beat and picked his spot low to the keeper’s left but fortunately for the visitors the ball rebounded off the post allowing them to scramble it to safety. 

The Bards did manage to get their noses back in front as an Ives error again presented them with the chance two minutes before the break Dan Lafferty fed in Molyneux down the right. The speedy winger got to the bye line before firing in a low driven cross that rebounded off the shins of a defender and fell to Wright who gleefully slammed home from eight yards. There was still time before the interval for Lafferty and Molyneux to again combine on the right to tee up their skipper Will Grocott who cleverly curled his shot around a defender but inches over the angle of bar and post from the edge of the box. 

The hosts came out at the start of the second half determined to grab a third goal in the hope of killing off their struggling visitors. Akubuine was seizing every opportunity to run at Ives defence and two minutes after the restart he was taken down clumsily by emergency midfielder Baker just outside the box. With everyone expecting Grocott to go for goal with the resulting free kick Akubuine came at it from the opposite direction but fortunately he slammed his shot straight into Ives four man wall which held firm.

Another area where Ives had been struggling defensively was down their left side where Johnny Herd was being given a tough time by the speedy Molyneux and that is the route that the Bards third goal arrived from in 51st minute. Rather than cross the ball the winger went for goal from a narrow angle catching Dadge out of position and forcing him to dive towards his near post where he could only succeed in turning the ball into his own net. 

One might have expected that going two behind in such unfortunate circumstances would have knocked the stuffing out of an already ailing Ives side, but nothing of the sort as they lifted themselves and took the game to their hosts. Three minutes later Jordan Williams got on the end of Herd’s free kick from the right and directed a header on goal that O’Brien was forced to palm away high to his right. There followed a flurry of three corners in quick succession as Ives piled on the pressure before eventually pulling a goal back with Edwards knocking down Herd’s ball in from the left and Shariff firing home the loose ball through the crowd.

With the visitors reducing the arrears the Bards again sparked themselves into action to try and restore their two goal cushion. A shooting gallery seemed to be set up in Ives box in 58th minute as both Molyneux and Akubuine had shots blocked by the flying bodies of Ives defenders. Two minutes later a clever step over by Akubuine allowed Lafferty a shooting opportunity from 25 yards. The full back struck his effort well but it was straight at Dadge who held onto the fierce effort very well.

The young keeper redeemed his earlier error as he did brilliantly to keep out a fierce drive from the same player in 73rd minute. Wright had got down the left and sent in a cross that deflected off a defender and fell to Lafferty on the edge of the box. He put his boot through it and the ball was arrowing for the top corner before the athletic keeper hurled himself high to his left to fingertip the effort onto the crossbar.

Having kept themselves in the game Ives then got the reward that their battling, against the odds, performance deserved and it was a man who had spent many years on the Bards books that broke their hearts with just over ten minutes to go. Herd played a clever reverse pass to give Higgs a little bit of space wide left. The winger took a step inside before delivering a pin point cross to the centre where Williams rose above the crowd to direct the perfect looping header over O’Brien and into the net to open his account for the Ives and level things up.

One might have expected a barnstorming last ten minutes, but both teams seemed a little wary of losing what they had fought so hard for and the only other noteworthy effort was a last minute Edwards header that went wide as he met Herd’s sixth corner of second half at the near post.

Overall a battling point that does Ives more good in their mid table eleventh spot than it does the Bards who still remain entrenched in the bottom four six points from safety and with only one win in their last fifteen games. Ives can also welcome back skipper Michael Richens having served his two game ban ahead of another tough trip to Alvechurch on Saturday. Hopefully a few of the ill and injured will also be well enough to join him in returning.

Final Score:  Stratford Town  3  St Ives Town  3   

Goals: 

STRATFORD: McCone 11, Wright 43, Dadge (own goal) 51

ST IVES: Edwards 25, Shariff 55, Williams 79

Team Line Ups:

STRATFORD: O’Brien, Lafferty, Morrison, Ison, McCone, Turner, Molyneux (Wright 83), Akubuine (Hawker 90+2), Wright, Grocott (capt), Bennett, Unused subs: Berseford, Wildbore

ST IVES: Dadge, Casey, Herd (capt), Milne, Williams, Toseland, Baker, Johnson, Edwards, Hickinson (Higgs 28), Shariff (Kaziboni 87), Unused subs: Johnston,   

Cards: Yellow:  STRATFORD:  none   ST IVES: Baker (39)

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Nabil Shariff 

Attendance: 243 

Report by Nigel Howlett. Video by Ollie Jones.

v

Redditch United v St Ives Town

Redditch United v St Ives Town

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  11-02-202

A lacklustre performance saw Ives get what they deserved from the first of their four tough games on the road in the next eleven days. A small degree of mitigation might come from the fact that they were missing two inspirational characters in Michael Richens and Jordan Williams who were both serving bans having clocked up ten bookings in the season to date. To add to that a number of players were suffering from a virus with Ben Toseland not well enough to get on the pitch and Ed Hottor coughing and spluttering his way through the game.

This felt like an opportunity missed as the Reds came into the game on the back of a hefty 7-2 defeat at the hands of Rushall only seven days ago and an early goal from Ives could have dented the fragile confidence in the hosts. But sadly poor marking at an early corner allowed the hosts to get their noses in front and from that point they were never really threatened as Ives huffed and puffed but never looked like breaking their house down.

Reds manager Matt Clarke decided to give the players that had suffered so badly at the Pics a chance to redeem themselves making only two changes to his starting eleven and one of those an enforced move as Tom Hewlett came in for Bernard Mensah who suffered a concussion at Dales Lane. On the other hand Ives manager Ricky Marheineke’s hand was mainly forced on the five changes that he made to the team that had performed so well in beating sixth placed Hitchin in their previous outing.

Despite the small group of youngsters trying their best to create an atmosphere in the Trico Area the game started in a strangely subdued fashion almost like an end of season game between two mid table teams with nothing to play for whereas neither of these two can consider themselves safe from the drop zone yet.

With an unfamiliar centre back pairing of Callum Milne and Charlie Johnson Ives were always going to be a little vulnerable to high balls delivered into their box and the first real opportunity of the game came that way in eleventh minute as Lewis Hudson delivered a deep cross from the left to the back post where Max Sheaf rose highest but directed his header to close to James Dadge in the Ives goal and the keeper made a comfortable save.

But the young stopper had no chance when Ives failed to pick up Jack Byrne at a corner three minutes later. The Reds skipper made a late run to the near post where he met Reece Flanagan’s flag kick from the left cleanly to glance in past the exposed keeper from close range.

Ives first real foray into Reds territory came in 18th minute when Paddy Casey delivered a teasing cross from the right that Jonny Edwards could only hook gently towards goal giving keeper Adam Harrison a very comfortable catch. An Ethan Johnson volley that flew just wide midway through the half and an Edwards 25 yarder that flew a similar distance wide of the opposite post were Ives only other noteworthy efforts before added time at the end of the first half. 

At the other end Dadge was much busier than his opposite number. In 24th minute Flanagan danced past Hottor into the box before drilling a low cross to the near post where Hewlett stabbed it straight into the grateful arms of the Ives keeper from close range.

The same player had another good opportunity to increase the Reds lead just after the half hour. Murphy Culkin delivered a long free kick deep into Ives territory where Milne misjudged his attempt at a headed clearance and only succeeded in flicking the ball on into the run of Hewlett who was clean through but fired wide of Dadge’s left hand post as the keeper came to close him down.

The hosts did manage to double their advantage two minutes later, again from poor Ives marking at a corner. Dadge initially pulled off a very good save to set up the flag kick. Kieran Higgs lost possession on the half way line allowing Hewlett to rob him. The hosts number twelve then exchanged passes with Danny King to get a sight of goal from just inside the box, but Dadge was equal to the strike plunging low to his left to turn the ball around the post. However the visitors had completely turned off as the corner was taken Flanagan took it short to Kornell McDonald who was given all the time in the world to pick out his man with his cross and he chose Culkin powering in at the back post and the big centre back was able to rise unchallenged to head past Dadge from six yards.

The Reds wasted good chance to effectively kill off the game before the interval as the busy Hewlett lead a speedy breakaway  in 41st minute. He strode forward deep into Ives territory before feeding in Hudson cutting in from the left but the overlapping full back skimmed his shot across the face of goal and wide.

Ives had one opportunity to get themselves back in the game right on half time. Higgs did well to get to the bye line on the left before hanging up a deep cross to the edge of the box where Hottor met the dropping ball beautifully on the volley but Harrison was equal to the effort throwing himself to his right to turn the effort around the post.

Two changes at the break were meant to liven up the Ives as Tyrone Baker replaced Greg Kaziboni and Kellan Hickinson came on for Johnston. But the changes had minimal effect to the flow of the game and it continued to look more likely that the hosts would add a third rather than Ives finding a route back into the game. Johnson did just enough to prevent King heading home another Flanagan corner in 58th minute.

The first real efforts on goal in the second half arrived in 66th minute and both sides had a dib inside those sixty seconds. The hosts had the first attempt as Ives struggled to clear yet another ball into their box, the ball eventually falling to Hewlett who drilled in a cross from the left that Sheaf managed to direct over the top from close range. The resulting goal kick saw Hickinson pick up the ball just inside the Reds half before driving at their defence and then feeding in his fellow substitute cutting in from the right. Baker took on the effort first time but drilled his shot straight at Harrison who blocked it with his body and was helped out by his defenders who were quick to react and clear.

Defending corners was still looking difficult for Ives and there were ten minutes left on the watch when King rose highest at the back post to force another save out of Dadge. The visitors were also looking vulnerable to the break as they pushed forward in search of a goal and King should have finished things off in 85th minute as he arrived at pace at the back post to get on the end of Hudson’s low driven cross from the left. But the Reds centre forward got under his effort and managed to lift his shot over the crossbar when it looked easier to score.

Edwards fired Ives final opportunity about a metre wide two minutes later. The big striker had carved out the chance himself as he battled through a pack of defenders to get into the box before unleashing the right footed effort that had Harrison scrambling to get across his goal to cover before it thudded the fence.

The host will gladly take their three points and their clean sheet as they get themselves back on track and move a little closer to another season at this level. Ives must lick their wounds and patch up their squad as they face a vital trip to struggling Stratford Town on Tuesday evening.   

Final Score:  Redditch United  2  St Ives Town  0   

Goals: 

REDDITCH: Byrne 14, Culkin 33

ST IVES: 

Team Line Ups:

REDDITCH: Harrison, McDonald (Solomon 86), Hudson (Duggins 90+5), Byrne (capt), Wollacott, Flanagan, King, Culkin, Hewlett (Clews 77), Sheaf, Riley, Unused subs: McDonald, Solomon, Smith, Duggins, Hewlett

ST IVES: Dadge, Casey, Herd (capt), Hottor, Milne, Johnson, Kaziboni (Baker 46), Cowling, Edwards, Johnston (Hickinson 46), Higgs (Shariff 80), Unused subs: Toseland  

Cards: Yellow:  REDDITCH: Sheaf (65)    ST IVES: Edwards (15) 

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Myles Cowling 

Attendance:  339

Report by Nigel Howlett. Video highlights by Ollie Jones.

v

St Ives Town v Hitchin Town

St Ives Town v Hitchin Town

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  04-02-2023

Both sides played their part in this cracking game that ultimately swung the way of the Ives courtesy of skipper Michael Richens powerful header to force home Johnny Herd’s in-swinging corner deep in added time. There had been plenty of entertainment at quattro tech Westwood Road ahead of that late winner with three goals in pulsating first half which had seen Ives go in front in 17th minute when Ben Toseland’s near post flick to another Herd corner had been deflected past his own keeper by a Hitchin defender. The Canaries levelled things up in 34th minute thanks to Ashley Hay’s well taken back post header that turned in a Layne Eadie corner from the left. But Ives were back in front two minutes later when Enoch Andoh cleverly rounded the visitors keeper to claim arguably the goal of the game. 

Ives defended resolutely throughout the second half only for it to look like they had thrown away two points when James Dadge was caught out by Diogo Freitas-Gouveia’s long range free kick. But the skipper was on hand to send the home crowd into raptures with that late, late header.

Home manager Ricky Marheineke made three changes to the starting eleven from the team that battled so hard at league leaders Tamworth on Tuesday evening. The first one was an enforced one with Callum Milne recalled to the centre of defence to replace the suspended Jordan Williams. The other two more tactical with fit again Myles Cowling replacing Ed Hottor in the centre of the park and Tyrone Baker recalled in place of Kieran Higgs wide on the left. Canaries manager Mark Burke made two enforced changes to his starting eleven following with the visitors 0 – 0 draw with Bedford. Jack Morell and Josh Coldicott-Stevens coming in for the injured Ciaren Jones and Steve Gleeson respectively.

The game started brightly with both sides firing in early shots just off target inside the first three minutes. The visitors then came agonisingly close to going in front in 9th minute as Hay bustled his way through Ives back line before unleashing a powerful effort from just outside the box that beat Dadge but rattled the crossbar. Bradley Bell was following up and his attempt from the rebound was deflected wide. Centre back Lewis Barker managed to lose his man inside the box to get on the end of the resulting corner but directed his header straight into the hands of the well positioned Dadge.

Ives first effort on target arrived four minutes later as Richens powered through the right channel before delivering the ball into the box. It found a way through to Baker beyond the back post and he exchanged passes with Cowling before firing in a rising shot from a narrow angle that was straight at Charlie Horlock in the visitors goal.

The hosts kept up the pressure and almost got in front two minutes later when Milne rose above his marker at the back post to get on the end of a Baker corner from the left. He directed his header down well and it took an excellent diving stop from Horlock to just prevent the ball crossing the line. But the keeper had no chance seconds later as Toseland arrived at the near post to flick on Herd’s corner. The ball struck a defender inside the six yard box and ricocheted past the startled Horlock.

The Canaries were still very much still in the game and went close to an equaliser in 26th minute when Dadge failed to hold onto a driven cross from the right by ex Ives man Jack Snelus. Hay pounced on the loose ball, before the keeper could recover it, but fired over the top from close range. The visitors kept pushing forward and it took a very good save from Dadge to deny them in 33rd minute. A fierce 30 yarder from Morell was destined for the bottom corner only to be kept out by the keeper’s diving save low to his right. The resulting corner was delivered to the near post where it was initially blocked but Freitas-Gouveia hooked it back into the mix at the back post where Hay rose highest to force the ball home.

But the parity between the two sides only remained for two minutes when Richens won the ball in the centre of the park and knocked it to Cowling who powered through before feeding in the run of Andoh who outpaced the defence before cleverly rounding the exposed Horlock and rolling the ball home from a narrow angle.

Burke made a change at half time with Finley Wilkinson replacing Ex Ives striker Jack Snelus and it was the visitors who started the second half on the front foot and in an early period of pressure Coldicott-Stevens and Bell both had shots blocked before the ball was eventually cleared. Fortunately for Ives Freitas-Gouveia and Bell got in each other’s way as they tried to force home a deep Eadie cross from the left in 50th minute.

Ives continued to look dangerous from dead ball situations and Milne headed another Herd corner inches over in 53rd minute. But play quickly swung back to the other end and Frietas-Gouveia went close from 20 yards on the hour. Paddy Casey did brilliantly to block a fierce drive from just inside the box by Eadie three minutes later. 

The visitors continued to pick up free kicks inside Ives half but the hosts generally dealt well with these with their only real scare being in 66th minute when Freitas-Gouveia delivered a teasing ball to the back post where Lewis Barker rose highest but could only direct his header wide from ten yards.

The pace and trickery of Andoh was still causing problems at the other end and with a little more composure he could perhaps have done better than scatter the supporters beside the goal with his fierce shot from just inside the box after he had been fed in by substitute Kieran Higgs. An even better chance to kill the game came Ives way with fifteen minutes to go. Jonny Edwards rose at the near post to flick on a Herd long throw and the ball arrived at the feet of the unmarked Milne at the back post. But as Horlock came to close him down the centre back flicked the ball past him but it drifted inches over the angle of crossbar and post.

Dadge was almost caught out by an error when taking a free kick from the left touchline in 78th minute. Not striking the ball cleanly it fell to the feet of Bell 60 yards from goal and he took on the shot, fortunately he did not get sufficient power, or accuracy in it and the young Ives keeper was able to quickly recover his ground and make the save.

With time ticking down it was beginning to look like Ives were going to claim a hard earned three points only for Freitas-Gouveia to catch out Dadge from a 35 yard free kick with three minutes of the ninety remaining. The young keeper only lined up a two man wall and took position at the back post anticipating that the ball would be delivered into the box. But Freitas-Gouveia seized his opportunity and went for goal beating the scrambling keeper low to his left to apparently snatch a point for the Canaries.

But Ives had other ideas and they were the side looking for a winner in the added four minutes. Herd came forward to hurl another projectile into the box where Edwards again won the flick but the ball was eventually scrambled clear. The very next attack won a corner on the right which Herd delivered perfectly to the edge of the six yard box where Richens timed his run to perfection to meet the ball cleanly and force it home to spark wild celebrations amongst the Ives faithful and claim maximum reward against a top six team for the first time this season. 

The only black cloud on an otherwise sunny afternoon was the six bookings picked up for a variety of offences that will incur a hefty club fine from the FA.

Richens claimed the man of the match accolade from those behind the goal with Andoh a very worthy runner up and a special mention to Milne recalled into the side after an absence of a month he did an excellent job as the kingpin of a back four that were at times stretched by the pace and movement of the Canaries front line but generally held firm.

Final Score:  St Ives Town   3   Hitchin Town  2 

Goals: 

ST IVES: Toseland 17, Andoh 36, Richens 90+2

HITCHIN: Hay 34, Freitas-Gouveia 87

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Dadge, Casey, Herd, Richens (capt), Milne, Toseland, Andoh (Hottor 90), Cowling, Edwards, Hickinson (Higgs 62), Baker (Kaziboni 72), Unused subs: Johnson, Johnston

HITCHIN: Horlock (capt), Bell, Eadie (Dasilva 68), Syme, Morrell, Barker, Freitas-Gouveia, Coldicott-Stevens (Allen 76), Hay, Idiakhoa, Snelus (Wilkinson 46), Unused subs: Georgiou, Crawley 

Cards: Yellow:  ST IVES:  Casey (10), Hickinson (40), Toseland (43), Dadge (61), Andoh (87), Richens (90+5)      HITCHIN: Coldicott-Stevens (24), Idiakhoa (77)

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH:  Michael Richens 

Attendance:  289

Match report by Nigel Howlett. Interview by Andrew Dunn. Video highlights by Ollie Jones. Photos by Louise Thompson.

v

Tamworth v St Ives Town

Tamworth v St Ives Town

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central 3101-2023

Having outplayed third placed Leiston for long spells without getting any reward on Saturday Ives faced an even sterner test only three days later as they came to the home of league leaders Tamworth. Once again the boys from Cambridgeshire acquitted themselves well but were undone by two brief losses of concentration, one at the start of each half.

The visitors made a bright start and Enoch Andoh pulled an early shot wide of the target having run onto an Ed Hottor flick. But the Lamb were then gifted the lead in eleventh minute as full back Matt Curley found enough space at the back of Ives six yard box to power home Ben Milnes pin point corner.

It quickly became apparent that the hosts style, which has worked so effectively for them this season, was to look to deliver long cross field balls towards the corner flag at every opportunity with the aim of winning opportunities to deliver corners and long throws from Curley into what became a very crowded Ives box. This was very similar to the style of play the John Beck found so effective at Cambridge United in the 1980s, so effective in fact that it almost got tiny Cambridge into the Premier League.

It is very difficult to defend against but to give them their due Ives knuckled down, dug in and did a very effective job with generally an Ives head getting on the end of the missiles delivered into the box. It was the visitors who created the next noteworthy effort on goal in 24th minute as Andoh jinked his way past a defender before unleashing a low drive from just outside the box that struck Ben Hart and deflected wide. Kieran Higgs delivered the resulting corner to the near post where Ben Toseland managed to get in front of his man but he failed to make clean contact and Liam Dolman scrambled the loose ball away.

At the other end the ball was still being bombed into Ives box at every opportunity. A 26thminute corner from the right by Milnes picked out Lambs leading scorer Dan Creaney at the back post, but James Dadge in the Ives goal reacted well to keep the effort out. Three minutes later Dadge did very well to come through the crowd and get a clean fist to another corner, this time from the right. The ball dropped to Kyle Finn just outside the box, but he struck his first time effort about a metre wide of Dadges right hand post.

Ex Ives wide man. Luke Fairlamb was next to go close for the hosts in 33rd minute as he got between defenders to get on the end of a Finn cross from the right but he failed to hit the target under pressure from Paddy Casey.

Jonny Edwards failed to take advantage of an excellent chance to level things up seven minutes before the break. Toselands ball out of defence set Higgs away down the left. He turned inside and delivered an inviting cross that picked out Edwards arriving late between the two centre backs but his contact was perhaps a little to clean and the ball flew over the top.

The Lambs strung together their best move of the game just before the break as the ball was kept on the deck and moved deep into Ives territory before eventually being teed up by Milnes for Alex Bradley who tried a curler from 25 yards but Dadge was alert to the danger and moved his feet well to make a comfortable save.

Still very much in it at the break Ives then proceeded to make getting anything out of the game a whole lot harder as they were caught completely cold four minutes after the restart. Having been pummelled with Curleys long throws throughout the first half they seemed to be expecting the full back to trek across the field to deliver another one when the ball went out of play deep in their territory. But with everyone thinking about where they needed to be to defend the anticipated howitzer, Fairlamb picked up the ball and quickly threw it to Finn who found himself completely unmarked inside the box with only Dadge to beat. The Lambs number ten duly did just that prodding the ball under the keeper as he came to close him down.

But far from daunted by going two down Ives instantly reacted and three minutes later they reduced the arrears in the simplest fashion. Higgs was fouled by Callum Cockerill-Mollett in a wide left position. Michael Richens delivered the in-swinging free kick into the no man’sland between keeper and defenders and Edwards did the rest arriving unmarked to nod the ball home past Jas Singh in the Lambs goal.

The visitors then came within a whisker of levelling things up just after the hour as Hottor fed in Andoh down the left. The winger fired in a low driven cross that deflected off Creaney and was going in before the ball struck a startled Singh and rebounded over the crossbar with the keeper none the wiser.

The hosts now went in search of a third goal to kill the game, but Ives defence, if occasionally stretched, never broke although there were a few close saves. A clever 68thminute free kick by Finn gave Milnes the chance to get a shot away from 25 yards, but the effort was always rising and went just over the top.

Jordan Williams picked up his eleventh yellow card of the season as he took down Creaney in full flow with the Lambs centre forward inches outside the box in 75th minute. Milnes managed to get the free kick over Ives five man wall, but could not quite get it down quickly enough and it went inches over the top as Dadge scrambled to get across. Finn went down under challenge from Williams inside the box in 85th minute but the excellent referee Richard Watson was right on the spot, waved the claims away then proceeded to book Finn and his manager Andy Peaks for disagreeing with his decision.

Thanks to their defensive resilience Ives earned themselves the opportunity to put some pressure on their hosts as the clock ticked down. In the first added minute substitute and former Lamb Greg Kaziboni got down the right and hung up a teasing cross that drifted over Singh. Andoh was arriving at the back post, but in his efforts to force the ball home he was adjudged to have fouled covering defender Curley.

There was already going to be an added six minutes but when Finn needed prolonged treatment for cramp the watch ticked on to an added nine with Ives still pressing for an equaliser. One last opportunity presented itself, keeper Dadge came all the way out of his goal to deliver a free kick from wide left inside the Lambs half into the box and with 21 of the 22 players on the pitch in and around the Lambs box. Unfortunately the ball was a little to high allowing Singh to come and claim it and the final whistle on a pulsating game sounded with the ball in the keepers hands.

To come away from trips to two of the top three sides feeling that you are unfortunate to have got no reward from either of them is a positive sign. But that positivity must be taken forward into the upcoming run of fixtures and after Hitchin at home on Saturday six of the following seven games are away from home so as always it is going to be tough.

Final Score: Tamworth 2 St Ives Town 1

Goals:

TAMWORTH: Curley 11, Finn 49

ST IVES: Edwards 53

Team Line Ups:

TAMWORTH: Singh, Curley, Cockerill-Mollett, Bradley (Clement 79), Hart, Dolman, McKeown, Milnes (capt), Creaney (Deacon 83), Finn, Fairlamb, Unused subs: Cater, Jones, Yeomans

ST IVES: Dadge, Casey, Herd, Richens (capt), J. Williams, Toseland, Higgs (Baker 60), Hottor (Johnston 85), Edwards, Hickinson (Kaziboni 67), Andoh, Unused subs: Milne, Johnson,

Cards: Yellow: TAMWORTH: Cockerill-Mollett (50), Finn (86), Curley (90+6)     ST IVES: Richens (34), Edwards (45), Hottor (58), Williams (75)

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Jordan Williams

Attendance: 644

Report by Nigel Howlett. Highlights by Ollie Jones.

v

Leiston v St Ives Town

Leiston v St Ives Town

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  28-01-2023

In life as in football one doesn’t always receive the reward that a performance deserves and that was certainly the case in this game as Ives battered the promotion chasing Blues throughout the second half where the statistics showed that the visitors had ten shots, four on target and won four corners, against their hosts two shots, one on target and a single corner. The Blues could thank some excellent goalkeeping from Sam Donkin and a little bit of luck as they kept their excellent record of only one defeat in their last eighteen games going.

The first half was a much more even affair where the hosts got their noses in front courtesy of leading scorer Will Davies’s 21st goal of the season just before the half hour mark. The game started with both sides taking a little while to get into their stride on a pitch that had recovered well from the cold snap of the previous two weeks. Davies was the first person to get an effort on goal in tenth minute as a poor ball out of defence from Ed Hottor was picked up by Finley Barnes who delivered a delicate clip to the near post where Davies got between the Ives centre backs to get a free header but steered his effort wide.

The visitors first opportunity came in 16th minute when Johnny Herd got forward from left back to feed in Tyrone Baker down the left, he got to the bye line before delivering a cross to the back post that was a little to deep. But Michael Richens kept the ball alive and his cross to the near post was met by Enoch Andoh who powered his header wide.

A clumsy tackle on Kellan Hickinson earnt Blues centre back Adam Bailey-Dennis a 23rd minute yellow card and gave Richens chance to try his luck from 35 yards. His free kick deflected off the wall to the feet of Ben Toseland who fed in the speedy Baker but the chance was halted by an assistant’s upraised flag.

The hosts went in front in the simplest fashion five minutes later overlapping full back Seb Dunbar got down the left and delivered a teasing cross to the near post where Davies showed his goal scoring prowess ghosting in to get in front of Jordan Williams and glance the ball home from eight yards.

An equaliser for Ives looked on the cards two minutes from the interval as the broke out from their own half at pace with Paddy Casey delivering a ball from the right into the feet of Jonny Edwards just outside the box. A clever touch on looked like it had put Baker clear one on one with keeper Donkin only for covering defender Rossi Jarvis to appear out of nowhere to take the ball off the winger’s toe.

There was still time before the break for the Blues to twice go close to increasing their lead. The first of those chances fell to Davies as he again showed his ability to lose defenders inside the box by drifting off the back of Williams to earn himself a free header to Jarvis’s cross from the right. He directed the ball back across goal but just wide of the post. James Dadge in the Ives goal was called into action in the last minute of the first half and he got his positioning spot on to keep out Ben Fowkes powerful drive from the edge of the box after the hosts midfielder had been played in by George Quantrell.

Ives came out for the second half and took the game straight to their hosts and the chances to get level quickly started to appear. The half was five minutes old when Hickinson threaded a ball into the run of Baker sprinting down the left. The ball took him wide but the winger cut inside and went for goal from a narrow angle forcing keeper Donkin to block the ball out for a corner. Only sixty seconds later Toseland seized an opportunity to surge forward and as the defence opened up in front of him he took on a shot from 30 yards that flew about a metre wide of Donkin’s right hand post.

One of Ives best chances to get level arrived in 54th minute and it fell to leading scorer Edwards. An excellent ball from Toseland put the centre forward clear through the right channel one on one with Donkin. But the keeper was quickly off his line and spread himself well to block the shot with his body and the chance was gone.

Keeper Dadge was called upon to make his only real save of the second half in 58th minute as he plunged to his left to keep out a fierce drive from the edge of the box by Barnes. The effort came at the end of the hosts best move of the game that saw a quick exchange of passes through the centre of the park before Dunbar teed up Barnes for the shot. The hosts only other effort at goal in the second half came three minutes later Fowkes cut inside and fired a 25 yarder just wide of Dadge’s left hand upright.

From that point Ives took complete control, but try as they might they just could not find a way through. In 62nd minute a Herd long throw caused panic in the Blues box. The ball falling to Andoh who tried to pull it back to Edwards eight yards out but the stretching Jake Hutchings did just enough to divert the ball away. Three minutes later Hickinson slipped a ball into the run of Edwards on the edge of the box, but this time the centre forward pulled his left footed effort wide of the post.

Manager Ricky Marheineke shuffled his pack to try and find a way to get that elusive goal with skilful midfield men Greg Kaziboni and Kieran Higgs replacing Hottor and Andoh respectively. Both were involved in creating chances in 80th minute. Initially Higgs cleverly fed in Williams as the big centre half stayed up after another Herd long throw. The Ives defender is still waiting to open his account for the visitors, but found a little bit of space inside the box and got away a powerful shot that the well positioned Donkin parried out for a corner. The resulting flag kick from Kaziboni was perfectly flighted to meet the run of Toseland to the near post. He met the ball cleanly and it flew past the startled Donkin but rattled the upright and stayed out.

The hosts were by now very much hanging on and bolstered their back line by bringing on Wyatt Hill and Ryan Jarvis to replace Rossi Jarvis and Bailey-Dennis respectively. But their visitors still continued to pour forward at every opportunity. Two more good chances arrived in the added five minutes both falling to Edwards. In the first added minute another Kaziboni corner caused chaos to the Blues box with the ball eventually falling to Edwards inside the six yard box at the back post. He struck his effort well but it hit the legs of keeper Donkin on his goal line and the rebound was wildly lashed over the bar by Richens. The final opportunity to get a deserved reward from the game came in the very last minute as Toseland galloped forward down the left before delivering a cross into the centre where Edwards had got away from his marker but he failed to hit the target with his header from eight yards and the game was gone. 

The Blues breathed a huge sigh of relief at the end of this game and Ives travelling faithful applauded their heroes from the pitch for their fantastic efforts at the end of the game. If the hosts can pick up seven points from their three games in hand they will leapfrog leaders Tamworth and go to the top of the table and Ives can do them a massive favour as they visit the Lamb on Tuesday evening. Another performance like this, topped off with some clinical finishing will surely get a more deserved reward.

Final Score:  Leiston  1  St Ives Town  0   

Goals: 

LEISTON: Davies 28,

ST IVES: 

Team Line Ups:

LEISTON:  Donkin, Marsden, Dunbar (capt), Saunders, Bailey-Dennis (Ryan Jarvis 65), Hutchings, Barnes, Rossi Jarvis (Hill 65), Davies, Quantrell, Fowkes (Mills 78), Unused subs: Wright, Dronfield,  

ST IVES: Dadge, Casey, Herd, Richens (capt), J. Williams, Toseland, Andoh (Higgs 65), Hottor (Kaziboni 77), Edwards, Hickinson, Baker (Milne 88), Unused subs: Johnson 

Cards: Yellow:  LEISTON: Bailey-Dennis (23), Marsden (47), Quantrell (56)      ST IVES:  Hottor (67), Williams (72)

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH:  Tyrone Baker

Attendance:  217

Report by Nigel Howlett. Match highlights by Ollie Jones.

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St Ives Town v Alvechurch

St Ives Town v Alvechurch

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  24-01-2023

The squad is always a vital part of any football team these days and it was Ives substitutes who proved crucial to claiming the three points in this fixture. The introduction of Nabil Shariff and Enoch Andoh with around half an hour to go changed the flow of the game completely as up to that point it had been the visitors who had enjoyed the better of the second period after a first half in which the two sides had traded goals. A typical poacher’s goal from Shariff eight minutes after his introduction put Ives in front and Andoh ensured the maximum return for Ives with a well taken goal at the end of a flowing move with six minutes to go.

Very unusually for Ives, manager Ricky Marheineke named an unchanged starting eleven and bench following Saturdays excellent come back to claim a point against play-off hopefuls Ilkeston. FA Cup heroes Church who are on a poor run of form and have yet to pick up a point in 2023 made only one change from their previous game with new signing Peter Taylor coming into midfield and Jack Hallahan dropping to the bench.

Once again the quattro tech Westwood Road 3G surface had to be thanked for getting the game on as this match was the only one in Southern League Premier Division Central to beat the weather. The hosts started on the front foot with the direct running of Tyrone Baker setting up an early chance for Kellan Hickinson in third minute. But the Peterborough United youngster snatched at the opportunity and fired well over from the edge of the box.

Church did not learn from that early let off as Baker’s pace caught them out again seven minutes later and this time the Ives speedy winger outpaced Ben Cassidy to latch onto Myles Cowling’s perfectly weighted through ball, taking the ball in his stride and spanking it past keeper Dan Jezeph from just outside the box to put the hosts in front. 

That lead only lasted seven minutes as a reckless tackle from skipper Michael Richens and an excellent advantage from referee Jorden Gibson cost them dear. Richens slid into Jed Abbey with a late challenge that was always going to pick up a yellow card. But the tackle was so late that Abbey had managed to feed on the ball before he was hit. It ran on to Tyrell Skeen-Hamilton who, as Ives defenders momentarily stopped, seized the opportunity to stride on and beat James Dadge in the Ives goal from 20 yards to level things up. Referee Gibson then caught up with Richens to add insult to injury by issuing the hosts midfield enforcer with the inevitable yellow.

The entertaining game continued at a fast pace with both sides creating chances but each guilty of failing to test the opposition keeper when those opportunities presented themselves. The 19th minute saw a chance at both ends within the space of a few seconds. Hickinson took on the Church defence and got past a couple of defenders before having the ball taken off his toe by the covering Aurio Neto Teixiera who in turn set up an attack at the other end that finished with Danny Waldron curling an effort from 25 yards just over the crossbar.

Ives next chance to get back in front came at exactly the midpoint in the first half as a teasing cross from the right by Paddy Casey caused panic in the Church box. Both Jordan Williams and Hickinson had close range shots blocked by the flying bodies of visiting defenders before the ball was eventually cleared.

Things settled down for the remainder of the half with very few chances appearing in the remaining time. The best of the half chances fell to the visitors ten minutes before the break when Jack Concannon found a little bit of space to run at Ives back line, but the Church midfielder got it horribly wrong when he went for his shot slicing his effort high and wide from 25 yards.

The visitors came out with the bit between their teeth at the start of the second half as they moved the ball around well and came close to getting their noses in front in 53rd minute. Jonny Edwards lost possession to Jamie Willets on halfway and the ball was fed into the run of Skeels-Hamilton. The Church front man was pushed wide but still managed to get in a fierce shot from a narrow angle that took the combined efforts of keeper Dadge and his near post to keep the ball out. 

Excellent defending from Johnny Herd kept out the next two Church opportunities around the hour mark. In the 60th minute he put in a perfectly timed sliding tackle to stop a dangerous run across the face of Ives goal by Skeels-Hamilton but the ball fell to Abbey just outside the box his attempted shot was a poor one, but it went back across the face of goal and was almost turned home by Concannon at the back post but the power from Abbey’s attempted shot was just enough to prevent him hitting the target.

Herd was again in the right place two minutes later as overlapping full back Cassidy picked out Skeels-Hamilton on the edge of the box and his curled effort looked destined for the bottom corner until the Ives full back appeared to divert it away from goal.

Two other important things that changed the course of the game also happened around the hour. In 58th minute Shariff came on to replace Hickinson to give Ives a second striker alongside Edwards. Three minutes later Ives manager Marheineke unleashed the speed and trickery of Enoch Andoh replacing Kieran Higgs on the right to give the tiring Cassidy a whole new problem to solve.

Goal poacher Shariff did what he does best to put Ives in front eight minutes after coming on. Herd had already delivered a series of long throws into the Church box that Williams had managed to flick on but no one had got on the end of those flicks. Yet another missile launched into the box in 66th minute. Williams again got the flick and once more the visitors struggled to clear. The ball fell to Edwards on the edge of the box, he did not hit his effort cleanly, but Jezeph spilled it and sure enough first to react was Shariff just beating the scrambling keeper to the loose ball and firing home off the underside of the crossbar.

Going behind for a second time seemed to knock the stuffing out of the visitors and with the very busy Cowling and Richens taking control of the centre of the park and the pace of Andoh and Baker causing problems down both flanks Ives got back on top. A 74th minute cross from the right by Casey was met just inside the box by Shariff and his looping header had Jezeph scrambling before it glanced the top of the crossbar on its way over the top.

Manager Marheineke made his third change with ten minutes to go further reinforcing the centre of the park by replacing Edwards with Ed Hottor. The three substitutes combined to kill the game off four minutes later, Hottor won the ball in the middle of the park and put Shariff through the left channel. As the defenders and goalkeeper came to close him down Shariff unselfishly slid the ball sideways to the unmarked Andoh who had time to take a touch before firing home to delight the big Tuesday night home crowd.

There was still time for Andoh and Shariff to combine to almost add a fourth only ninety seconds later as Andoh danced his way down the right easily outpacing the tiring Cassidy before firing in a low cross that Shariff met at the near post, but the striker had gone a little to soon and the flag was up.

The win extends Ives unbeaten run to four games and takes them up to tenth place but that run will be tested in the next seven days as Ives visit fourth placed Leiston on Saturday and then make the daunting trip to league leaders Tamworth next Tuesday evening. Church on the other hand still sit in the relegation places. With up to eight games in hand on those around them following their FA Cup run everyone expects them to get out of trouble. But the cup run may have taken more out of them than they think and with no win since early December they have got to get back on track soon or they will find themselves very much in the dog fight at the bottom.

Final Score:  St Ives Town  3   Alvechurch  1

Goals: 

ST IVES: Baker 10, Shariff 66, Andoh 84

ALVECHURCH: Skeels-Hamilton 17

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Dadge, Casey, Herd, Richens (capt), Williams, Toseland, Higgs (Andoh 61), Cowling, Edwards (Hottor 80), Hickinson (Shariff 58), Baker, Unused subs: Milne, Kaziboni

ALVECHURCH: Jezeph, Dugmore, Cassidy, Taylor (Hallahan 78), Willets (capt), Carter, Jed Abbey, Neto Teixeira (Jeremy Abbey 86), Waldron (Soule 65), Concannon, Skeen-Hamilton, Unused subs: Williams, Randle  

Cards: Yellow:  ST IVES:  Baker (12), Richens (17), Williams (23), Casey (73)    ALVECHURCH: none

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH:  Myles Cowling  

Attendance: 195

Report by Nigel Howlett. Interview by Andrew Dunn. Match highlights by Ollie Jones.

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St Ives Town v Ilkeston Town

St Ives Town v Ilkeston Town

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  21-01-2023

A barnstorming second half comeback saw Ives claim a share of the spoils with the big spending Robins in a hugely entertaining game in front of a bumper crowd which was bolstered by supporters diverted from other games called off late owning to pitches which failed to thaw out following the heavy overnight frost.

Ives manager Ricky Marheineke made one change to the starting eleven following last weeks draw at Hednesford with Kellan Hickinson recalled to the number ten shirt in place of Nabil Shariff who took his place on the bench. By contrast Robins player manager Jamie Ward welcome three experienced new signings into his starting line up goalkeeper Rhys Davies, full back Henri Wilder and hugely experience ex Premier League striker Leroy Lita. 

The game started relatively quietly with both sides sizing each other up. The first half chance for either side came in ninth minute when a probing run from Tyrone Baker allowed him to tee up Myles Cowling for a shot from the edge of the box but Cowling failed to hit the ball cleanly and it was scrambled clear. Ives Peterborough United loanee Kellan Hickinson spurned a much better opportunity three minutes later. Kieran Higgs cross from the left was headed down by Jonny Edwards onto the foot of Hickinson in a little bit of space just inside the box but the youngster snatched his first time effort wide.

Lita was already beginning to show touches of his ability at the other end and he cleverly drifted out to the left to set up the opening goal for the visitors in 17th minute. Finding space behind Paddy Casey he got to the bye line before driving a low cross along the six yard line to pick out Remayne Campbell unmarked at the back post. Robins number seven had the simple task of side footing the ball home.

Going in front lifted the visitors and they continued on top for the remainder of the first period. Despite Ives defence battling hard to keep them at bay the Robins started to carve out more chances usually with Lita and Campbell at the heart of things. In 24th minute the pair combined well on the right with Campbell teeing up Dempsey Arlott-John on the edge of the box. But the visitors winger screwed his shot wide of the post.

Arlott-John thought that he had doubled the lead five minutes later as he was fed clean through by ex Peterborough United striker Lee Tomlin but the speedy wide man had gone just a little to soon and Ives were saved by the assistants flag. The visitors then had a very good shout for a penalty turned down by referee Dan Woolley as Johnny Herd got the wrong side of Campbell and gave him a hefty nudge to prevent him getting on the end of Kieran Fenton’s clip into the box.

It took a brilliant sliding block from Jordan Williams to prevent Lita turning home Campbell’s low cross from the right in 38th minute. But then the inevitable second goal for the visitors arrived five minutes before the break. Finn Delap delivered a long ball deep into Ives territory that Lita took down brilliantly and seized the opportunity to surge on into the box where he went down under a combined challenge from Casey and Williams. Referee Woolley took a moment to think about it before pointing to the spot. Campbell coolly sent James Dadge the wrong way from the spot to double his tally for the day and double the Robins lead.

Dadge earned his corn for the day two minutes later by ensuring that Ives went in at the break only two down plunging to his left to keep out Fenton’s 25 yard free kick that beat the hosts three man wall and was heading for the bottom corner. The free kick had been conceded by Myles Cowling who lost possession inside his own half to Jack Thomas and then chased back to bring down the Robins midfield man.

Ives desperately needed an early goal to lift their spirits and give them a potential route back into the game and they got just that as their impressive start to the second half earned reward. A long ball down the park was flicked on by Williams who had stayed forward after an early Ives corner. The ball fell to Edwards who fed in Higgs speeding down the left. Higgs got past Joe Wilson on the outside before pulling the ball back to Cowling on the edge of the box. A side step earned just enough space to allow him to get away a fierce right foot shot that flew high into the net past the outstretched fingers of Davies. Game on!

The Robins went in search of another goal to restore their lead and Arlott-John cleverly turned Casey before firing just wide from 20 yards in 62nd minute. But Ives had now got the bit between their teeth and a very well taken poachers goal from Edwards in 69th minute levelled things up. Hickinson delivered a ball in from the right that Delap looked favourite to win, but Edwards caught the young defender on his heels as he ghosted in front of him to prod the ball home past the startled Davies.

With twenty minutes to go and everything to play for both sides spurred on by the boisterous crowd decided to go for the win. It was the visitors who went close to getting their noses in front first. Only two minutes after Ives equaliser Tomlin got between players at the near post to direct a Wilson cross on target but Dadge held on well. 

The closest either side came to finding a winner was in 73rd minute when the tricky Arlott-John turned on a ball just inside the box before unleashing a fierce right footed drive that beat Dadge but rattled the crossbar and rebounded to safety.

A strange incident unseen by anyone in the ground saw Tomlin go down claiming that he had been felled by Higgs in an off the ball incident. The incident had the effect of breaking the momentum of the game just as Ives were beginning to get on top again and it ended with no cards issued and a drop ball to the hosts. Ives were soon back in the ascendency and substitute Enoch Andoh was brilliantly put clear through the left channel by Cowling only to be denied by the assistants flag.

Back at the other end Tomlin was brought down by Ben Toseland just inches outside the box. Fenton got his free kick over Ives four man wall but was just unable to get it down again and it crept inches over the crossbar.

Both sides had chances to win it in the added five minutes at the end. Two chances went Ives way both falling to Williams. In the second added minute he managed to ghost in completely unmarked at the back post to get on the end of Michael Richens clever free kick. But he was stretching to reach the ball and although he directed his effort on target it was deflected out for a corner. The resulting flag kick was taken short by Greg Kaziboni allowing Hickinson to float the ball to the back post where Williams was again the target. This time he got power on his header but could only direct it into the side netting.

The final chance in the open and entertaining game fell to the visitors in the last minute when the two experienced ex-professionals combined. Lita held the ball up well just outside the box and laid it off to Tomlin his low drive was well held at the foot of his left hand post by Dadge to ensure that the points were shared.

Final Score:  St Ives Town   2  Ilkeston Town  2

Goals: 

ST IVES: Cowling 51, Edwards 69

ILKESTON: Campbell 17, 41 (pen)

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Dadge, Casey, Herd, Richens (capt), Williams, Toseland, Higgs (Kaziboni 88), Cowling, Edwards, Hickinson, Baker (Andoh 63), Unused subs: Hottor, Milne, Shariff

ILKESTON: Davies, Wilson, Wilder, Thomas, Delap, Fenton (capt), Campbell, Ward (Bradley 63), Lita, Tomlin, Arlott-John (O’Grady 85), Unused subs: Dube, Bello, Woodward 

Cards: Yellow:  ST IVES: Cowling (43)       MICKLEOVER: Ward (29), Thomas (55), Tomlin (56), Delap (90+1), Fenton (90+5)

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH:  Myles Cowling 

Attendance:  391

Report by Nigel Howlett. Interview by Andrew Dunn. Video highlights by Ollie Jones. Photos by Louise Thompson.

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St Ives Town v Mickleover

St Ives Town v Mickleover

Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central  07-01-2023

Manager Ricky Marheineke’s decision to freshen up his squad after three poor performances proved a master stroke as Ives not only took all three points from the play-off chasing Sports they also became only the second side all season to keep a clean sheet against their Derbyshire visitors. All three midweek signings very much played their part in this much improved display and although 18 year old keeper James Dadge did not have a tremendous amount to do his confident presence and excellent communication skills seemed to bring an instant solidity to the back four that had previously been lacking. Peterborough United loanee midfielder Kellan Hickinson brought a greater urgency to the centre of midfield. But the real star of the trio was last year’s St Ives player of the season Ben Toseland who made a triumphant return to quattro-tech Westwood Road on a loan deal from his new club Kettering Town not only putting in a solid defensive performance but also topping it off with a peach of a free kick to cement the victory twelve minutes from time.

When these teams me in the corresponding fixture early in the season it was a tetchy affair where Sports lost two players to red cards in the first half yet somehow still managed to win the game. This game also started off with the visitors picking up early cards as both Ryan Wilson and Jake Scott picked up booking for fouls inside the first fifteen minutes. The first of those came in 9th minute when Wilson unceremoniously ended Kieran Higgs run across the face of goal 25 yards out. Michael Richens failed to trouble keeper Jonathan Hedge with the resulting free kick. The same player went a little closer from a similar distance after Johnny Herd’s long throw had been only half cleared to him in 21st minute. 

Hickinson showed a little bit of his quality two minutes later as he picked up a ball in the centre of the park confidently surged into the heart of the visitors back line before sliding a pass into the run of Nabil Shariff who had unfortunately gone a little to soon and was denied by an assistant’s upraised flag.

Dadge’s first real call into the action came only moments later when Ed Hottor lost possession in the centre of the park allowing Scott a chance to run at Ives back line before laying the ball off to Stuart Beavon who tried a curling effort from the edge of the D that the young keeper showed good footwork to turn into a comfortable save.

The only truly meaningful save in the first period from either side came just after the half hour when another of Hickinson’s powerful runs through the centre was clumsily halted 25 yards from goal by Sports skipper Phil Watt. This time Richens did much better with the free kick unleashing a powerful drive that took a deflection off the end of the visitor’s four man wall making keeper Hedge’s diving save low to his right even better.

The visitors were forced into a change at the break with Scott limping off to be replaced by Andy Dales who took up a position on the left allowing Will Trueman to take a more central role. Trueman had got no change out of Paddy Casey in the first period and an excellent cross field ball from Wilson gave Dales chance to try his luck in 51st minute but again a man who is becoming Mr Reliable for Ives Casey proved an impenetrable barrier.

Shariff was denied by an assistant’s flag for the second time in the game in 55th minute. This time he went a little to soon to get on the end of Richens wicked free kick to the edge of the six yard box from the right. Ives went close again only seconds later as another of Hickinson’s surges through the centre gave him chance to feed in Tyrone Baker arriving at pace down the right his first time effort from a narrow angle only ruffled the side netting.

With Ives bench hosting a wealth of talent it was no surprise that manager Marheineke made a couple of changes on the hour introducing leading scorer Jonny Edwards and Myles Cowling in place of Shariff and Hottor respectively.

Dales was still looking like Sports most likely player to break the deadlock and he cut inside from the left and let fly with a right footed effort from the corner of the box in 64th minute. Again, Dadge’s positioning and handling were good as he made a comfortable save.

The controversial incident that proved so pivotal came only sixty seconds later. Herd launched a long throw into the box from the right touchline, with wind assistance the ball sailed over the melee at the near post and arrived at the feet of Edwards inside the six yard box. He simply helped it goalwards where it was blocked on the line by James Butler. The ball appeared to strike the arm of the defender and Ives appeals were answered in the affirmative by well positioned referee Joe Woolmer. Once he had given the spot kick his only course of action was to also dismiss the unfortunate Butler for denying the goalscoring opportunity. Edwards calmly waited for the arguments from the Sports players and bench staff to subside with the ball under his arm then compounded the visitor’s misery by sending Hedge the wrong way with his spot kick.

To give them their due the visitor’s heads did not drop which is probably not surprising if they remembered the earlier game. They had two efforts at goal inside sixty seconds in 73rd minute as first Wilson failed to hit the target from the left corner of the box after being teed up by Dales then Rhys Dolan fired over from 25 yards out in a more central position seconds later.

Ives put the game to bed with twelve minutes left on the watch courtesy of the exquisite free kick from Toseland. Edwards was clumsily taken down by Watt 25 yards from goal. There was some initial debate over whether Richens, or Toseland should take the shot on with the skipper gracefully giving way to his centre back who curled an absolute peach, up and over Sports four man wall and just out of each of the desperate dive from Hedge.

With the game now decided it was good to see Ives remaining positive rather than sitting back on their lead. Enoch Andoh had been introduced for the tiring Hickinson in 75th minute and he had two chances to add to the host’s lead in the closing stages. In 88th minute he took on a mazy run through the visitor’s back line that ended with the covering Joe Bateman whacking the ball against his shins the rebound forcing a save out of Hedge as it ricocheted in a goal bound direction. As the game entered an added five minutes he galloped away onto a poor defensive header from Ethan Mann only to be taken down inside the box by Bateman, but this time referee Woolmer waved away Ives appeals. 

Ives ninth win of the season takes them up four places to a respectable mid table twelfth spot whilst their visitors saw their local rivals Ilkeston and Hitchin both move above them as they slipped to eighth, only five points above Ives in the crowded middle part of the table in a season where everyone is capable of beating everyone else in the Premier Division Central.  

Final Score:  St Ives Town   2   Mickleover  0

Goals: 

ST IVES: Edwards 66 (pen), Toseland 78

MICKLEOVER: 

Team Line Ups:

ST IVES: Dadge, Casey, Herd, Richens (capt), J. Williams, Toseland, Higgs, Hottor (Cowling 59), Baker, Hickinson (Andoh 75), Shariff (Edwards 59), Unused subs: D. Williams Johnson 

MICKLEOVER: Hedge, Mann, Wilson, Butler, Watt (capt), Scott (Dales 46), Bateman, Dolan, Marshall, Beavon, Trueman, Unused subs: Mills, Rose, Bosworth, Greaves

Cards: Yellow:  ST IVES:  Hottor (27), Richens (35), Casey (48), Herd (81)           MICKLEOVER: Wilson (9), Scott (13), Watt (54), Beavon (83), Bateman (90+1)

            Red: MICKLEOVER: Butler (65) 

IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH:  Ben Toseland

Attendance:  205

Match report by Nigel Howlett. Interview by Andrew Dunn. Match highlights by Dave Hook & Ollie Jones. Photos by Louise Thompson.

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