Season: 2019-20

Peterborough Northern Star Ladies Reserves v St Ives Town Ladies Development

Needham Market U15 v St Ives Town U15

Stotfold U14 v St Ives Town U14

St Ives Town U13 v Godmanchester Rovers Youth U13 White

Tamworth v St Ives Town

BetVictor League Southern Premier Division Central 04-01-20

These two clubs have enjoyed hugely contrasting fortunes since sharing the points at Westwood Road on the opening day of the season way back in sunny August and the gulf in class showed through in this fixture as the table topping Lambs comfortably claimed the three points against the battling Ives on a clear but cold early January return.

The big spending Lambs set out their stall early as they tore into the Ives straight from the off and Finley Iron in the visitors goal had to make his first save of the game in the third minute denying Bilal Yafal after the hosts number ten had cut inside Tom Wood and unleashed a fierce right foot drive from the corner of the box.

Iron was called into action again in ninth minute as ex Kettering maestro Rhys Hoenes got around the outside of Ben Toseland and delivered a dangerous low cross that Iron bravely claimed at the feet of centre forward Dan Creaney.

The hosts should have gone in front from a corner only ninety seconds later as good movement in Ives box meant Yafal managed to lose his marker to get himself a free header at the back post but fortunately for the visitors he inexplicably failed to hit the target from eight yards.

With the hosts enjoying in excess of eighty percent possession in these early stages and zipping the ball around on their 3G surface it was simple hard work which was keeping the Ives on level terms but it was beginning to look inevitable that a goal would come. Sure enough it happened in 21^st minute as failure to clear their lines allowed Hoenes to pick up possession wide on the left and he managed to get to the bye line before picking out Creaney with his pull back and the big striker made no mistake beating the diving Iron with a well struck right footed effort from 15 yards.

It should have been two only two minutes later as Hoenes got put clean through cutting in from the right. Iron came to close him down but rather than lay the ball across to the waiting Creaney, Hoenes went for goal from a narrow angle only to be denied by a well positioned Iron. The Ives keeper kept them in the game again only seconds later as he flung himself to his right to palm away a fierce drive from Tyrell Waite. The resulting corner was won at the near post by Creaney but his flicked header flew just wide.

The very busy Iron was beaten again in 29^th minute but was thankful to his goalpost for keeping out Beswick’s curling free kick from 25 yards that had arced over Ives three man wall and got past the diving keeper low to his left.

The Ives goal continued to lead a charmed life and had a double let off in 31^st minute. Overlapping full back Aaron Forde got down the right and picked out Creaney with his cross. Keeper Iron did well to parry his blistering header into the air but the loose ball fell back to the striker who was brilliantly denied by Alfie Powell as the centre back slid in to deflect the close range effort wide.

Having been under the cosh for so long Ives players could have been forgiven for simply trying to hang on until half time to re-group but to their credit they managed to take the game to their illustrious opponents for a brief period with the break approaching. In 36^th minute Robbie Parker won a ball in midfield and fed Joe Curtis who let fly with a snap shot from fully thirty yards that almost caught out Jas Singh in the hosts goal but the big keeper just managed to get down low to his left to save by the foot of his left hand post.

Ives did get the ball in the net two minutes later only to be denied by an assistant’s upraised flag. A poor clearance from Singh fell to Parker 40 yards from goal, he fed the ball into the feet of Matt Foy just outside the box. Foy clipped the ball over the back line where Curtis who was in an offside position having initially closed down the keeper to create the error made the mistake of moving towards the ball. To late he realised that Ollie Snaith who had made his run from an onside position was steaming in behind him. Snaith slammed the ball home but the flag was already up.

The same assistants flag came to Ives rescue a few times in the opening stages of the second half. Twice in the first five minutes Hoenes was caught by the upraised flag both were obviously close calls as they brought shouts of protest from the Tamworth bench and supporters who were level with the incidents. Their displeasure with the officials was increased in 50^th minute as referee Matt Scholes turned down an appeal for handball after Waite’s low cross appeared to strike the arm of Powell inside the box.

The flag again came to Ives aid in 52^nd minute as Creaney battled his way into the box before unleashing a fierce drive that was deflected onto the post by the combined efforts of Powell and his goalkeeper. Yafal was on hand to roll home the loose ball but once again the assistant referee came to Ives rescue.

The next fifteen minutes was all Lambs pressure as Ives goal continued to lead a charmed life with the hosts going close four times in that period without forcing another save from Iron. In 57^th minute a corner from left by Forde was met cleanly at the near post by Yafal but he powered his free header over the top. Creaney was equally wasteful a minute later as he got on the end of Beswick’s in-swinging free kick from the right, he also met the ball well but similarly directed it over the top.

Hoenes reputation still goes before him and just after the hour he was quick to go to ground inside the box under challenge from Toseland when if he had stayed on his feet he may well have got a shot away. Referee Scholes was in the perfect position to see the lack of contact and quickly waved away the appeals. The best chance of the four fell to Creaney in 66^th minute as Beswick’s cross from the left deflected off an Ives defender to present him with a free header eight yards out. Rather than placement he went for power and only succeeded in directing the ball straight into the hands of the grateful Iron.

The inevitable second goal did eventually arrive twenty minutes from time as substitute Chris Lait was allowed to range forward unchallenged to the left edge of the box from where he let fly with a low right foot effort that beat the diving Iron low to his left. There were a few moments of controversy as the ball rebounded back into play off the stanchion in the back of the net but after a quick consultation with his assistant correct order was quickly restored as referee Scholes awarded the goal.

The third and clinching goal arrived only four minutes later as Hoenes finally managed to time his run right to beat the offside trap. Yafal gained possession inside the centre circle and quickly fed the ball into the run of Hoenes who rounded the exposed Iron before rolling the ball home.

To their credit Ives continued to work hard but in spite of the tireless running of Matt Foy they were unable to create a clear cut opportunity to test Singh in the remaining period. There was however one more opportunity for Iron to show his abilities as substitutes Jordan Clement and Lait combined down the left to work a shooting opportunity from the edge of the box for the latter that Iron did well to palm away to his right.

There seems little doubt that the Lambs will be in the promotion shake up come the end of the season and they can look forward to a six pointer against nearest challengers Bromsgrove next Saturday whilst relegation threaten Ives can look forward to a six pointer of a different kind as fellow strugglers Lowestoft visit Westwood Road.

Final Score : Tamworth 3 St Ives Town 0

Goals : none

Team : Iron, Ward, Toseland, Wood, Powell, Jarvis Wilson (Clifton 46), Bailey (Seymour-Shove 68), Parker (capt), Foy, Curtis, Snaith (Dylan Wilson 75)

Unused subs : none

Supporters man of the match : Finley Iron

Attendance : 638

Report by Nigel Howlett

St Ives Town Reserves v Ely City “A”

Buckhurst Hill Youth U16 Alliance

St Ives Town v AFC Rushden & Diamonds

BetVictor League Southern Premier Division Central 01-01-20

Three very well taken goals frustratingly brought Ives no reward as their old rivals Diamonds exploited defensive frailties to claim all three points from this hugely entertaining encounter played out before a bumper New Year’s Day crowd.

Manager Ricky Marheineke decided to mix things up a little after the Ives battling point from their Boxing Day trip to Needham Market with Edmund Hottor coming in for his first start in a defensive midfield roll and both Dylan Wilson and Matt Foy returning to the starting eleven at the expense of Ty Ward, George Bailey and Ollie Snaith respectively. Diamonds also gave a start to their midweek loan signing from Tamworth Greg Kaziboni who came in for Jordan Macleod.

It was the visitors who were first out of the gates with Kaziboni to the fore as he showed his pace and trickery to get past Ben Toseland down the right in only third minute. The Ives left back did his best to recover and block the intended cross but was adjudged to have handled the ball inches outside the box. The hosts just managed to survive the resulting free kick as the ball cannoned around the box before being thumped clear. The first shot of the afternoon also went the way of the visitors four minutes later as referee Luke Scott played a good advantage allowing Jesse Akubuine to rampage forward before unleashing a 25 yarder that thudded into the boards just outside Finely Iron’s left hand post.

But the wind was taken out of the Diamonds sails as Ives went in front from their first meaningful attack in ninth minute. The goal owed much to persistence and never say die attitude of Aaron Phillips who won the ball on half way and stormed forward through a couple of challenges. The second of these saw the ball rebound to the feet of Joe Curtis who cleverly side stepped Jack Ashton before planting a left foot shot from the edge of the box low past the left hand of Ben Heath.

It was not long before the visitors got back into their stride and it took an excellent recovery tackle from Alfie Powell to prevent Kaziboni getting a shot away from the edge of the box after he had again got past Toseland in eleventh minute. An assistant’s raised flag prevented Nabil Shariff getting away onto a Nathan Hicks flick five minutes later.

Ives back line were being stretched by the mobile Diamonds front line, but they were not quite breaking. Iron was called into spectacular action to preserve the lead in 21^st minute. Tom Wood was outmuscled by Hicks who seized the opportunity to unleash a stinging drive from fully 25 yards that Iron plunged full length to his right to parry away. The loose ball fell to Ben Acquaye and Iron was thankful for help from Toseland as the young full back got around behind his keeper to clear the winger’s effort off the line.

An equaliser was beginning to look likely but Ives defence will be very disappointed with the way it arrived in 27^th minute. Phillips brought down Acquaye wide on the left. Matt Slinn delivered the resulting free kick deep beyond the far post where Kaziboni found space enough to direct the ball back into the centre for Shariff to slam home from close range.

With the scores now level the game evened up and became more of a midfield battle with Hottor, Robbie Parker and Curtis matching the Diamonds trio of Akubuine, Slinn and Hicks tackle for tackle. Curtis perhaps went in for one to many just before the break as he picked up a yellow card for clattering Zack Reynolds right in front of the referee. Certainly no one could fault the effort and energy levels of all on the pitch.

So ended a very entertaining first half with the promise of much more to come. Unfortunately for Ives they suffered a serious blow at the break as classy right back Phillips succumbed to a knock and had to be replaced by a fit again Jarvis Wilson who came in alongside Powell at centre back with Wood moving across to full back.

The Diamonds were quick to take advantage before the reshuffled back four could settle. Only five minutes after the restart a clip into the box from the left by Acquaye lead to confusion at the back post as Powell and Toseland got in each other’s way. The loose ball fell to Kaziboni and it took a remarkable point blank save from Iron to prevent the debutant putting the visitors in front. But the relief for Ives was only momentary as the resulting throw was hurled into the box by Sam Brown and somehow the ball was missed by all in the centre before rolling into the net off the toe of a startled Hicks at the back post.

Now in front for the first time the visitors tried to go for the jugular to kill the game off quickly and went close three times in the next eight minutes. Iron was called into action two minutes later as Acquaye got past stand in full back Wood before firing in a low drive from just inside the box that Ives keeper did well to keep out. Wilson was on hand to hack the loose ball away. Kaziboni was keen to get in on the action on the opposite wing and in 55^th minute he battled his way past Toseland before firing into the side netting when he should probably have done better.

The third goal for the visitors should have arrived in 58^th minute as Diamonds broke swiftly from an Ives corner and ended up three against one with two players queuing up at the back post. Acquaye drew in the last defender before feeding the ball towards Shariff and Hicks both unmarked at the back post. Hicks took on the responsibility and inexplicably fired wide with only Iron to beat.

That miss proved costly as Ives levelled things up again only three minutes later. Although Dylan Wilson claimed the goal the hard work was all done by Foy. The centre forward picked up the ball on halfway and ran at the visitor’s defence. He jinked left and right past defenders then cleverly used Ben Seymour-Shove as a decoy before going on into the box and driving the ball across the face of goal for Wilson sliding in forced it home at the back post.

Unfortunately for Ives the parity only lasted seven minutes when they were undone down the right again. Hicks and Reynolds worked the move well together interchanging passes from half way. Hicks eventually trying to deliver a low cross into the box that rebounded off Toseland back into the path of Reynolds who swept the ball home off the back post.

Diamonds effectively killed the game off in the simplest fashion with fifteen minutes to go as Acquaye won a corner on the left. Slinn delivered the ball into the near post area where the powerful Liam Dolman rose between Ives defenders to power home a header from eight yards.

To their credit Ives did not fade but lifted themselves again to try and set up a grandstand finish. Substitute George Bailey who had replaced the tiring Dylan Wilson battled his way into the heart of the Diamonds defence before feeding Seymour-Shove cutting in from the right. The Ives winger beat Heath with his crisp low drive from just inside the box but it flashed across the face of goal past the far post.

The hosts continued to push forward and with two minutes of the ninety left Ben Toseland got them back in it with a contender for goal of the season. Captain fantastic Robbie Parker won yet another tackle in the centre of the park and laid it off to Seymour-Shove who kept the ball rolling out to overlapping full back Toseland he took on the shot first time from at least 25 yards out and the ball curved dramatically as it curled into the top corner with the disbelieving Heath rooted to the spot.

Despite clawing their way back into the game the hosts were unable to create another decent opportunity in the remaining minutes and Diamonds effectively saw out time to claim the three points. Although a little harsh on Ives this result along with wins for two of their fellow strugglers sees them drop into the bottom two. Every game must now become a cup final and every point must be fought for if they are going to pull themselves out of the mire.

Final Score : St Ives Town 3 AFC Rushden & Diamonds 4

Goals : Curtis 9, Dylan Wilson 61, Toseland 88

Team : Iron, Phillips (Jarvis Wilson 46), Toseland, Hottor (Snaith79), Powell, Wood, Dylan Wilson (Bailey 74), Parker (capt), Foy, Curtis, Seymour-Shove

Unused subs : Ward, Clifton

Supporters man of the match : Robbie Parker

Attendance : 377

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

Needham Market v St Ives Town

BetVictor League Southern Premier Division Central 26-12-19

Keeper Finley Iron was the Ives hero not only pulling off a string of fines saves but also providing the assist for Ben Seymour-Shove’s late equaliser as the visitors grabbed a hard earned point on a very wet and windy Boxing Day in Suffolk.

Iron’s wind assisted punt proved pivotal in the closing stages but the game had not started that way for the Ives custodian as he struggled to make clean contact on an fourth minute attempted clearance against the strong Westerly breeze his attempt falling at the feet of Craig Parker fully forty yards from goal. The midfielder took a touch and tried to drill a low drive into the vacant net fortunately for the scampering Iron Alfie Powell just managed to stretch out a long leg to divert the effort past the post.

The hosts kept the pressure on against a disjointed looking Ives and managed to get their noses in front only four minutes later as Ty Ward got caught out ball watching at the back post. Gareth Heath took advantage of a slip from Aaron Phillips to get to the bye line on the left and clipped the ball up to the back post where Parker managed to get in front of Ward and prod the ball home from close range.

The early flow of the game was all one way as the Marketmen continued to find holes in the Ives back line. In twelfth minute a quick break through the centre saw Will Hunt and Parker exchanged passes before the former got around Ward on the outside and unleashed a rising drive from just outside the box that flew over the top.

Iron started his heroics halfway through the first period as he spread himself well to deny Joe Neal after the host’s number seven had been put clear down the centre by a perfect through ball from Adam Mills. Tom Wood was on hand to scramble the loose ball to safety.

The Marketmen went close again in 26^th minute as Mills got away down the left onto a long wind assisted punt from keeper Marcus Garnham he teed up a cross to the back post where Ward made sure that he was not caught out this time but in attempting to head the ball to safety over his own crossbar he got it a little wrong and was very lucky when the ball struck the woodwork and rebounded into play. Heath was onto the loose ball in a flash only to be denied by a combination of the recovering Ward and keeper Iron who between them managed to keep the close range effort out.

The one way traffic assisted by the elements continued almost unabated and in 33^rd minute a Callum Sturgess corner from the right picked out Parker in space beyond the far post and he tried to go for the spectacular as he swung a leg at the dropping ball and caught it on the volley fortunately his contact was poor and the ball screwed across the face of goal where Ward this time got his clearance right knocking out at the expense of another corner.

Another smart break from the Marketmen carved out yet another opportunity for them in 35^th minute as Heath and Sturgess combined well to feed the ball into the feet of Mills on the left side of the box but with his back to goal. A little shimmy and a smart turned created enough space for him to get the shot away but fortunately he only ruffled the side netting with his well struck effort.

The final minute of the half saw Iron called upon to make one of the more routine saves of his busy afternoon as he held onto a well struck right footed effort from Hunt after the Marketmen’s centre forward had cut in from the left and slammed in a powerful drive that was fortunately straight at the Ives stopper.

Ives first meaningful attempt on goal arrived three minutes after the restart when skipper Robbie Parker found a little bit of space just outside the box and unleashed a snap shot that nearly caught out Garnham who was forced to parry the effort into the air and was grateful that his left back was first to react to the dropping ball and Sturgess calmly headed the ball back into his hands.

Iron was back to his heroics again two minutes later as he twice denied the hosts in quick succession. Initially Hunt was put clear down the centre and Iron was instantly off his line to close him down deflecting the centre forwards effort wide off his body at point blank range. The resulting corner saw Sturgess and Heath work a clever routine that finished with Sturgess breaking into the box at pace and firing in a fierce effort from a narrow angle that Iron did well to parry away, the loose ball fell to Mills who probably should have done better but snatched at the chance and only managed to screw his effort wide from ten yards.

The goal frame came to Ives rescue again on the hour as Iron came for a dangerous in-swinging corner from the right and got a fist to it through the crowd but the ball fell to Heath just outside the box and the Marketmen’s play maker calmly curled the ball over the crowd and past the grasping fingers of Iron only to be denied as the ball rattled the crossbar and bounced down into the six yard box. Parker was first to react but the assistant’s flag was raised to prevent him prodding the loose ball home.

Home keeper Garnham was fortunate to get away with an error in the 62^nd minute as he tried to shepherd a rolling ball out of play just outside his eighteen yard box only to be robbed by substitute Matt Foy who had only a few moments earlier replaced the tiring George Bailey. Unfortunately none of his fellow strikers had bargained on Foy gaining possession and so he found himself alone amongst a crowd of red shirts with not a team mate he could pick out inside the box. He was forced to go for goal only to be dispossessed by the covering Dan Morphew.

Keeper Iron pulled off his best saves of the afternoon to keep Ives in the game two minutes later Hunt got away down the middle with a perfectly timed run. As Iron came to meet him the centre forward tried to flick the ball over him but an upstretched arm by the Ives keeper did just enough to divert the ball away from goal but Mills was following up at pace and the ball was dropping to his feet ten yards from goal it looked like he only had to make clean contact to bury the ball but he reckoned without the never say die attitude of Iron as the young keeper bravely flung himself full length across the shot and managed to deflect it away from goal much to the disbelief of the home faithful.

Lifted by the heroics of their keeper Ives began to probe the hosts defence in search of a possible equaliser. In 66^th minute Ollie Snaith got on the end of a quick passing move through the centre involving Parker and Joe Curtis he was just about to get his shot away when Russell Short took his legs from under him just outside the box. There was a queue of people to take the resulting free kick Seymour-Shove took the responsibility but failed to trouble Garnham as his effort flew well over the top.

Iron was called upon again as the game entered the final twenty minutes. Mills cut out a poorly directed pass from Curtis on the halfway line and burst forward running fully forty yards before forcing a diving save low to his left out of Iron to keep out his crisp left footed effort from just inside the box. Only seconds earlier Hunt had failed to hit the target from a good position having got on the end of a teasing cross from the right by Neal.

The young Ives keeper made his final good save of the afternoon twelve minutes from time as he leapt high to tip over a powerful Short header after the Marketmen’s number four got on the end of Heath’s in-swinging corner from the left. But that was not the keeper’s final telling contribution of the day as his wind assisted goal kick with three minutes to go deceived the hosts back line and the ever alert Seymour-Shove was onto the bouncing ball lifting it over the advancing Garnham who could only look on as the covering Dan Morphew tried desperately to hook the ball back off the goal line. Those of us behind the goal are convinced he did not achieve it but fortunately goal line technology was not required as Seymour-Shove followed up to spark gleeful celebrations as he fired home the loose ball with Morphew stuck in the back of the net.

There was just time for one other noteworthy event deep in added time when Ives substitute Edmund Hottor who had only been on the field a few minutes recklessly launched himself into a sliding tackle on Marketmen’s Jake Dye that saw him receive a red card for his pains from referee Emily Heaslip. Hottor got a bit of the ball, but also got quite a lot of Dye it was the sort of tackle that few years ago would not have been deemed a problem but these days more often than not attracts a red card as Ives found out to their advantage a few weeks ago at Bromsgrove.

Overall the red card cannot detract from a very good point on the road for struggling Ives who can certainly thank their gallant keeper for keeping them in the game on a number of occasions but it was very nice to see them grab a point rather than lose points with a late goal. Once again I say we must take the positives from this and push on hoping for a change in fortunes into the New Year. The perfect way to welcome it in would be three points off our old adversaries the Diamonds on New Years Day.

Final Score : Needham Market 1 St Ives Town 1

Goals : Seymour-Shove 87

Team : Iron, Phillips, Ward (Dylan Wilson 78), Toseland, Powell, Wood, Snaith (Hottor 80), Parker (capt), Bailey (Foy 58) Curtis, Seymour-Shove

Unused subs : Clifton

Supporters man of the match : Finley Iron

Attendance : 214

Match report by Nigel Howlett. Video by Dave Hook.

Nuneaton Borough v St Ives Town

BetVictor League Southern Premier Division Central 21-12-19

There was little early Christmas cheer for Ives as the difference in class was evident throughout this one sided affair as the promotion chasing Boro’ comprehensively defeated a hard working but uninspiring visitors and but for some very good last ditch defending and some excellent saves from Finley Iron the score line could have been even worse.

The hosts took control of the game straight from the off and it took a very well timed saving tackle from Alfie Powell to prevent overlapping full back James Clifton opening the scoring in the seventh minute. Clifton had been brilliantly picked out by a hanging cross field ball from Jack Byrne that caught out Ben Toseland.

Even in these early stages Callum Powell and Rhys Sharpe were looking a dangerous combination on the left and in the 13^th minute the pair combined for the latter to deliver a deep cross to the back post where David Bremang tried to cleverly loop his header over Iron. But the Ives keeper moved his feet well and just managed to claw the ball away at full stretch.

Only one minute later the Boro’ had a good appeal for a penalty turned down as Sharpe managed to rob Toseland near his own bye line and then went down as the Ives full back challenged him to try to regain possession deep inside the box. Referee Richard Eley was well positioned and deemed Toseland’s tackle a fair one much to the distaste of the Boro’ faithful behind the goal.

The inevitable goal arrived in 17^th minute when the powerful Boro’ skipper Luke Benbow managed to get the better of Ben Jackson inside the centre circle. Benbow then showed his quality as he used the space he had gained to slide the ball into the run of Ryan Edmunds cutting in from the right. Edmunds low left foot drive from 20 yards beat the diving Iron low to his left and crept in the bottom corner.

Now in front the Boro’ were looking confident and keeping possession well. Patient build up play created their next chance in 25^th minute as a move involving at least a dozen passes was finished with Edmunds getting to the bye line before picking out Benbow in space 15 yards out. It took a brave point blank block from Tom Wood to prevent him increasing the hosts lead. Two minutes later the lively Powell skimmed Ives crossbar with a dipping effort from 25 yards that beat the diving Iron.

Ives first opportunity of the game arrived just after the half hour as a long Robbie Parker free kick was knocked down inside the box and fell to the feet of Ollie Snaith. The young midfielder did well to strike his effort cleanly and keep the shot down and was a little unlucky to see his goal bound effort deflect wide off Miles Addison.

Alfie Powell came to Ives rescue again eight minutes before the break as he once more slid in with a perfectly timed tackle to take the ball off the toe of Benbow just as the big striker was about to let fly from the edge of the box having been fed in by Callum Powell.

The visitors did manage to carve out the final opportunity of the first period two minutes later when George Bailey timed his run to perfection to get onto a long ball out of defence and looked like he was going to get a run on goal. But big centre back Isaiah Osbourne was alert to the danger and stuck out a long leg to knock the ball away at the expense of a corner. The resulting Ben Seymour-Shove flag kick was knocked down to Joe Curtis on the edge of the box but he only managed to fire well over the top as he was swiftly closed down.

Perhaps a little lucky to still be in the game at half time Ives then went very close to grabbing an unlikely equaliser in the opening minutes of the second period. Seymour-Shove managed to find space on the left and cleverly dinked the ball into the centre where Curtis was arriving at pace his header beat keeper Tony Breeden and looked like it was heading for the corner of the net before it was glanced wide by the covering Addison.

But having failed to get level Ives swiftly found themselves two behind. They survived an initial scare in 49^th minute when Callum Powell cleverly fed Sharpe for the young full back to deliver a deep cross from the left that picked out Bremang beyond the far post his header back into the six yard box was headed over his own crossbar by Alfie Powell under pressure from Benbow. But Ives went to sleep from the resulting Sharpe corner as Bremang somehow lost his marker to get himself a free header from eight yards that he powered past the exposed Iron.

Iron did well to keep the deficit to two In 52^nd minute as he leapt high to tip over a powerful header from Benbow after the centre forward had managed to get across the front of his marker to get on the end of an in-swinging Clifton free kick from the left. Benbow also managed to get on the end of a Clifton corner in similar fashion five minutes later but this time his effort flew just over the top.

Ives best chance to grab a route back into the game came in 65^th minute as keeper Breeden fired a poor clearance straight at Curtis in the centre of the park. His well directed header put substitute Matt Foy away. The out of position Breeden had little choice but to close down the Ives striker and Foy tried to go around the big keeper who managed to redeem himself well plunging in bravely to take the ball off Foy’s toes to snuff out the danger.

Once that chance had gone begging the game quickly returned to its familiar pattern with the classy Boro’ moving the ball around well and using the full width of the park to stretch the hard working Ives at every opportunity. Clifton fired a 25 yard free kick well over in 68^th minute after Bremang had won the chance when he almost got away from Wood only to be pulled back by the Ives centre back who picked up a yellow card for his troubles.

The lively Bremang was causing all sorts of trouble for Ives back line as he was constantly roaming around and finding space. He outpaced Alfie Powell in 73^rd minute to get on the end of a long punt from keeper Breeden and the tall number eleven kept his composure to pick out Devon Kelly-Evans with his pull back who fortunately for Ives snatched at his chance and blazed over from a good position. But the third Boro’ goal did arrive two minutes later and Bremang was again the protagonist as he got away from Ty Ward on the right to get on the end of a Clifton ball into the box. A clear pull back by the Ives full back gave referee Eley one of the easiest penalty decisions he will ever have to make and Benbow emphatically beat Iron from the spot slamming the ball straight down the middle as the keeper went to his right.

To their credit Ives kept battling but it almost appeared to be men against boys and Bremang almost managed to pick out Callum Powell for a tap in two minutes later fortunately substitute Aaron Phillips just managed to get a touch to the ball as it skimmed across the box to divert it away from the unmarked Powell at the back post. The Ives sub did even better nine minutes from time as he was in the right place to clear a low shot on the turn from Benbow off his goal line. The fourth Boro’ goal eventually arrived though four minutes from time when Bremang ran clear onto a simple ball over the top from Addison and slotted past the exposed Iron.

Christmas marks the half way point in a difficult season for the Ives and the present return of 15 points from 21 games is very unlikely to be good enough to keep them up. The second half of the season starts at Needham Market Boxing Day when the search for a minimum return of at least a further 25 points from the remaining games commences!

Final Score : Nuneaton Borough 4 St Ives Town 0

Goals : none

Team : Iron, Jackson (Phillips 72), Toseland (Foy 58), Ward, Powell, Wood, Snaith, Parker (capt), Bailey, Curtis, Seymour-Shove (Hottor 78)

Unused subs : Dylan Wilson

Supporters man of the match : Joe Curtis

Attendance : 392

Match report by Nigel Howlett. Photos by Gemma & Louise Thompson.

Park Farm Pumas Black U13

Soham Town Rangers Youth U14 v St Ives Town U14

St Ives Town U13 v Stotfold U13

St Ives Town U16 v Woodford Town U16

St Ives Town v Redditch United

BetVictor League Southern Premier Division Central 14-12-19

Ives can thank their hardworking ground staff for the opportunity to complete their first double of the season but it was a hard fought victory against the battling Reds who belied a side without a League point since the balmy heat of August Bank Holiday Monday.

After more than 24 hours of rain through Thursday and into Friday few would have expected this game to be on but the wise purchase of a bowdry and a some fantastic work from Dave Missledine and Gareth Chapman ensured that the pitch although heavy passed a morning inspection and even survived a lunch time shower to be on whilst other local games were not.

Redditch were probably wishing the game had not survived the weather when they got stuck in traffic on the A14 and eventually arrived so late that the kick off was pushed back fifteen minutes.

When the game eventually got underway it was no surprise that the visitors were a little slow off the mark and they were caught cold after only three minutes as Ben Seymour-Shove seized on a loose ball in the centre of the park and took notice of shouts from the crowd to try his luck and it proved to be his day as his rasping drive from fully 30 yards flew past the grasping fingers of the diving Kieran Boucher and billowed the back of the net.

Having got in front so early most people in the ground probably thought that Ives were going to cruise their way to a comfortable victory against a side who had shipped nineteen goals in their last three fixtures. But Reds manager Dwayne Darby had strengthened his squad in the week and that new resilience soon showed through as the visitors shocked their hosts by drawing level just seven minutes later. The tricky Gratias Katega found a bit of space on the right and delivered a low cross into the feet of Jamie Lucas just inside the box. The Reds centre forward found a few inches to turn and fire in a low left foot effort that beat Finley Iron low to his right and crept in the bottom corner.

Following that early excitement the game began to settle down with Ives just about shading the possession but both sides carving out chances. Joe Curtis and Robbie Parker were working very hard in the boggy midfield for the hosts. The former of these picked out George Bailey in space on the left in 19^th minute. Bailey managed to cut inside his marker and get his shot away but the effort took a deflection off Ben Birch which took all of the sting out of it allowing Boucher to make a comfortable save.

The hosts came much closer to going back in front only sixty seconds later as Parker picked out Seymour-Shove on the right. His deep cross was kept alive beyond the far post by Bailey whose low ball back into the middle from the bye line picked out Ollie Snaith at the near post. With his back to goal Snaith cleverly tried a back heel, the effort was blocked but the ball rebounded to Matt Foy by the penalty spot. Ives usually deadly centre forward was leaning back and could only succeed in firing his effort high over the top.

The Reds best opportunity to get their noses in front came in 25^th minute when Lucas showed good vision to pick out Rhys Hilton with a perfectly weighted cross field ball that allowed the left winger to get past Ben Jackson and cut into the box. Iron quickly came to meet him and did well to spread himself and block Hilton’s effort at point blank range.

Play quickly swung back to the other end and Seymour-Shove came close to doubling his tally in 32^nd minute. Curtis and Ben Toseland combined well on the left before the latter delivered an inviting low cross to the near post where Seymour-Shove managed to get across in front of Ronnie Hendricks but his contact was not quite good enough and his effort flew beyond the far post.

Iron was perhaps a little fortunate to get away with a bit of indecision only ninety seconds later Katega fought his way past Bailey and Toseland before delivering a hanging cross from right on the bye line. Iron seemed convinced that the ball out before the cross was delivered but the officials were of a different opinion and Iron was fortunate indeed as the ball rebounded into play off the top of the crossbar with the keeper looking on with his arm up. Jackson reacted first to the loose ball to hack it away.

His opposite number Boucher was called into spectacular action in 37^th minute. Toseland pounced on a poor clearance and sprinted forward to the edge of the box where he was unceremoniously upended by Birch sliding in. The Reds debutant centre back picked up a yellow card for his pains and had to thank his keeper that his punishment was not greater as Boucher flung himself high to his right to palm away Toseland’s curling free kick that was destined for the top corner.

Ives applied some early pressure in the second half and won a series of corners in the first fifteen minutes but the only one that created any real danger for the Reds was the fourth when the ball was knocked down to Jackson inside the box but his snap shot from 15 yards was straight at Boucher who held on well.

The heavy pitch was beginning to take its toll and the pace of the game dropped off as the game wore on with defences generally getting on top. Katega was still provide a danger on the right for the Reds and in 59^th minute he managed to get away from Toseland but no nonsense defender Alfie Powell is quickly fitting into the Ives back line and he got himself into the right position to turn Katega’s dangerous cross away at the expense of a corner.

Iron kept his team level with a brilliant diving save in 63^rd minute as he denied Katega after the skilful winger had picked up a poor clearance and stepped inside his marker before curling in a left footed effort from the edge of the box that looked like it was arrowing for the top corner before the outstretched hand of Iron tipped it away.

With twenty minutes to go it was Ives turn to go within millimetres of going in front as keeper Boucher oddly fired an attempted clearance from his hands against the back of Foy standing just outside his box. The ball looped into the air and dropped to Parker 40 yards from goal. His pass put Seymour-Shove away down the right, the wingers first time low cross into the danger zone picked out Dylan Wilson sliding in at the back post but the young substitute was stretching and only succeeded in firing his effort onto the crossbar.

The winning goal arrived twelve minutes from time as a corner was half cleared to Parker on the right he curled the ball back into the box where it was knocked down into the crowd of players by the penalty spot. Powell reacted quickest and was just about to get his shot away when Birch clumsily took him down as he took an ill-judged swing at the ball trying to clear it. Much to the annoyance of the Reds well positioned referee Tom Danaher instantly pointed to the spot. Skipper Parker maintained his cool as he waited for the arguments to subside before emphatically beating Boucher with the resulting penalty..

To many times on recent occasions Ives have conceded late goals to drop important points so there was some anxiety amongst the home fans when they chose to try and play out the last eight minutes by keeping the ball in the corners rather than attempting to kill the game off with a third goal. Fortunately on this occasion they were successful although the visitors did have one opportunity to snatch a point deep in added time when a late corner fell to the feet of Josh Endall at the back post but the centre back screwed his effort wide.

Ives first victory in twelve games in all competitions moved them out of the bottom three and can hopefully give them momentum going into the second half of the season. With most of the squad not back to full fitness and the new recruits fitting in well things could just be on the up but some tough Christmas fixtures could test that growing confidence.

Final Score : St Ives Town 2 Redditch United 1

Goals : Seymour-Shove 3, Parker 78 (pen)

Team : Iron, Jackson, Toseland, Snaith (Dylan Wilson 65), Powell, Jarvis Wilson, Bailey, Parker (capt), Foy (Wood 84), Curtis, Seymour-Shove

Unused subs : Ward, Hottor

Supporters man of the match : Ben Seymour-Shove

Attendance : 126

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

Haverhill Rovers Ladies v St Ives Town Ladies Development

AFC Sudbury U15 v St Ives Town U15

St Ives Town U13 v Haverhill Rovers U13

Norsemen Youth U16 v St Ives Town U16

Barwell v St Ives Town

BetVictor League Southern Premier Division Central 07-12-19

A battling performance but sadly yet again no reward for the Ives as the Canaries grabbed the only goal of the game three minutes before the break to push the visitors into the bottom two and stretch Ives winless run to eleven games.

For the first time in a long time Ives manager Ricky Marheineke was able to name an unchanged starting eleven and the only change on the bench was the addition of midweek signing ex Kettering and Banbury midfielder Edmund Hottor.

As last week Ives started on the front foot and they could easily have gone in front after only three minutes. Joe Curtis played a perfectly weighted lob over the hosts back line and Matt Foy was onto in a flash just beating onrushing keeper Max Bramley to the ball. The keeper clumsily brought down Foy a couple of metres outside the box and was only saved from a card by the fact that the Ives striker was heading wide rather than directly at goal. Curtis curled the resulting free kick around the wall but straight into the hands of the grateful Bramley.

Ives keeper Finley Iron had to show that he was on his toes only four minutes later as Joey Evans and Tristan Dunkley combined to put Brady Hickey clear into the box but Iron was smartly off his line to bravely smother the ball at the striker’s feet.

Play continued to swing from end to end in these early stages and the next opportunity fell to Ives skipper Robbie Parker in 13^th minute as an intended cross ricocheted off a Canaries defender and fell to his feet just inside the box but his left foot snap shot lacked power and was comfortably saved by Bramley.

Iron was called into much more spectacular action two minutes later as Evans and Dunkley again combined this time assisted by powerful centre forward Tolani Omotola the move ending with Dunkley picking out Kai Williams in space on the back edge of the box. The left winger stepped inside before curling a right foot effort that was destined for the top corner before Iron’s right hand palmed it around the post as the agile stopper hurled himself high to his left.

Dunkley was at the heart of a lot of the hosts better moves in the first period and he looked like he had slid a ball through the Ives back line to put Omotola clear in the 19^th minute. But young centre back Alfie Powell had been keeping a close eye on the big striker and he timed his tackle to perfection to whip the ball off Omotola’s toe just as the Canaries central striker was about to get his shot away.

Ives were still very much still in the game at this point and in 24^th minute a clever Curtis free kick from the right picked out Ben Jackson in space beyond the far post and he found Parker in the centre with his header back into the box. The Ives skipper got his header on target but it was blocked by the leg of a Canaries defender, as was the same players follow up shot after the ball had dropped back to his feet inside the crowded box.

As the half wore on it began to settle down into more of a midfield battle with chances much more at a premium. Omotola was still proving a handful and in the 40^th minute he exchanged passes with Hickey before unleashing a left foot rocket from 15 yards that the well positioned Iron did well to push away. But the young keeper had no chance two minutes later when the same player capitalised on some poor Ives defending to put the hosts ahead. Iron delivered a free kick down the park that was powerfully headed back up the middle Dunkley got away from Jarvis Wilson and Powell to get a clear run on goal and then unselfishly drew Iron to him before rolling the ball sideways to Omotola who had the simple task of knocking it into the empty net.

There was a fairly quiet start to the second half and the first opportunity did not arrive until 63^rd minute when the dangerous Dunkley was allowed to roam 60 yards with the ball at his feet as Ives defenders retreated. He finished the run with a stinging left foot effort from the edge of the box that was fortunately straight at Iron who held on well. All of that happened with the hosts temporarily down to ten men whilst Omotola was off the field receiving treatment for an eye injury sustained when he tried to block an Iron clearance from a back pass.

The Canaries centre forward was unable to continue and was replaced by Zayn Hakeem but the hosts continued to look the more likely to side to add to their lead and went very close to doing just that in 70^th minute. A scramble in the visitors goalmouth saw the ball knocked back to Hickey on the edge of the box and the hosts skipper showed excellent composure as he took a touch and delicately curled the ball through a small gap in the crowd aiming to sneak it in the bottom corner. He was unlucky to see the effort fail as with the unsighted Iron motionless on his line the ball struck the foot of the post rebounded back into play. Williams pounced on it and slammed in a follow up effort but Jackson was on hand to block the shot at point blank range and the ball was eventually hacked clear.

For all of their effort and energy Ives were struggling to create anything much around the hosts box. The closest they came to grabbing an equaliser was fifteen minutes from time when Jackson timed his run to perfection to get on the end of a Curtis corner from the right. But his goal bound header was deflected taking all of the power out of it and allowing Bramley to make a diving save low to his left.

The hosts went a lot closer to doubling their lead only one minute later as Hottor brought down the tricky Williams just outside the box to set up a shooting opportunity for Hickey. The Canaries skipper was denied by the woodwork for the second time in quick succession as he curled the resulting free kick over Ives five man wall and with Iron rooted to the spot he was unlucky to see the ball strike the crossbar and go over the top.

Iron came to Ives rescue again with five minutes to go as he did brilliantly to deny Hakeem who rose above the visitor’s defence to get on the end of Eliot Putman’s cross from the left. The keeper hurled himself to his left to tip the substitutes powerful header around the post and keep his sides hopes alive.

The hosts hit the woodwork for the third time only sixty seconds later and once again Hickey was the unlucky man as he curled an effort from the left edge of the box that beat the diving Iron but rebounded into play off the far post. Substitute Sam Hollis pounced on the loose ball but fired well over the top from a good position to keep the score at one nil.

Ives continued to battle but despite their urgency and efforts they were unable to carve out a decent opportunity in the remaining time and fell to their eighth League defeat on the road this season, seven of those have been by a single goal. Their conquerors moved to within one point of the play off places in a very tight top half of the table. On the positive side many of the injured players are still getting back up to full match fitness, Alfie Powell and Ben Toseland have fitted in well and Edmund Hottor showed some very nice touches when he came on. A couple of wins could still turn this tough season around but they must be found soon to get some momentum going.

Final Score : Barwell 1 St Ives Town 0

Goals : none

Team : Iron, Jackson, Toseland, Clifton (Hottor 64), Powell, Jarvis Wilson, Bailey (Snaith 75), Parker (capt), Foy, Curtis, Dylan Wilson (Seymour-Shove 81)

Unused subs : Johnson, Ward

Supporters man of the match : Alfie Powell

Attendance : 149

Report by Nigel Howlett