Season: 2019-20

Cockfosters (Youth) U16 v St Ives Town U16

St Ives Town v Soham Town Rangers

Buildbase FA Trophy 1st Qualifying Round 26-10-19

Ives are still in the hat for the next round draw but they can perhaps consider themselves a little fortunate to have the opportunity of a Tuesday evening replay at Julius Martin Lane as the lower level visitors hit the woodwork three times during the game including a deflected effort with what proved to be the last kick of the game.

With the treatment table still looking busier than the training ground Ives manager Ricky Marheineke had dabbled in the transfer market in order to strengthen his threadbare squad ahead of this tie and it was pleasing to see James Peters re-joining from Bedford Town. Equally good news was the return to fitness of skipper Robbie Parker. But as has been the way this season to balance against that good news there was also some bad as Ty Ward missed out following an injury picked up in training.

A bit more good news was provided by the excellent state of the Westwood Road pitch as despite other fixtures around the area falling to the incessant rain this local derby was never in any doubt.

The visiting Greens have been clocking up a lot of goals from set pieces recently particularly the long throws of Callum Russell and it was no surprise that the first opportunity of the afternoon arrived from the first one of these in the game after three minutes. Russell’s long throw from the right was knocked out of the box but fell invitingly for Ryan Auger 25 yards out. He hit his first time effort well but the shot was always rising and finished about a foot over the crossbar.

Ives first effort on goal came four minutes later as Parker knocked the ball into Danny Kelly on the edge of the box and his lay off was well struck by Tom Wood but the effort was straight at Greens keeper Josh Pope who held on comfortably.

The hosts best chance in the first 45 minutes arrived in the eleventh minute as Matt Foy did well to chase down an Aaron Phillips clip down the right. He got to the bye line and carefully picked out Ben Seymour-Shove just inside the box. The Ives winger went for goal first time but made poor contact and only succeeded in screwing his effort across the face of goal.

The visitors were gifted two good opportunities in a four minute spell at around half way through the first half. In 21st minute a poor clearance from Finley Iron fell to the feet of Sam Mulready 25 yards from goal. He probably could have taken the ball forward but tried to beat the keeper with a first time effort and fired his shot a good six yards wide. Only a few minutes later Wood lost possession in the centre of the park allowing the Greens a two on one break. Fortunately for Ives Auger delayed releasing Toby Andrews just to long and when the pass finally came the winger had wandered offside.

The hosts had an even more fortunate escape two minutes later as Russell took a throw short before receiving the ball back to his feet full forty yards from goal in a wide position. With everyone waiting in the centre he delivered an in-swinging cross into the danger zone that caught on the breeze and beat everyone before skipping off the wet turf and bouncing up onto the face of the crossbar before Danny Kelly cleared up at the expense of a corner.

With the elements at their backs the visitors continued to enjoy the majority of possession but it took until five minutes before the break for them to get another effort on target. Once more it came from a dead ball situation as Auger curled in a deep corner from the right that arrived on the head of Alistair Conway ghosting in around the back. He managed to direct his stooping header on target but keeper Iron had got across his goal well and blocked the effort with his legs.

Ives striker Foy created and almost took the final chance of the half out of nothing two minutes later as he cleverly took down a Jeff Woodward clip into his body on the left corner of the box before turning inside to create just enough space before curling his effort just wide.

The hosts were out early at the start of the second period and with the wind and rain now in their favour they decided to take the game to their visitors straight from the off. A well worked early corner saw the ball arrive at the feet of Peters 15 yards out in front of the near post. He struck his right footed effort cleanly but Pope was equal to it throwing himself to his left to palm the ball away. Seymour-Shove pounced on the loose ball but fired high and wide from a narrow angle.

A clever free kick routine led to Ives next effort on goal in 53rd minute. The move ended with Phillips delivering a teasing ball into the danger area from the right. Kelly just managed to win the header in the crowd and direct it goalwards but Conway was well positioned and chested the ball off the line before scrambling it away.

Ives early second half pressure continued and Parker went close just after the hour as another Phillips cross from the right was knocked out to him just outside the box and he unleashed a rising drive that flew a couple of feet over the top. Charlie Johnson missed a good opportunity but almost claimed what would have been a very fortunate goal in 65th minute. A Parker corner was knocked down to his feet by the penalty spot and he took a swing at the ball making minimal contact but just enough to send it trundling towards goal. Keeper Pope ran across his goal to pick the rolling ball but just took his eyes off it as it bobbled a little and was very fortunate that his feet were following up to kick it away as it rolled through his hands.

Having weathered the Ives storm the Greens began to reassert themselves on the game and struck the woodwork for the second time in 67th minute. The busy Lewis Clayton picked up the ball in the centre of the park and fed it into the run of Mulready cutting in from the left. The speedy striker took a touch before slamming in a vicious drive from 25 yards that beat Iron comprehensively but whacked into the face of the crossbar and rebounded to safety.

This seemed to lift the visitors and they once again took control of the game and had claims for a penalty waved away two minutes later Clayton threaded what looked like the perfect ball through the Ives back line to put Mulready clear. Just as he was about to unleash the trigger Jarvis Wilson came sliding in with a perfectly timed sliding tackle to take the ball off his toe and send the striker tumbling inside the box. The excellent referee Ben Cooke was right on the spot and he deemed that Wilson had got his saving tackle just right.

The Greens felt even more hard done by in 76th minute when they got the ball in the net only to have it chalked off by an assistant’s upraised flag. It was the dangerous combination of Mulready and Clayton who had again done the damage. This time the number ten was the provider with a clip in from the left that found Clayton unmarked in the centre and he made no mistake with his header only for his celebration to be cut short by the assistant on the far side.

The visitors made their only substitution of the afternoon with only three minutes of the ninety remaining bringing on Tom Newman for the tiring Matt Allen and the speedy striker had an almost instant impact as he outpaced Woodward down the right before delivering a low cross across the face of goal that arrived at the feet of Andrews coming in at the back post. But the left wingers contact was poor and the chance was gone.

Ives had one chance to claim the victory as the game entered added time. Keeper Pope came to try and deal with a Seymour-Shove corner to the near post but only managed to punch the ball down to the edge of the box where it fell to the feet of Parker who hit it first time on target but the agile Green’s stopper recovered well to make a good save low to his right.

The final action of the game saw the visitors denied by the frame of the Ives goal for the third time in the afternoon. The tricky Newman picked up a loose ball and ran at the hosts defence from the right before cutting inside and letting fly with a fierce effort that took a big deflection off a defender that took it past Iron before thudding into his left hand upright and rebounding away. That proved to be the last kick of the game as referee Cooke blew for time to ensure the two protagonists will re-join the contest at Soham on Tuesday evening.

Final Score : St Ives Town 0 Soham Town Rangers 0

Goals : none

Team : Iron, Phillips (Dylan Wilson 67), Woodward, Wood, Kelly, Jarvis Wilson, Johnson, Parker (capt), Foy (Dawkin 85), Peters, Seymour-Shove

Unused subs : Moyes, Patrick

Supporters man of the match : Robbie Parker

Attendance : 231

Report by Nigel Howlett

St Ives Town Reserves v Alconbury

It was back to the league for the young saints side after two consecutive cup matches.

Again a depleted squad meant stand in goal keeper Joe Purse was needed between the post whilst full use of the squad was used by Tony O’Donovan saints manager.

In horrendous conditions st Ives started on the front foot and set out their intent on a high tempo passing game.

A number of chances came and went with Scott Simms hitting the woodwork while Ben Smith and Danilo Carvalho squandered good opportunities.

Debutant Gary Baillie’s experience helped the young players around him continue to play with confidence as they dominated possession without reward.

Saints finally opened the scoring after half an hour with a well worked move through midfield before a low cross was finished off well by Kian Pilkington.

Both teams continued to try to master the deteriating conditions as the second half got under way but it was proving to be a challenge for both.

Saints young midfield of Jay, Simms and O’Donovan continued to dominate play whilst fullbacks Baker and Paine were finding more time and space to attack from wide.

A number of opportunities for saints to extend their lead went begging before they paid the price and were caught out by a good Alconbury counter attack which levelled the scoreline.

Not to be deterred the young st Ives side regained their composure and took the lead again within in minutes when Ben Smith beat the Alconbury fullback and finished with style from the edge of the box.

Further chances came and went for st Ives but although unable to take them they saw out the remainder of the game relatively untroubled with Leon Quinsee dominant in defence.

In awful weather both sides did well to try and play good football and all credit to Alconbury who gave the young saints side a good test.

Cambridge City Ladies v St Ives Town Ladies

St Ives Town v Royston Town

BetVictor League Southern Premier Division Central 22-10-19

After Saturday’s poor performance at Alvechurch manager Ricky Marheineke was looking for a reaction from his patched up squad and he got one, but unfortunately it only lasted until two minutes after half time as Ives fragile confidence took a big dent when they fell behind. The goal that put the Crows in front was a little fortunate as Josh Castiglione’s header was going wide until it struck Jeff Woodward and crept inside Finley Iron’s right hand post.

The memory of a fairly even first half was quickly blown away from that point as the rampant Crows took complete control and added a further three goals almost at will to leave Ives teetering only just outside the Premier Central Division relegation places.

Right from the off it was the visitors, still smarting from missing out on a first ever first round proper FA Cup appearance only 72 hours earlier, who took the fight straight to the heart of the hosts. Ives were thankful that their goalkeeper Finley Iron was very much on his mettle. The game was only three minutes old when Iron made the first of many vital saves as he timed his plunge to perfection to slide through taking ball and man to deny Matt Bateman who had burst straight through the centre of the hosts back line.

The young keeper was in action again only sixty seconds later as Claudio Ofosu showed a startling turn of speed to cut inside from the left and fire in a wicked right foot effort from the left corner of the box. Fortunately the powerful shot was straight at Iron who held on well.

The early pressure from the Crows and particularly the dangerous ex St Neots winger Ofusu continued in the tenth minute the little wide man got his head on a driven free kick from the right. His header flew inches wide with Iron scrambling across to cover.

Ofusu continued to wreak havoc and went close again in 20^th minute as he picked up the ball on the half way line and quickly left a struggling Jeff Woodward in his wake. Bearing down on goal he was equally impressive in cutting past Danny Kelly on the edge of the box. The only saving grace was that he had at least been forced wide which gave Iron a chance to position himself well and he did just that blocking the fierce drive when it came with his body.

Having survived all of those early scares Ives suddenly created an excellent opportunity of their own thanks to persistence of Matt Foy. The striker hunted down Ben Martin as the big centre back tried to police a ball out of play on the right hand side of his own box. Foy nicked the ball off him leaving him on the seat of his pants and with time to pick out his man. He picked out Tom Wood arriving on the edge of the box. Wood’s first time effort struck a covering defender and deflected inches wide of the post.

This lifted Ives a little and with Wood, Dylan Wilson and Jarvis Wilson all battling hard in the centre of the park and Foy continuing to harry the Crows back line things started to even up for a while but it was still the very mobile Crows front line that looked the more likely. In 27^th minute a deep cross from the left by Callum Taylor saw Adam Murray climb above Charlie Johnson at the back post but the Ives centre back did just enough to ensure that Murray could not hit the target with his header.

With half time approaching Ives again had to thank keeper Iron for keeping them level as he made an amazing double save to initially deny Ed Asafu-Adjaye as he dived to his right to keep out the full back’s low drive from the edge of the box. The ball ran loose to Bateman but the agile Iron again showed his bravery plunging in to block the follow up at point blank range.

The ball was initially hacked clear but was quickly pumped back into Ives box where Iron continued his first half heroics as he dropped on the loose ball just ahead of the dangerous Murray. There was still time for Murray to waste another good chance as he sliced his shot wide from a good position after Bateman had headed down a Taylor cross to him inside the box.

Ives supporters went into the break thankful that they were still in the game and hopeful that they may be witnessing something special. The optimism that existed was dented a little as the sides came out for the restart with Dylan Wilson joining the long injury list as he succumbed to a knock he was carrying to be replaced by Josh Dawkin, any remaining hope was then almost instantly extinguished in really unfortunate circumstances. An Asafu-Adjaye cross from the right arrived at the back post at waist height where Josh Castiglione threw himself in ahead of Woodward. The Crows number eleven got a touch but the ball was always going wide until it struck the unfortunate Woodward and crept into the net.

The hosts tried hard to respond and in 53^rd minute Wood and Ty Ward combined well down the left before the latter put Dawkin clear to the bye line. The striker cut in along the line before skimming the ball across the six yard box but no one had gambled to get to the back post where they would have had a tap in and the inviting cross rolled to safety.

Having let that opportunity go begging Ives then found themselves two behind only four minutes later Adam Watkins clipped the ball into the box from the left. Castiglione tried to knock it home in spectacular fashion as he went for an overhead kick. The striker failed to make contact but his action caused panic in the defence allowing Murray to prod home the loose ball.

Once more the gallant Ives tried to get back in the game and Dawkin was again at the forefront of that effort as he wriggled his way post Crows substitute Gus Scott-Morriss in midfield before unleashing a fierce rising drive from fully thirty yards that beat the despairing dive of Joe Welsh but flew inches the wrong side of the post.

That was the tiring Ives final opportunity to glean anything from this game as the Crows got back on top and spent most of the remaining half hour camped in Ives territory. Veteran centre back Dan Moyes was the hero in 62^nd minute. Iron initially did well to block a Bateman effort but Scott-Morriss looked certain to force home the rebound only for Moyes to come sliding in from nowhere to bravely block his effort at point blank range.

Four minutes later the powerful Bateman burst his way between Moyes and Kelly to power into the box. He could have gone for goal but unselfishly he rolled the ball inside to Murray who really should have scored but wildly screwed his effort wide from ten yards.

As the game entered the last ten minutes the recent rigours were really taking their toll on the tiring Ives with recent injury victim Mark Coulson already replaced by Jordan Patrick, other injury returnees Woodward, and Kelly and Moyes playing his first full game in a long time, all struggling it was a case of damage limitation in these last few minutes.

Unfortunately for the struggling Ives the Crows were in no mood to take pity on them and two more goals killed off the hosts and ensured that they dropped one place in the table. The third goal arrived in 80^th minute as Brandon Adams ran at the defence exchanging passes with Bateman before side footing home from close range. The final cope de gras in 89^th minute was the best finish of the game as Bateman picked up the ball inside the box finding enough time to turn and curl an exquisite finish over the watching Iron and into the top corner of the net.

The result leaves Ives sitting just one place above the bottom three and now with two cup matches pending which can hopefully give them chance to get a few more players back to fitness ahead of much more vital League fixtures which are looming post those games. There are certainly a lot of players in the squad who look desperately in need of a break so once again physio Jess Guthrie looks like the most vital person in the Club.

Final Score : St Ives Town 0 Royston Town 4

Goals : none

Team : Iron, Woodward, Coulson Patrick 66), Wood (capt), Kelly (Boland 86), Johnson, Moyes, Jarvis Wilson, Foy, Dylan Wilson (Dawkin 46), Ward

Unused subs : none,

Supporters man of the match : Jarvis Wilson

Attendance : 143

Report by Nigel Howlett. Photos by Louise Thompson.

Godmanchester Rovers Youth U13 White v St Ives Town U13

St Ives Town U16 v Berkhamsted Youth U16

Godmanchester Town U14 White v St Ives Town U14

St Ives Town U15 v Stanground Youth Sports U15

Papworth v St Ives Town Reserves

Creake Charity Shield – 19th October 2019

Young saints travelled to Papworth on Saturday to take on their first team in the Creake charity shield.

A fine all round performance saw St Ives winning 4-1.

Full use was made of the squad with many away injured and unavailable.

Midfielder Joe Purse deputised magnificently in goal.

After an even first 15 minutes saints started to dominate play with some great passing.

Ben smith opened the scoring after following up on a long range shot that the home keeper spilled to slot home. A second soon followed again from some great passing play with Danilo Corvalho getting on the scoresheet.

Our reserves extended the lead when Ben Smith again broke the papworth defensive line to round the keeper and finish.

Second half again started with some very even passages of play and Papworth took their chance with a close range header.

Not to be deterred the young saints side again went back to some great pass and move football and restored their three goal cushion when Adam Winter finished from close range.

St Ives continued to stand up to the physical battle while still trying to keep to their passing game.

Chances came and went for st Ives to extend their lead as they failed to capatlise and too often didnt work the Papworth keeper.

All credit to Papworth who showed great sportsmanship throughout the game and definitely gave the saints a tough competitive match.

St Ives team

J Purse. L Bould. E Young. L Quinsee. C O’Donovan. J Jay. K Pilkington. C Gibbs. A Winter. B Smith. D Corvalho. Subs S Simms. C Paine.

Report by Anthony O’Donovan

Alvechurch v St Ives Town

BetVictor League Southern Premier Division Central 19-10-19

A poor performance from the lacklustre Ives saw them fall to defeat against one of their rivals in the lower reaches of the table as the Church grabbed their first maximumreturn from a League game since August.

Finley Iron’s loan period from Cambridge United had been extended into the new year in midweek and he was already earning his money as early as second minute when he had to get down smartly to his right to keep out a crisp low drive from Jordan Goddard after Aaron Birch had cut out a poor clearance from Ty Ward and fed in the midfielder.

Charlie Johnson was also earning his corn early on and he did well to bravely slide in and block a Kevin Monteiro shot at point blank range after the speedy number ten had run onto a Kyle Perry flick.

The early pressure from the Church continued and the combination of Perry and Monteiro continued to cause problems for Ives. In 27^th minute Perry flicked on a long ball down the park to the feet of his fellow striker who returned the compliment to set up the big man for a rasping drive from 20 yards that Iron saved well low to his right.

The incessant pressure finally brought reward for the hosts in 29^th minute as Javia Roberts picked up a ball 35 yards from goal and cut in from the left before firing in a low drive from just outside the D that crept in the bottom corner past an unsighted Iron.

Ives first real attack of the game finally arrived ten minutes before the break when Dylan Wilson pinged a perfect pass out of the centre of the park to pick out Ben Seymour-Shove wide on the left. His driven cross was spilled by home keeper Joe Slinn but he was saved from embarrassment by his skipper Jamie Willets who just scrambled the loose ball away from Matt Foy.

The visitors first shot on target came only sixty seconds later when full back Jeff Woodward got away down the right before picking out debutant George Boland just outside the box. He took a touch then fired in a right footed effort that Slinn saved well low to his left.

The final few minutes of the half were a little more even but neither side were able to create much so the hosts went into the break with their slender advantage intact. Ives supporters were not to downhearted at this point as they were still remembering Tuesday evening when in similar circumstances their heroes came out for the restart with all guns blazing and quickly got themselves in front. But sadly there was no repeat at Lye Meadow and it was the hosts who quickly returned to running the show. Iron was forced to turn a 30 yard strike from Monteiro around the post only two minutes after the restart.

With the sun still shining but rain clouds building up a rainbow appeared over the clubhouse but there was little time for the embattled Ives to enjoy its splendour as the hosts continued to enjoy the possession and the larger the life Perry continued to be a thorn in their side. He combined well with Roberts just after the hour before delivering a low cross from the left which Monteiro was just unable to turn home at the back post.

The Church continued to rack up chances but were unable to put them away. In 71^st minute centre back Kyle Morrison managed to lose his marker at the near post to get a free header from a Goddard corner from the right but he failed to hit the target from eight yards.

The hosts chances to kill the game off continued to rack up and in 74^th minute Mitchell Botfield delivered a deep cross beyond the back post which Roberts diving in should have done better with but again he failed to hit the target with his free header.

Four minutes later it was Willets turn to be wasteful as he towered above the Ives defenders to get on the end of another Goddard corner but like his colleagues before him he failed to trouble Iron as his header flew well over the top.

The best opportunity for the hosts to finally kill things off came eleven minutes from time as Goddard got away clear down the centre at pace and closed on goal. But Dylan Wilson showed that he to has some real pace as he caught up with the speedy winger and did just enough to deflect his shot onto the foot of the post. Fortunately for Ives the rebound took the ball straight into the hands of the grateful Iron.

The wasteful Church had a final chance to finish off the woeful Ives three minutes later as Perry showed a surprising turn of pace to close down Iron as the keeper sprinted from his line to try to hack clear a long ball out of defence. The big striker blocked the attempted clearance and gained possession but he was still denied the goal his performance probably deserved as Johnson slid in to block his goal bound effort inside the six yard box.

Having missed so many chances to clinch the three points the hosts must have been nervous of conceding late but the closest Ives came to threatening them was a couple of corners in the last five minutes although neither of these led to an effort on goal so they happily claimed what has to be said was a fairly comfortable win.

The only few positives for Ives on such a poor day were that at least the many injured players must be getting closer to fitness and the other sides down the bottom end of the table, except rock bottom Leiston, all lost as well.

Final Score : Alvechurch 1 St Ives Town 0

Goals : none

Team : Iron, Phillips (Moyes 80), Ward (Dawkin 64), Wood (capt), Woodward, Johnson, Jarvis Wilson, Boland (Clifton 58), Foy, Dylan Wilson, Seymour-Shove

Unused subs : Patrick,

Supporters man of the match : Charlie Johnson

Attendance : 183

Report by Nigel Howlett. Photos by Louise Thompson.

Holbeach United U18 v St Ives Town U18

Thurlow Nunn Youth League – Western Division 17-10-19

With this result achieved on a very heavy pitch the battling Tigers leapfrogged the Ives into top spot in what is proving to be a very open Western Division this season. Looking at the surrounding Fenland fields on the way to the ground there was serious doubt that the game would take place as a day of heavy rain had left huge puddles everywhere, but so eager were the full strength hosts to have a crack at the League leaders that they were willing to sacrifice their pitch to do so. Ives were also very close to full strength with only keeper Kia Bradley missing allowing young George Driver to make his debut between the sticks. If the pitch held up a cracking game was in prospect.

Ives started the game confidently and grabbed the lead in only the eleventh minute as high pressing forced an error from Charlie Parkes losing possession inside his own penalty area allowing Connor Gibbs to fire home the loose ball.

It could have been 2-0 three minutes later as a corner from the left arrived at the feet of Gibbs at the back post his low drive beat keeper Daniel Kimber but Parkes was in position to redeem himself clearing off the line to keep Ives advantage to just a single goal.

Debutant keeper Driver was called into meaningful action for the first time only sixty seconds later as play swung to the other end where James Clark picked out Jordan Elston on the left edge of the box. He stepped inside and unleashed a fierce rising drive that Driver was forced to parry away.

At this point in the first half both sides were looking to attack at every opportunity and chances were arriving at both ends of the park. In 17^th minute Tom Wakley chased down a poor back pass from Tigers skipper Will Barnes, he beat Kimber to it but the big keeper spread himself well to block the toe poke with his body.

Back up the other end only two minutes later Barnes carved out an opening for himself and almost finished it as he picked up a loose ball in the centre of the park and let fly with a fierce drive from fully 35 yards that Driver was forced to tip over in spectacular fashion.

The 24^th minute saw Ives carve out, but fail to finish, another good chance. The hard working Wakley held the ball up well 25 yards from goal and fed in Zac Hope cutting in from the right. Hope struck his shot cleanly but the well positioned Kimber deflected the ball behind with his legs.

As the half wore on both defences seemed to get a bit more of a grip of the opposition attackers and the game settled down into more of a midfield battle which was being fought out in the heaviest part of the pitch where it was becoming more a survival of the fittest. Each side carved out one more opportunity before the break. Barnes tried his luck from distance again in 40^th minute but his effort from 25 yards was always rising and did not trouble Driver on its way over the crossbar. Ives went closer to doubling their advantage with their chance as Wakley flicked on a long ball to put early substitute Ben Smith in on Kimber. He rounded the keeper on the edge of the box but Jake Gadsden covering around behind his keeper did just enough to dispossess the Ives man before he could get his shot away.

Ives had one more opportunity to increase their lead early in the second period before the strength sapping surface and some determined opponents began to wrestle control away from them. That chance came in 51^st minute as Wakley got on the end of a long Driver free kick and knocked it down to Hope just inside the box but he rather snatched at his shot and fired wide from a good position.

The equaliser arrived four minutes later in a way that will disappoint the Ives management crew as Jack Forster lost his man to arrive unmarked at the back post and head home a Barnes corner from the right.

From this point the hosts started to get on top although it took until 72^nd minute before they went close to going in front. Tricky winger Elston had changed across to the right where he used his speed to cut inside before firing in a stinging low drive that Driver did well to hang onto at his near post.

Impressive centre back Leon Quinsee limped out of the action only a minute later to be replaced by Connor Paine and the unfortunate Paine had only been on the field a couple of minutes when he was involved in the incident that lead to the Tigers winner. Josh Balding fed substitute Luke Scampion into the box on the left. Scampion’s attempted cross struck the arm of Paine and referee James Marsden instantly pointed to the spot. Parkes sent Driver the wrong way with the resulting penalty to turn the game around.

Barnes continued to run the game in the centre of the park and in 81^st minute he laid a ball into the feet of Elston on the edge of the box, an excellent touch and a clever turn saw the winger create just enough space for the shot which he fired inches wide of Driver’s right hand upright.

Ives continued to battle and carved out one opportunity to get something from the game in 85^th minute when young substitute Oliver Daniel picked out the run of Hope cutting in from the left. The Ives winger hit his shot well, but Kimber was again in the right place and blocked with his legs.

The final action of the game two minutes later saw young Driver again show his agility as he plunged full length to his right to keep out a well hit shot from the edge of the box by Elston. Skipper Karl Frans helped out his keeper by sliding to knock the loose ball away before Scampion could force it home.

The result justified the Tigers pre-match efforts to get the game on as it saw the hosts leapfrog the Ives to return to the top of the table but with six team all separated by three points and Deeping and Peterborough Sports both with games in hand sat just behind them this division looks likely to go all the way before a likely winner materialises this season.

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

Goals : Gibbs 11

St Ives team : Driver, Frans (capt), Darnell, O’Donovan, Quinsee (Paine 73), Young, Hope (Mitkov 65), McDougald (Smith 33), Wakley, Gibbs (Squire 65), Cobb (Daniel 73)

Other subs used roll on roll off : Hope for Mitkov 83

Unused Subs : none

Attendance : Approx 55

Report by Nigel Howlett

Leiston v St Ives Town

BetVictor League Southern Premier Division Central 15-10-19

This game always looked like a potential banana skin for the injury hit Ives, a 200 mile round trip to the home of the rock bottom Blues who were without a win all season on a Tuesday night was certainly not what manager Ricky Marheineke and his patched up charges wanted. But at the end of a real roller coaster of a game that neither side deserved to win it is Ives who will come away least happy with a point as not for the first time this season they conceded a very costly late goal.

With Danny Kelly and Mark Coulson joining the long injury list having picked up knocks Ives supporters were delighted to see a return of Declan Rogers to the fold as the midfielder was signed on the morning of the match to boost the visitors depleted ranks. Rogers came straight into the starting line up alongside Tom Wood in the centre of the park.

The game started slowly with neither side creating a lot in the first fifteen minutes. It was an excellent advantage played by referee Michael Robertson-Tant that allow the first opportunity of the game to emerge and it was a chance that should have seen Ives go in front. Ty Ward was taken down late on the half way line by Louie Bloom but just before his legs were taken from him the left back had set Ben Seymour-Shove away down the left and he teed up the perfect teasing cross to the back post where Dylan Wilson arrived unmarked. He just had to direct his header past the exposed Charlie Beckwith in the home goal, but he got up a little to early and was coming down when the ball arrived and only succeeded in steering his header just over the top.

It looked like Ives injury woes were continuing as three minutes later a sickening clash of heads on the half way line saw Ben Jackson left in a heap with blood seeping onto the turf. Fortunately the busiest physio in the League Jess Guthrie was able to patch him up and he returned to the fray with his head bandaged up as in the infamous Terry Butcher days of old.

But the pattern of play was now swinging against the Ives as the Blues enjoyed a spell on top which saw them gain a two goal advantage in the next fifteen minutes. The danger signs were beginning to show and it took a brave save from Finley Iron plunging in to take the ball off the toe of Robert Eagle as he tried to steer home a low cross from the left by Tom Woerndl. Iron made a more routine save in the 24^th minute as he comfortably claimed Josh Hitter’s free kick from the left edge of the box. But the young stopper had no chance when the hosts went in front only a minute later. Mason Sinclair was given acres of space as he roamed forward from right back with the ball at his feet. As no challenge came in he kept going until he got to the right hand edge of the box before delivering a low cross that Bloom sliding in at the far post turned past Iron.

The same player doubled the Blues advantage ten minutes before the break as he like Sinclair before him was given a little bit to much space inside Ives half. The hosts number eleven strode forward before unleashing a vicious drive that deflected off a defender before finding its way into the top left hand corner of Iron’s net.

Two in front was heady territory for the hosts who had not scored more than a single goal in their previous four home games. Their target had to be to stay two clear until the break. They almost achieved that but not quite as Seymour-Shove’s in-swinging corner from the left was pawed down inside the box by keeper Beckwith. The ball fell to Jarvis Wilson who saw his low drive blocked on the line by Noel Aitkens but Matt Foy showed his strikers instinct to pounce on the loose ball and fire home off the underside of the crossbar to reduce the arrears.

Ives came out for the start of the second half early and showed that they were in determined mood as they wrestled control of the game straight from the off. Aaron Phillips was denied an equaliser by a brilliant one handed diving save from Beckwith only ninety seconds after the re-start.

Referee Robertson-Tant played yet another excellent advantage for Ives equaliser in 49^th minute as Phillips played an exquisite cross field clip to put Seymour-Shove clear coming in from the left. The Ives winger was taken down by James Gaffer but Foy was following up and curled the loose ball around Beckwith to level things up. Gaffer picked up a yellow card for the foul that would almost certainly have been red had the ball not ended up in the net. But it was only a temporary reprieve for Gaffer as he picked up his second yellow card only four minutes later for kicking the ball away after Harry Knights had brought down Wilson in the centre of the park.

Ives have struggled to kill off opponents who have gone down to ten men previously this season but surely they were on their way to a remarkable come back win when Seymour-Shove put them in front just after the hour. Rogers picked out Phillips in space on the right and he put in a teasing cross to the back post where Seymour-Shove arriving at pace fired in a first time effort that Beckwith did well to block but the ball rolled loose allowing Seymour-Shove to gleefully fire it home into the roof of the net.

Having got in front Ives seemed to drop their intensity level a little allowing the ten man Blues to get back into the game. Bloom again tried his luck from long range in 74^th minute and this time his effort was deflected just over the top. But the visitors struggled to clear the resulting corner which was delivered deep to the back post. An eventual attempt to clear the danger saw the ball cannon back into the net off Hitter who was quick to claim the accolades for scoring the equaliser.

Back came Ives again and they were gifted the lead back only three minutes later as keeper Beckwith completely misjudged a deep cross from the right by Jackson allowing Foy to ghost around behind him and claim the match ball as he steered his free header into the empty net.

Having got back in front the visitors then had a golden opportunity to kill off the game five minutes from time Phiilips was again involved as he threaded a ball into the feet of Foy on the edge of the box a clever flick from Foy put substitute Josh Dawkin clear one on one with the keeper a chance that a fully match fit Dawkin would have buried but he is still working his way back up to game speed and although he tried to slide the ball past Beckwith low to his left the big keeper did well and got down smartly to smother the effort.

With the clock ticking down Ives simply had to keep possession and see out the remaining minutes but they seem to be picking up a nasty habit recently of failing to get over the line in these situations. There was a warning of what might be to come in the last of the ninety minutes as big centre back Knights got on the end of a Aitkens free kick and steered in a goal bound header that Iron claimed well. But in the last of the four added minutes a free kick conceded on the half way line cost the visitors two points. With everyone else in and around Ives box Beckwith delivered the ball to the back post where Knights again won the header knocking the ball down into the mix where Aitkens forced it home to spark wild celebrations amongst the hosts supporters as they claimed only their second point of the season.

The point has moved Ives up the table one place to seventeenth but whether it proves to be a good point on the road on a Tuesday night or two valuable points lost remains to be seen. Another vital away trip looms up now as they visit the team one place below them in Alvechurch and with most of the injured still weeks rather than days away from a return to the side anything gleaned from a trip to Lye Meadow will be a bonus.

Final Score : Leiston 4 St Ives Town 4

Goals : Foy 45+2, 48 & 78, Seymour-Shove 62

Team : Iron, Phillips (Woodward 90+2), Ward, Wood (capt), Jackson, Johnson, Jarvis Wilson, Rogers, Foy, Dylan Wilson (Dawkin 78), Seymour-Shove

Unused subs : Moyes,

Supporters man of the match : Matt Foy

Attendance : 139

Report by Nigel Howlett. Video by Dave Hook

Fulbourn Institute Bluebirds Women v St Ives Town Ladies Development

Haringey Borough Women v St Ives Town Ladies

St Ives Town U15 v Wroxham U15

St Ives Town U14 v Stotfold U14

St Ives Town U16 v Cambridge City Youth U16

St Ives Town v Peterborough Sports

BetVictor League Southern Premier Division Central 12-10-19

It was a happy return to Westwood Road for former Ives legend Jimmy Dean as his Sports side executed an almost Ives like game plan to take all three points from an entertaining and competitive Cambridgeshire derby in front of a good crowd on Non-League day.

Ives dressing room these days is looking more like an episode of Casualty that a football squad and once again there were six probable starters missing on the treatment table with skipper Robbie Parker and Aaron Phillips joining those missing out. Once again manager Ricky Marheineke was forced to shuffle his cards with Jarvis Wilson returning from suspension in an unfamiliar centre midfield role and Tom Wood taking over the armband.

The bench was made up of the walking wounded, the evergreen Dan Moyes plus a very welcome return to the squad for the first time since his serious injury over two years ago from fans favourite Josh Dawkin.

Despite all of their troubles the hosts started the game well with Dylan Wilson firing a twenty yarder into the boards in the fourth minute. Ben Jackson should probably have done better as he picked up a Matt Foy knock down in a little bit of space just outside the box on the quarter hour but the full back tried to steer his effort just inside Lewis Moat’s left hand post and missed by a couple of feet.

Any team managed by Dean is always going to be hard working and despite being under the cosh in the early stages the Turbines weathered the storm and slowly started to work their way into the contest. They created their first opportunity in 18^th minute as Maniche Sani battled his way through the middle before feeding in Cameron Johnson cutting in from the left. Johnson burst into the box only to be denied by an excellent covering block from Jackson.

Dylan Wilson was always looking dangerous and was involved in most of the creativity coming out of the Ives, he carved out what turned out to be their best opportunity of the half only sixty seconds later as he picked up the ball in the centre of the park and ran at the heart of the visitors defence. He nimbly skipped past two tackles before drawing in other defenders and feeding the ball into the run of Ben Seymour-Shove in space just outside the box. But the Ives wide man got the ball tangled in his feet and had to turn forcing him to try his luck with a curler from the edge of the box which sailed inches wide with Moat looking on.

As has happened to Ives a couple of times recently they miss a good chance at one end and then almost instantly find themselves behind at the other. On this occasion the protagonist was Sani who used his pace and strength to battle his way to the edge of the D before feeding in Josh McCammon. Home keeper Finley Iron was alert to the danger and raced from his line to bravely block McCammon’s effort at point blank range but the ball ran loose to Johnson who coolly rolled it into the empty net.

Going in front seemed to lift the Turbines and they enjoyed their best spell of the game for the next twenty minutes. To their credit Ives battled well in spite adding to their mammoth injury list as they lost Ollie Snaith to what looked like a bad shoulder injury in 27^th minute. He was replaced by a patched-up Ty Ward and whilst they were reorganising the visitors went close again. The tricky Dion Sembie-Ferris combined well with full back Mitch Griffiths down the right. The latter delivering a teasing cross that Johnson looked likely to nod home at the back post by Jackson used his strength and did just enough to prevent the Turbines striker making a clean contact.

The visitors went close again ten minutes before the break as Paul Malone got on the end of a Dan Lawlor corner from the right. Iron did well to keep out his powerful header from eight yards but the keeper was relieved when referee Abi Byrne decreed that Malone had fouled his man just as the Turbines centre back was shaping to prod home the loose ball.

Ives did create one opportunity to get level just ninety seconds before the break as a Mark Coulson throw down the left was flicked inside by Wood and the ball fell perfectly to Ward on the edge of the box. The substitute struck his half volley cleanly but the shot was straight at the well positioned Moat who held on at the second attempt.

After an uplifting half time team talk from manager Ricky Marheineke the hosts came out fired up and with a desperate desire to get on level terms, but unluckily for them they found a goalkeeper in inspired form as Moat denied them three times in the opening fifteen minutes of the second period. His heroics started only 45 seconds after the restart. A Jackson long throw was flicked on by Wood the ball falling to Coulson on the edge of the box. The full back cracked in a rising drive that was going to scream in under the crossbar but for the intervention of keeper Moat as he hurled himself full length to his left to fingertip the effort over the top.

His next save five minutes later was a little more routine as Seymour-Shove kept alive an overhit cross from the right by Jackson. He fed the ball back to Coulson who curled in the perfect cross picking out Foy who had drifted in between the Turbines centre backs. The Ives centre forward should have done better as although he got power behind his free header he only succeeded in directing it straight into the grateful arms of Moat from eight yards out.

Although Ives were well on top during this period of the game they still had to be aware of the danger posed by the livewire Sembie-Ferris and he almost created something out of nothing for the visitors in 56^th minute as he picked up a ball on the right and ran at the hosts defence beating his man before feeding the ball inside to Jim Stevenson on the edge of the box. Fortunately he did not hit his shot cleanly thus giving Iron chance to get across low to his left to make the save.

The inspirational Moat again showed his quality as he made an amazing save to deny Wilson and keep his team in front on the hour. A cross from the left by Seymour-Shove evaded everyone in the centre but was kept alive by Wood on the opposite flank, his return cross into the mix skimmed off the head of Malone and fell to Wilson just outside the six yard box. It looked like he must score as he hit his first time effort powerfully on goal but Moat had anticipated where it was going and launched himself to his right the ball crashing into his body in such a way that he managed to not only make the save but also hold onto the ball to prevent the lurking Foy knocking it home.

Failing to put that chance away seemed to knock the Ives a little. Their confidence then took another huge blow nine minutes later as a poor pass out of defence by Charlie Johnson was cut out by Sembie-Ferris who seized the invitation to run at the hosts defence which almost unbelievably seemed to part in front of him. He simply kept going into the box before sliding the ball home low past the left hand of the exposed Iron.

Two minutes later and the game was all over as Turbines substitute Josh Moreman raced past Jackson down the left to get to the bye line. His pull back picked out Sembie-Ferris at the near post who probably should have scored but instead slammed his shot into the foot of the post. The loose ball ran across the face of goal to Stevenson who had the simple task of rolling it into the empty net.

There was still time for the battling hosts to create two good opportunities for a consolation goal in the remaining twenty minutes. In 76^th minute a long hanging Coulson free kick should really have been claimed by keeper Moat but he stayed rooted to his line allowing Foy to get a free header on the end of it. He knocked the ball down to the feet of the usually composed Kelly on the six yard line in the centre of goal. But on this occasion the centre back fluffed his lines as he completely missed his kick allowing the ball to run to safety off his standing leg.

The final chance for Ives fell to Wood only one minute later as he got on the end of an excellent driven cross by Seymour-Shove just outside the six yard box. But his contact on the ball was a little to good and he only succeeded in powering the ball away from goal.

The visitors successfully managed to see out the remaining time to claim a hard earned three points but there were blows for both sides ahead of important games coming up in those last few minutes, and one very sentimental moment. Ives lost substitute Ward to a knock thirteen minutes from time and he was replaced by Dan Clifton. At the same time Seymour-Shove left the field to be replaced by Dawkin for his long awaited comeback into step 3 football.

Much more concerning for the Turbines was Sembie-Ferris limping off in added time and the final action of the game saw Coulson involved in a clash of heads with Marshall Willock which could rule the Ives full back out of Tuesday’s must win trip to rock bottom Leiston.

Final Score : St Ives Town 0 Peterborough Sports 3

Goals : none

Team : Iron, Jackson, Coulson, Wood (capt), Kelly, Johnson, Seymour-Shove (Dawkin 77), Jarvis Wilson, Foy, Dylan Wilson, Snaith (Ward 27, Clifton 77)

Unused subs : Moyes, Patrick

Supporters man of the match : Dylan Wilson

Attendance : 285

Report by Nigel Howlett. Photos by Louise Thompson.