St Ives Town U18 v Deeping Rangers U18  

Thurlow Nunn Youth League – Western Division  01-04-19

With the County Cup final only four days away manager Lloyd Groves fielded probably the youngest Under 18 side that Ives are ever likely to have put out for a competitive fixture with only three second year scholars in the squad. This was a brave move as their opponents were a Deeping side who had completely blown away an on paper much stronger Ives side earlier in the season. Although their starting eleven had only three changes from the early season encounter with little to play for except third place Deeping failed to live up to their billing and although the visitors took the three points courtesy of a scrappy late goal Ives can consider themselves unlucky to pick up no reward from the match. 

The visitors set off looking for a start similar to that which they had made at the Haydon Whitham Stadium back in September and the game was only 50 seconds old when Ibrahim Sankare sped around the outside of Karl Frans on the left before delivering a dangerous low cross that evaded everyone in the centre and was bundled behind for a corner by Mihayl Mitkov at the back post.

The game was halted for almost five minutes in seventh minute when a ball over the top lead to a sickening collision between Ives keeper Shay Griffiths and Rangers Jacob Large as the pair both went for the same high bouncing ball 25 yards from goal. Griffiths managed to resume after treatment but the luckless Large was taken off with suspected concussion. This incident took the sting out of the game for a while and although Rangers were enjoying a lot of possession Frans had managed to put a clamp on the dangerous Sankare which seemed to limit their options.

The opening goal for the visitors arrived in 20^th minute with Rangers tricky left winger heavily involved. Towering centre forward Kever Spindari roamed out to the left before feeding a ball inside into the run of Sankare. The winger spanked his shot first time from 15 yards but it was straight at Griffiths who will be a little disappointed that he did not hold onto it. Harrison Dee reacted first to prod home the loose ball from close range.

The visitors only managed to hold onto their lead for five minutes as Zac Hope came up with a wonderful solo goal to level things up. The Ives wide man collected a ball down the line from Frans by the right hand corner flag and there appeared little danger as he was hemmed in by two defenders. But he turned back onto his left foot getting past one defender before outpacing Jared Carver and unleashing a fierce low left footer from the corner of the box that beat the despairing dive of Fabio D’Agnano in Rangers goal and nestled in the corner of the net.

The goal lifted Ives confidence and it became a much more even game with both sides creating chances to get their noses in front before the break. In 36^th minute a Sam Green free kick from the right bounced off an Ives defender at the back post and fell to Dee who should probably have done better but blazed over from eight yards.

Spindari was not getting a lot of change out of Ives budding centre back pairing of Connor Paine and Ewan Young and was forced to drop back into midfield to get more involved. His pass to overlapping full back Carver in 41^st minute allowed the defender to get in a dangerous driven cross that flashed across the face of goal just evading substitute Christian Hillah coming in at the back post.

Harry Sargent was playing his usual lone role through the centre for Ives but as ever he was proving a handful for the opposition centre backs. He created an excellent opportunity two minutes before the break as he battled through three defenders to get to the bye line and managed to pick out Connor Gibbs in the centre but the Ives midfielder fluffed the golden opportunity miskicking his close range effort straight into the body of the grateful D’Agnano.

With plenty of added time due to the early stoppage there was still time for Hope to try and repeat his scoring move just before the break. But this time D’Agnano was equal to the effort plunging to his right to tip Hope’s powerful low drive around the post.

The second half started with Rangers exerting some early pressure and an excellent 50^th minute through ball from Hillah put Spindari clear into the box but Griffiths was quickly out to narrow the angle and block his shot at point blank range. The resulting corner was cleared down the park and it took a sharp sprint from his line by D’Agnano to prevent Hope getting clear.

Tom Crowson’s long throw on the hour caused some confusion in Ives box the ball eventually falling to Sankare who saw his side footed effort from ten yards blocked in the six yard box and hacked away by a well positioned Frans.

The most worrying sign of the evening for Ives came only seconds later as leading scorer Sargent went down holding his hamstring and was forced to limp out of the action making him a big doubt for Friday’s County Cup final. This prompted a wholesale change by Groves with more first years and under 16’s being introduced in order to rest others likely to be involved on Friday.

The game degenerated into a scrappy affair with chances at a premium. Young did fail to hit the target with a good chance for Ives in 65^th minute as Rangers struggled to clear a free kick into their box and the ball fell kindly to him on the edge of the box.

With the game entering it’s final ten minutes Rangers greater experience began to show as they pressed for a winner. Ives again struggled to clear a Crowson long throw into their box in 84^th minute. A real scramble ensued but no one was able to force the ball home and Louis Bald was eventually on hand to clear the danger.

Only ninety seconds later the best move of the second half was finished as Dee teed up Kai Haggett-King on the edge of the box. The Rangers midfielder had time and space but snatched at the opportunity and blazed the ball well over the top into the gardens behind the Green Leys end of the ground.

The very fortunate Rangers winner came with less than three minutes of the ninety to go as Spindari battled to get on the end of a ball over the top but Young again showed his strength and composure timing his tackle perfectly to take the ball off the toe of the gangly striker just as he shaped to shoot. There were claims for a penalty as the striker went down but these were waved away, however Ives defenders seemed to stop just for a split second. That fatal delay was just enough as the loose ball fell to Hillah following up, he scuffed his shot but Ives substitute keeper Kai Bradley was unsighted and did not react as the ball bobbled just inside his near post.

There was still time for Bradley to redeem himself and show us a little more of what we can expect next season as he thwarted Spindari in second minute of added time. The big striker had been put clean through and rather than shoot tried to go around Bradley who timed his dive to perfection to plunge in and nick the ball off him cleanly.

The final result of only a single goal defeat for such an inexperienced Ives side against one of the best teams in the division bodes very well for next season when these boys will form the nucleus of the Thurlow Nunn side that we all hope will be very competitive. They have three League games left to continue to show their development and those that fought their way into Friday’s Cup Final squad on this performance will have rightly earnt their places.   

Final Score  :  St Ives Town U18  1  Deeping Rangers U18  2  

Goals : Hope 25

St Ives team : Griffiths (capt) (Bradley 63), Frans, Mitkov (Rudd 63), Purse (Darnell 63), Paine, Young, Hope, Bald, Sargent (O’Donovan 61), Gibbs (Lee 73), Wakley, 

Unused Subs : none

Attendance  : 50

Report by Nigel Howlett.

St Ives Town U18 v Peterborough Sports U18  

Thurlow Nunn Youth League – Western Division  11-03-19

For the second time in two weeks Ives met one of the title contenders at Westwood Road, but unlike last week’s tilt at King’s Lynn the visit of Sports saw a depleted hosts missing seven likely starters from their squad. Their opponents very much trying to play catch up with their League fixtures after very impressive runs in the FA Youth Cup and Northants County Cup came into this game on the back of three impressive wins with the combined scoring record of 19-0. It was not going to be easy!.

Contrary to all the statistics and the expectations it was Ives who started best and they let two golden opportunities pass them by in the first fifteen minutes. In twelfth minute a long Shay Griffiths free kick was misjudged by Henry Nkobi as he allowed the ball to skim off the top of his head. Adam Laker had done what all good strikers do he had gambled and he got on the end of it. Keeper Dylan Veni reacted well and closed him down quickly forcing the Ives wide man to take his shot on first time. Veni came off best as the close-range shot cannoned off his legs to safety.

Thomas Wakley was replacing the injured Harry Sargent down the centre and it was his sheer persistence that won him the next opportunity only two minutes later. He harried Nkobi as the big centre back tried to deal with a bobbling ball just outside the box, nicked the ball off him and prodded it past the advancing Veni only to see the shot bobble inches the wrong side of the post as all looked on.

Ives continued to press and stunned their visitors by taking the lead midway through the first half. The goal came in somewhat controversial circumstances as Sports were convinced they had been awarded a free kick in the centre of the park as Wakley appeared to foul Matt Jones-Molineux but referee Cliff Mills deemed that Jones-Molineux had been the offender. George Cawte delivered the resulting free kick into the box where the still disgruntled Sports defenders were slow to react allowing Jordan Locke to bring the ball down and flick it over the advancing Veni from a narrow angle. Laker bravely went in with much taller defenders at the back post and it was he who got the decisive touch to force the ball home.

Going one behind seemed to spark the visitors into a reaction and in 24^th minute Ayman Trabelsi and Alfie Ferguson combined well down the right the move ending with the latter getting to the bye line before driving a powerful cross into the six yard box where the ball deflected towards goal off Mitchell Pillin. The Ives centre back was saved by the sharp reactions of his keeper as Griffiths pulled off an excellent save.

Griffiths was called into more spectacular action three minutes later when a Eunis Lievins free kick fell to Ryan Pratt on the edge of the box. The big striker took the effort on first time on the volley but Griffiths was equal to it leaping high to his right to tip the shot around the post.

Sports were now well on top and Ives best hope was to try and hold out until the break. All that changed with two goals in three minutes. The equaliser came in 37^th minute as Ferguson tried to get dribble his way through a group of Ives defenders on the right hand side of the box. He almost made it only to be taken down by the outstretched leg of Mihayl Mitkov to give Mr Mills one of the easier penalty decisions he has made in his career. Ferguson picked himself up and emphatically despatched the spot kick high to Griffiths left as the keeper went the other way.

What proved to be the winner arrived only three minutes later in equally emphatic style but there will be a few Ives defenders looking at each other for not doing more to stop it. Lievins picked up the ball just inside his own half on the left hand side and cut infield without being challenged, or even really closed down. The marauding left back then decided to try his luck from fully thirty yards and caught it sweet as a nut the ball whistling past Griffiths and billowing the net although the keeper may also be a little disappointed as he appeared a little slow to react.

Now in control of the game Sports came out for the second half determined to not let it slip again. The tiring Ives with few options on the bench continued to work hard but only managed to carve out one opportunity for an equaliser and that came on the hour. Conor O’Donovan battled to win the ball off Lievins just outside Sports box. Billy Garlick latched onto the loose ball and slammed in a rising drive from the right hand corner of the box that beat the struggling Veni but curled inches over the angle of crossbar and post.

From that point on it was all Sports but to their credit Ives did not wilt but continued to battle all the way and although the visitors did create chances at regular intervals Griffiths and those in front of him denied the otherwise prolific scorers any further reward. In 61^st minute Sports substitute Oliver Foster cut in from the right and fed the ball inside to Ethan Atkins who thudded a 25 yarder into the boards just to the left of Griffiths goal.

Three minutes later a cracking effort from full back Brad Hughes from wide right beat the scrambling Griffiths but cannoned back into play off the inside of the post. The Ives keeper showed fantastic reactions and agility to regain his composure and tip over the follow up header from inside the six yard box by Ferguson.

Big centre forward Pratt and his strike partner Ferguson were proving a handful and the pair combined to carve out another chance in 72^nd minute. Ferguson robbed Mitkov just outside the box and slid a ball through into the well timed run of Pratt but the big striker did have a weakness as when a left foot finish was clearly on to slide the ball past the exposed Griffiths he instead tried to go with his right and got it horribly wrong instead firing the ball away from goal.

Griffiths best save of a busy night came fifteen minutes from the end when Nkobi rose unchallenged at the back post to meet a Ferguson corner from the left. The big centre back planted a powerful downward header just inside the post but Griffiths was equal to it plunging to his left to parry the effort with his team mates completing the clearance by hacking away the loose ball.

The final opportunity of the evening also went the way of the visitors and was perhaps a strange one when they should have probably been playing out time with five minutes to go. Lievins took a quick free kick to put centre half Nkobi away down the left wing. His cross to the centre was met eight yards out by the unmarked Trabelsi but the Sports winger failed to keep his header down.

At the final whistle Ives can be proud of their efforts and perhaps a little unfortunate not to get anything from the game if they look back at those two early opportunities. Those with longer memories can also reflect that Ives are still the only side to take points off Sports this season following their 1-1 draw in their visit to Lincoln Road in September. On the other hand the Sports management team could be heard throughout the Clubhouse dishing out a real dressing down to their players who they clearly felt had only just done enough. I would not want to be in that dressing room when they do lose one!.   

Final Score  :  St Ives Town U18  1  Peterborough Sports U18  2  

Goals : Laker 21

St Ives team : Griffiths, Frans, Mitkov, Purse, Locke (capt) (Ramsaran 70), Pillin, Laker (Darnell 77), Cawte, Wakley, Garlick, O’Donovan (Katz 84)

Unused Subs : Sargent

Attendance  : 40

Report by Nigel Howlett

St Ives Town U18 v King’s Lynn Town U18  

Thurlow Nunn Youth League – Western Division  04-03-19

Two late goals including a penalty at the death ensured that the Linnets stayed on track for the League title but the result was harsh on the Ives who had battled gallantly throughout and were very unfortunate to be denied at least a point from a game which for long periods they looked like winning.

The hosts showed their intent almost straight from the kick off as Harry Sargent chased a ball over the top forcing Linnets keeper Aydin Duran into a hurried clearance that went straight to Zac Hope. But the Ives wide man wanted a touch and was robbed by Aironas Kuzas before he could try to flight the ball over the stranded custodian.

Sargent’s battling qualities were causing the visitor’s centre back pairing a few problems and in eleventh minute he managed to battle between Harry Paul and Freddie Collison to get a toe to Thomas Wakley’s lob over the top. The ball floated over the stranded Duran but also inches over the crossbar.

The Linnet’s managed to get the ball in the net in their first meaningful attack of the game in 15^th minute. A good inter passing move through the centre saw Mitchell Rasberry feed the ball out to overlapping full back Kyle Wells on the right. Wells driven cross was turned home at the back post by Jake Smith sliding in but his celebration was cut short as the linesman on the near side had his flag raised as Smith had got just in front of his man before the cross came in.

By the midway point in the first half the game had turned into an entertaining affair with both sides looking for every opportunity to get on the front foot and both defences battling hard to deny their opposition any space. The visitors went close again in 21^st minute as the tricky Joe Taylor seized an opportunity to burst into Ives box but just as it looked like he was going to test Shay Griffiths in the home goal Mitchell Pillin came sliding across to block the shot at point blank range.

Ives hard work brought them reward ten minutes before the break as a Billy Garlick free kick from the left was fed into the feet of Harry Sargent just inside the box. In spite of the close attention of three Linnets defenders Sargent managed to find room to turn and try to burrow his way through only to be unceremoniously taken down by Paul. The assistant on the far side had the best view of the incident at he instantly waved his flag to signal a foul. Sargent picked himself up to despatch the resulting spot kick low past the left hand of Duran to put the hosts in front.

It took an excellent save from Griffiths to preserve Ives lead just seconds before the half time whistle. Smith managed to get on the end of a ball lofted up to the edge of the box. He directed his downward header into the path of Ben Welch who took a touch to take him into the box before unleashing a powerful low drive that the well positioned Griffiths blocked with his legs. Ewan Young was on hand to scramble the loose ball away.

With Ives still battling hard and things not going his way the Linnets manager made a desperate looking quadruple substitution in 58^th minute in a brave attempt to garner his side a way back into the game. The changes almost had an instant impact as one of the newcomers Joseph Taylor combined well with Smith to play the big number nine into a good position inside the box on the left. He battled past Pillin before trying to curl the ball right footed around Griffiths but the Ives keeper was equal to the effort leaping to his left to turn the ball away.

Ives best chance to give themselves some breathing space by doubling their advantage came in 72^nd minute as the ever willing Sargent chased down a Wakley clip over the top. He beat keeper Duran to the ball and rolled it past him only to be denied as Paul got around behind his keeper to hack the goal bound effort away from inside the six yard box.

But with the clock ticking down it was becoming evident that Ives were struggling to maintain the fantastic work rate that they had kept up to that point. With fifteen minutes to go Taylor looked like he had found a way through the Ives back line as he took on Pillin inside the box going down under the challenge but the excellent referee David Osbourn was on the spot to wave away Linnets claims for a penalty. 

But that attack was the start of a period of pressure that lead to the visitors grabbing a somewhat fortunate equaliser three minutes later. As the ball bounced around the Ives box it fell to Taylor who again tried bursting through only to be denied by a solid tackle from Young. Unfortunately the loose ball fell to Smith on the edge of the box and although he did not hit his shot cleanly the ball bobbled past the unsighted Grifiths and nestled in the corner of the net.

Now level the Linnets saw the potential of claiming an unlikely victory to keep their championship hopes alive. Their best hope seemed to be feeding the lively Welch who having been one of those substituted in 58^th minute found himself reintroduced to replace the limping Liam Mitchell on the left in 72^nd minute. Welch was now up against a tiring Ives skipper Jordan Locke and seizing every opportunity to try and get past him on the outside. Twice in quick succession Locke brought down the speedy winger in dangerous positions just outside the box. But both free kicks were wasted as Luke Johnson delivered them too deep over the heads of his colleagues arriving at the back post.

The decisive moment though came with less than two minutes of the ninety left as Welch managed to get the wrong side of Locke for the third time but on this occasion fatally inside the box. Locke clumsily went into the back of the winger again taking him down for a cast iron penalty. Welch eventually limped off after treatment which meant a long wait before Taylor could take the resulting spot kick but the youngster kept his cool and comprehensively beat Griffiths high to his left although the kicker was perhaps a little relieved as the shot rattled the underside of the crossbar before bouncing up into the roof of the net.

The visitors were very effective in playing out the remaining few minutes of added time to leave a disconsolate Ives to trudge off at the end hopefully roused a little by the applause from their supporters who were rightfully proud of the effort the lads had put in and gutted as they were to get no reward from the game. But the lads must not be downcast and should take a lot from this game as they matched the potential champions throughout and were very unlucky to get no reward in the shape of points on the board. 

Final Score  :  St Ives Town U18  1  King’s Lynn Town U18  2  

Goals : Sargent 35 (pen)

St Ives team : Griffiths, Locke (capt), Quinsee, Purse, Young, Pillin Hope (Bald 71), Cawte, Sargent, Garlick (Gibbs 61), Wakley 

Unused Subs : Frans, O’Donovan, Laker

Attendance  : 83

Report by Nigel Howlett. Photos by Louise Thompson.

St Ives Town U18 v Holbeach United U18  

Thurlow Nunn Youth League – Western Division  25-02-19

The young Ives return to action after a three month winter lay off at least partially due to the weather proved to be a successful one as they gained revenge on the Tigers for the mauling they received in the fens in their previous game at the end of November.

Make no mistake this was an excellent hard fought victory against the team sitting third in the table. The performance and result shows just how much these boys had learnt from their previous defeat as on this occasion they managed to match the physicality of their opponents and although they rode their luck at times two well taken goals by Harry Sargent ensured they got their just reward for the considerable effort show by the entire squad.

With the visitors having played two games in the previous two weeks it was expected that they would start the more confidently but manager Lloyd Groves had got the Ives well drilled during their enforced break and right from the off the youngsters were letting their opponents know that they were not going to be a push over. 

Neither side created a clear cut opportunity in the first quarter of an hour and the first real action for either keeper went the way of Brad Waters in the Tigers goal in 15^th minute when George Cawte returned a half cleared corner back to Billy Garlick wide on the right. His driven low cross was spilled by Waters but the linesman’s upraised flag saved the keeper any embarrassment as Thomas Wakley following in had strayed offside.

Less than two minutes later Shay Griffiths in the home goal was called into his first meaningful action of the evening as he sprinted from his line to hack clear just ahead of Kyle Compton after the big number nine looked like he had been put clear by a clever clip over the top by Alex Richardson.

Compton was constantly looking to get on the shoulder of the last Ives defender and he managed to get away on the right in 20^th minute. His low driven cross into the danger zone beat the diving Griffiths but Leon Quinsee covering across from right back did just enough to prevent Josh Balding forcing the ball home at the back post. 

The very mobile Harry Sargent was causing the Tigers defence a few problems with his constant harrying and hassling and direct running style when he got the chance. It took the combined efforts of two defenders to stop him illegally in 23^rd minute. Billy Garlick and Billy Mobbs both showed a keen interest in the resulting free kick from 25 yards. Garlick won the day and although his well struck effort beat the three man wall it went about a metre wide of Waters left hand post and thudded the boards.

Garlick showed a much more accurate touch with a well executed lob over the Tigers defence to set up Sargent for the opening goal three minutes later. The Ives striker had timed his run to perfection to get onto the ball and keeper Waters rash early departure from his line decided Sargent’s mind on how to finish a perfect lob over the advancing keeper saw the ball land inside the six yard box and bounce up into the roof of the net.

The Tigers only had one chance to get level before half time but it was a good one only two minutes before the break. A long free kick from the right was somehow allowed to travel all the way through to Mikey Bailey inexplicably on his own ten yards out. He had time to take a touch and pivot on the ball before flashing his shot across the face of goal and past the far post. 

The only other noteworthy incident before the break was a clash between Ives Louis Bald and Tigers Kieron McConnell which saw both players pick up a yellow card after a spate of handbags right in front of the officials. Both managers made the clever move of substituting the pair at the interval to ensure that they kept eleven players on the pitch. Bald being replaced by Karl Frans and McConnell by Billy Barnes.

Barnes was instantly in the action from the restart taking on the Ives back line before playing in Balding on the left. Balding slid a dangerous ball across the six yard box that covering skipper Mitchell Pillin did well to clear from under his own crossbar.

Only three minutes later Barnes was at it again this time slipping a half cleared corner through to Brandon Andrews on the left his low cross led to a scramble in the Ives goalmouth with the ball eventually rolling back out to Andrews who went for power rather than finesse but powered his effort well wide of the far post from a very good position.

Barnes decided to go for goal himself in 54^th minute as he gained possession 25 yards out on the right and burst through into the penalty area before unleashing a powerful low drive that Griffiths did well to save but the ball ran loose and it took an excellent covering block by debutant centre back Ewan Young to prevent Balding forcing it over the line.

Having been under the cosh for the first twelve minutes of the second half Ives then stunned their visitors by doubling their lead in their first meaningful attack of the period and it was all thanks to the never say die attitude of Sargent. He harried the defence into a mistake before taking on Williamson through the middle. Under pressure from the centre back he seemed to lose the ball but it rebounded back into his path off another defender and he grabbed his chance slamming in an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box.

Two in front but far from comfortable the Ives were soon back under pressure. Tigers skipper Liam Scales tried to battle his way through the centre in 59^th minute. He got past George Cawte and substitute Connor Gibbs before firing in a rising shot from just inside the box that Griffiths saved well to his left. Scales was again the catalyst five minutes later as played an excellent flick over the Ives back line to put Richardson clear. He looked like he had done everything right as he drew Griffiths to him then clipped the ball past the keeper but also past the post.

Ives were not so fortunate in 66^th minute as Richardson picked out Barnes in space inside the box and the big striker showed his ability as he instantly took down the ball before turning and firing low past the exposed Griffiths to make it game on or so we thought.

But Ives are a resilient well organised side and even though Connor O’Donovan and Adam Laker joined Young to put three debutants on the pitch and take the total number of Under 16’s in the hosts side up to five for the last fifteen minutes they still managed to limit the visitors to only two noteworthy efforts at goal in the remaining time. In 80^th minute Barnes dragged a 25 yard free kick wide and in the very last minute Will Barnes managed to get to the bye line on the right and pulled the ball back. Billy Barnes completely missed his kick as he tried to finish it and Balding following up blasted his effort well over the top from just inside the box.

Sargent also missed an inviting opportunity for him to claim what would have been a well deserved hat trick. In 89^th minute Zac Hope got away down the right outpacing his marker, his low cross struck a defender’s heel and fell perfectly for Sargent twelve yards out but the big striker snatched at the chance and fired well over the top.

Overall an excellent victory and with so many youngsters in the side it bodes very well for next season, or even the latter stages of this one!.    

Final Score  :  St Ives Town U18  2  Holbeach United U18  1  

Goals : Sargent 26 & 57

St Ives team : Griffiths, Quinsee, Bald (Frans 45), Purse (O’Donovan 62), Pillin (capt), Young, Mobbs (Laker 75), Cawte, Sargent, Garlick (Gibbs 53), Wakley (Hope 53)

Unused Subs : none

Attendance  : 51

Report by Nigel Howlett

St Ives Town U18 5 March Town United U18 0

Thurlow Nunn Youth League – Western Division  05-11-18

The young Ives completed a swift double over the Hares as they claimed the spoils in a niggly contest in comprehensive fashion, braces from Tom Wakley and Harry Sargent were interspersed by the goal of the game from Connor Gibbs. 

This was a belated return to action for the scholars as their previous two games had been called off due to King’s Lynn’s run in the FA Youth Cup and Downham’s inability to raise a side to visit Westwood Road. With this unexpected break a slow start might have been anticipated and it was the visitors who created the first chance of the game in eleventh minute as Alfie Asher got to the bye line and dinked a cross over Shay Griffiths at his near post. Fortunately skipper Mitchell Pillin was alert to the danger and got above Kai Wales with an excellent defensive header.

Ives first good chance came four minutes later as Sargent and Billy Garlick combined well with the latter feeding the ball into the run of Gibbs, a slightly heavy touch by the Ives midfielder was just enough to allow keeper Connor Farrell to sprint from his line and bravely dive in to claim the ball at his feet and snuff out the danger.

The hosts were now getting on top and opened the scoring in 24^th minute. A free kick was cleared out to the right and delivered back into the centre by Joe Purse, the ball evaded everyone in the middle and arrived at the feet of Wakley who had ghosted in unmarked at the back post. The Ives wide man did the rest clipping the ball home past the exposed Farrell from close range.

The Hares were not out of the contest and could have grabbed an equaliser only two minutes later as Ives struggled to clear a ball in from the right by Blake Cowley it eventually ricocheted to Finlay Clark who looked like he had a clear run on goal but the ball bounced off his shins to allow Griffiths to make a comfortable claim.

Having failed to get on terms the visitors then found themselves two behind just after the half hour. Wakley and Mihayl Mitkov combined well down the left before the latter fed the ball inside the Gibbs 25 yards from goal. The combative midfielder showed the silky side of his game as he spotted keeper Farrell off his line and curled a peach of an effort over the struggling stopper into the roof of the net.

Keeper Griffiths gave himself a bit of work to do in 35^th minute as he rolled a goal kick to Pillin in the centre of goal just outside the box. The Ives centre back was instantly closed down and robbed by Clark forcing Griffiths into an excellent diving save low to his left to preserve his clean sheet. Clark again went close two minutes later as again Ives struggled to clear their lines allowing the Hares striker to pounce on the loose ball just outside the box and fire in an effort that deflected inches past Griffiths left hand upright.

The goal that killed the game as a contest came six minutes before the break as a quick throw by Billy Mobbs deep in Hares territory gave Garlick the chance to run into the box wide on the right. He delivered a low cross into the mix where Sargent showed his bravery getting in between keeper and defenders to prod the ball home from point blank range.

It should have been four within 45 seconds of the restart as Ives strung a passing move together through the middle that finished with Purse threading the ball into the run of Sargent on the edge of the Hare’s box but the big striker crashed his right footed effort into the boards just wide of Farrell’s left hand post.

The visitors were still breaking sporadically into Ives territory and they went close to grabbing a goal back in 53^rd minute Clark slid a ball through the right channel to put Wales in on goal. Griffiths closed him down quickly and made an excellent save only to realise that it was all in vain as the assistant on the far side already had his flag up.

Any faint hope the Hares had of getting back into the game was completely extinguished in a crazy few seconds on the hour. A Mitkov corner from the right was delivered in on the keeper and Farrell was a little slow to come and claim it allowing Sargent to go in with the keeper who went down in a heap. Referee Paul Doyle instantly blew for a foul, but full back Jordan Smith allowed his frustration of the evening to bubble over at the official looking likely to earn himself a yellow card. This quickly got changed to a red when the Hares defender continued to abuse the official when summoned to his presence. Whilst all this was going on the groggy looking Farrell was still receiving treatment and he eventually left the field for a trip to hospital with a suspected broken arm. After some discussion amongst the March players and bench Cowley replaced the luckless Farrell between the sticks and the game restarted after an eight minute delay.

The Ives were now well on top and with half an hour to go against ten men and a stand in keeper more goals looked inevitable. Substitute Adam Kelly went close only seconds after the resumption as he combined with Wakely down the right before driving into the box and flashing a shot wide of the far post.

Sargent did a little better as he doubled his tally for the evening in 74^th minute. The powerful striker got on the end of a long ball out of defence and strode forward before firing a low left footed effort past the exposed Cowley from the edge of the box.

Griffiths still needed to keep his concentration at the other end and he needed to show he was still alert in 78^th minute as Clark tried to catch him out with a 45 yard free kick that the Hares midfielder struck well and was dipping in under the crossbar before the fast back peddling Griffiths tipped it over the top.

To their credit the ten man Hares continued to battle and protect their stand in keeper right to the bitter end but centre back Connor Paine should have opened his account for the Ives in 88^th minute as a Wakley corner from the left was headed down to him inside the six yard box by skipper Pillin. The Ives man struck his shot well but Cowley made an excellent stop with his legs at point blank range.

Keeper Cowley made a more unorthodox save with his legs as the game entered added time. Substitute Ben Smith looked like getting away down the right only to be hauled down by a tiring Ben Darrington. Mitkov swung in the resulting free kick on target and without any thought of using his hands Cowley sliced the ball away with his boot.

There was still time for Wakley to double his account for the evening and make the final score five. Sargent looking for his hat trick got put through the left channel and hammered in a first tie effort that pulled a brilliant save out of Cowley as the stand in dived to his right. Unfortunately for him Wakley reacted quicker than any of his defenders to get on the loose ball and force it home.  

Final Score  :  St Ives Town U18  5  March Town United U18  0  

Goals : Wakley 24, 90+3, Gibbs 32, Sargent 39, 74

St Ives team : Griffiths, Bald (Katz 80), Mitkov, Purse (Quinsee 56), Paine, Pillin (capt), Mobbs (Hope 50), Garlick, Sargent, Gibbs (Kelly 68), Wakley (Smith 76)

Other subs roll on roll off : Wakley for Garlick 86

Unused Subs : none

Attendance  : 56

Report by Nigel Howlett. Photos by Louise Thompson

St Ives Town U18s 3 Wisbech St Mary U18s 0

Thurlow Nunn Youth League – Western Division  08-10-18

An inspired goalkeeping display from visiting stopper Ash Clarke and some erratic Ives finishing ensured that the goal scoring in this one sided affair was amazingly completed by 23^rd minute.

The hosts tore into their bottom of the table visitors right from the off and Zak Hope fired a very early chance inches over the top with only ninety seconds on the clock. The young winger did not take long to make amends as he scored in the very next attack. Billy Mobbs cleverly fed the ball into him inside the penalty area and Hope unleashed a first time right footed effort from fifteen yards that deceived keeper Clarke and just trickled inside the far post in spite of the efforts of Will Pentelow to keep it out.

Hope showed his explosive pace to return the compliment for Mobbs five minutes later. The speedy wide man burst down the left flank leaving two defenders in his wake got to the bye line then showed his composure as he picked out Mobbs in space just inside the box. The Ives striker showed equal composure as he picked his spot side footing the ball into the bottom corner of the net beyond the despairing dive of Clarke.

The visitors were now in complete disarray and Hope should have made it 3-0 only two minutes later a ball in from the right by Thomas Wakley created panic in the Wisbech box and attempts to clear ricocheted off other defenders before the ball eventually fell to Hope by the penalty spot. He struck his effort well but was denied by Clarke in unorthodox style as the ball deflected wide off the keeper’s outstretched leg.

Kai Bradley was making his competitive debut in goal for the Ives and apart from fielding a few tame long range efforts he had little to do. His only real action of the first half came in 18^th minute as he sprinted from his line to get to a through ball just ahead of Arran Buckley who looked like getting clear.

Hope continued to cause havoc in the Wisbech back line and another pacey run to the bye line and accurate pull back created a well taken third goal that was emphatically finished from eight yards by Wakley in 23^rd minute. 

Ives continued to pressurize their struggling opponents and it looked like more goals were guaranteed as the pace and movement of Hope, Mobbs and Wakley was carving regular openings in the Wisbech back line. In 28^th minute Mobbs cleverly turned his marker and sprinted away down the right cutting inside and firing an effort from just inside the box that flashed just wide of the far post.

Substitute Connor Gibbs got in on the act within seconds of coming on in 33^rd minute as he picked up a ball in the centre circle and drove into the heart of the Wisbech back line playing a one two with Mobbs to go clear into the box but a slightly heavy touch allowed Clarke to close him down and the keeper made an excellent block with his legs at point black range.

Mobbs failed to finish two more good opportunities before the break. In 38^th minute he ran into the gap between wall and defence to get on the end of a clever George Cawte free kick. He had a clear shot on goal from 15 yards but did not get a clean contact allowing keeper Clarke to initially parry the effort and then pounce on the loose ball.

Clarke’s save to deny Mobbs again right on the half time whistle was either a fantastic reaction save, or perhaps a little fortunate. Joe Purse threaded a ball down the left to put Hope away again this time his ball to the edge of the six yard box picked out Mobbs arriving at pace but with the whole goal to aim at Mobbs managed to hit Clarke with his effort and the ball deflected wide off the body of the keeper.

Everyone was expecting more goals to come after the break and Ives came out of the blocks firing on all cylinders as a flowing move was finished with Purse feeding the ball into the feet of Wakley on the edge of the box. His clever touch put in Mobbs again and once more the Ives striker was denied by keeper Clarke as the Wisbech custodian spread himself to knock the ball away with his outstretched leg.

At this point in the game it almost seemed to be Clarke versus the Ives front line and the keeper was winning. In 51^st minute another flowing Ives move was finished with Mobbs setting up Hope for a shot on goal from just inside the box but again Clarke was equal to the effort parrying the powerful strike away.

Clarke was beaten two minutes later but the woodwork came to his aid as Wakley played in Mobbs for a left footed effort from the edge of the box that beat the diving keeper but deflected to safety of the outside of his right hand upright.

The woodwork again denied Ives in 58^th minute as Hope skinned Ryan Chilton by the corner flag before cutting in and going for goal from a narrow angle. The sheer power of the effort beat Clarke but for the second time in five minutes the ball thudded the upright and rebounded to safety.

Shay Griffiths had replaced Bradley in the Ives goal at half time and like his predecessor Griffiths was more an interested spectator than an active participant in the second half. His one noteworthy involvement came in 65^th minute when his clever distribution picked out Mobbs in space on the right a swift one two with Wakey down the wing then saw the ball pulled back to Hope 20 yards from goal his well struck effort just scraped over the crossbar and another chance was gone.

The pace began to drop out of the game as substitutes rolled on and off and Ives appeared to settle on their comfortable lead. There was only one more noteworthy chance and it fell to the hardworking Mobbs in 79^th minute. Ives skipper Mitchell Pillin met a goal kick on the half way line and his powerful header back into Wisbech territory was chased by Mobbs. The Ives striker beat the onrushing Clarke to the bouncing ball and although he managed to get it past the exposed stopper it sailed a couple of feet wide of the post.

We all thought that the Wisbech boys would tire as the game wore on but to their great credit the visitors continued to battle right to the end and can take some positives from their performance throughout the second half. Ives on the other hand must learn to be much more clinical against such sides. This was an opportunity to get their goal difference back on track after the Deeping defeat, but it was sadly missed!. 

Final Score  :  St Ives Town U18  3  Wisbech St Mary U18  0  

Goals : Hope 6, Mobbs 11, Wakley 23

St Ives team : Bradley (Griffiths 45), Bald (Frans 56), Mitkov, Cawte, Paine, Pillin (capt), Wakley, Purse (Assuncao 56), Mobbs, Garlick (Gibbs 32), Hope

Other subs roll on roll off : Garlick for Cawte 68, Bald for Mitkov 82, Cawte for Mobbs 82

Unused Subs : Stork

Attendance  : 59

Report by Nigel Howlett. Photos by Louise Thompson.

St Ives Town U18 4 Godmanchester Rovers U18 2

Thurlow Nunn Youth League – Western Division  24-09-18

Zac Hope ensured that the Ives Under 18’s return to Westwood Road was a triumphant one with a very well taken second half hat trick to top off a very entertaining game.

Hope probably thought that it was not going to be his night when he spurned a golden opportunity to put Ives in front in only third minute. A long free kick from inside his own half by Jordan Locke completely deceived the Rovers centre backs and Hope who had ghosted in at the back post found himself all alone eight yards out with only Rovers keeper Finn Cooper to beat. He went for power and shook the goal frame with a thunderous shot that rebounded out of the eighteen yard box to safety.

The young Ives were not to be denied for long as there were only four more minutes on the clock when Billy Garlick curled his free kick around the Rovers wall from 25 yards. Keeper Cooper spilled it and the first players to react to the loose ball were the Ives centre back pairing as Locke squared the ball across the face of goal to give Mitchell Pillin a simple tap in to claim his second goal in five days.

Rovers quickly proved that they to were a threat as they responded by going very close to an equaliser in tenth minute. Connor Gibbs lost possession inside the Rovers half allowing Jayk Mullee to bust forward at pace on the right. He cleverly turned inside onto his left foot and curled an effort around a defender and the diving Shay Griffiths and was very unlucky to see the ball rebound off an upright.

Both sides were trying to get the ball down and play and the move of the evening came from Ives in 16^th minute as an intricate passing move that started from left back Elliot Jakes and involved at least a dozen passes was finished as Harry Sargent slid a ball inside Rovers full back Luke Cosbey to pick out the well timed run of Thomas Wakley cutting in from the right. Unfortunately Wakley failed to provide the finish the move deserved as he scuffed his shot across the face of goal from twelve yards.

The game continued to flow from end to end with both attacks looking likely to score on a number of occasions. Ash Humphreys went close for the visitors with a shot from a narrow angle that fizzed across the face of goal in 25^th minute and Hope returned the compliment only sixty seconds later as Gibbs teed him up to hammer a shot from 25 yards that wizzed past Cooper’s right hand post and thudded the boards.

As the first half came to a close Rovers enjoyed their first sustained period of pressure. A free kick from the edge of the box was scrambled away at the expense of a corner. Skipper Fraser Kerr rose above the crowd at the near post but his goal bound header was deflected over the top. Griffiths came and got a good clean punch onto the second corner but the ball was fed back into the box and then only half cleared falling to Rovers substitute Harvey Gargiulo 25 yards from goal. He unleashed a first time pile driver that comprehensively beat Griffiths and billowed the back of the net to send the two sides in level at the break.

The second period started similarly to the first with Ives quickly going back in front. There were only five minutes on the clock when Louis Bald caught the Rovers defenders napping with a quick throw that put Hope away down the right. He powered away down the right and got to the bye line before cutting inside and getting his head up to lay the ball back Gibbs on the edge of the box. Gibbs miss hit his shot but Hope had kept on running and was in the perfect place to slot the loose ball home from inside the six yard box.

Hope came close to doubling his personal tally and Ives lead four minutes later as a log throw into the box was allowed to bounce and he quickly pounced on the loose ball spinning and shooting all in one move to fire in a shot that the static Cooper was pleased to see flash inches wide.

With Ives now well on top it was looking like only a matter of time before they got the third clinching goal. Locke went close when he got on the end of a well rehearsed free kick to fire in a low shot from the edge of the box in 68^th minute. Pillin should have scored five minutes later as he got on the end of a Bald free kick from the left but failed to hit the target with his free header from eight yards.

Having failed to sew the game sure enough Ives were caught out fifteen minutes from time as the silky Jayden Rogers fed a ball into the feet of Mullee on the left side. With three Ives players in front of him there looked little danger but he crashed his way through three poor tackles to get to the bye line before firing a low cross along the six yard line that Humphreys arriving at the back post slammed home off the underside of the crossbar to level things up again.

Neither side wanted to settle for a point so the two continued to slug it out. Rovers were first to have a go as substitute Alf Swanston got between the Ives centre backs to get on the end of a clip into the box from the right by Kerr in 77^th minute. Fortunately his header from ten yards lacked power and was a comfortable save for Griffiths.

Play swung straight to the other end where the ever willing Sargent battled his way through two tackles to get into a shooting position inside the box only to be bravely denied by Cooper as the keeper slid in at his feet.

Young Hope showed that he has not only got power and speed he has also got stamina in abundance as with nine minutes to go he picked up a loose ball on the half way line with only one though in his mind as he tore past the Rovers tiring defence with the pace of an express train leaving defenders in his wake. The finish past Cooper from the edge of the box was just as emphatic as he hammered the ball home giving the keeper no chance.

Any lingering doubt on the result was extinguished three minutes later as Hope completed his hat trick picking up a ball from Adam Kelly on the edge of the box the powerful striker spun onto his right foot and planted the ball low past the diving right hand of Cooper. The youngster was rightly substituted only seconds later to allow him to receive his due accolade from both sets of supporters.

The only item of note in the remaining six minutes was a near own goal from Pillin as he a Charlie Davis effort driven across the box deflected off him and rolled inches wide of the near post with Griffiths looking on.

Overall a pulsating encounter and one that promises much in the latest crop of youngsters coming through. Now they are back home at Westwood Road get along to see them soon judging on this game you will certainly be entertained.

Final Score  :  St Ives Town U18  4  Godmanchester Rovers U18  2  

Goals : Pillin 7, Hope 50, 81 & 84

St Ives team : Griffiths, Bald, Jakes (Paine 55), Purse, Locke, (capt), Pillin (Perreira 84), Wakley (Stork 70), Garlick (Katz 61), Sargent, Gibbs (Kelly 73), Hope

Other subs roll on roll off : Garlick for Hope 84

Unused Subs : none

Attendance  : 69

Report by Nigel Howlett. Photos by Louise Thompson