Season: 2020-21

St Ives Town U14 v Godmanchester Town U14

St Ives Town Ladies Development v Fulbourn Institute Bluebirds Women

St Ives Town v Redditch United

Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central 17-10-20

Two well taken second half goals from Nathan Hicks ensured a winning return for the Ives following their Covid enforced lay off. However the previously unbeaten Reds made life very difficult for themselves right from the off as full back Kieren Donnelly petulantly pushed Marc Richards in the face to earn himself a straight red card in only the third minute.

The visitors quickly reshuffled their team to leave just a lone striker up front allowing Ives plenty of possession but the hosts struggled to find a route through the Reds tight back line. The only real opportunity for a shot on goal that they managed to work in the first twenty minutes came in 19^th minute when Michael Gyasi cut in from the left past Tom Rankin and although he was clipped by the stand in full back just inside the box he kept going but only succeeded in firing has shot straight at keeper Kieran Boucher.

The Reds first real penetration into Ives territory two minutes later brought them reward as Jordan Clement picked up a loose ball 25 yards from goal and tried his luck. The ball took a wicked deflection off an Ives defender and crept past Martin Conway low to his left. That was Clement’s last action of the game as Reds manager Matt Clarke decided to go for shoring up his back line immediately by replacing the striker with a genuine defender in Ioan Richards thus releasing his skipper Rankin back into his more familiar midfield role.

The game quickly reverted to its previous pattern with Ives enjoying a lot of possession and trying patiently to find a way through the massed ranks of the Reds. Gyasi spurned a golden opportunity to even things up on the half hour as a surging run through the centre by Oran Jackson opened things up a little. He fed the ball out to Hicks on the right who got to the bye line before picking out Gyasi by the penalty spot with his pull back but the young striker miss hit his shot past the post when he probably should have done better.

But the youngster redeemed things only five minutes later as he was fed into the box by a clever little ball from Ben Seymour-Shove this time he felt the contact from struggling centre back Aaron Davies and went to ground. Referee Daniel Todd was right on the spot and awarded the spot kick. Richards made no mistake with the penalty sending Boucher the wrong way to level things up.

The Reds supporters certainly thought that things were not going their way and only three minutes later that feeling was reinforced a little more as referee Todd waved away their appeals for a penalty when Gyasi clattered into the back of Matt Dodd as the right winger was battling his way into the box. But Ives survived that scare to go into the break all square at one a piece.

Gyasi had spent most of the first half causing the Reds defence problems with his pace and trickery. But not only did he catch the visitors defence napping he amazed virtually everyone in the ground as he set up the goal that put Ives in front nine minutes after the re-start. A long punt up field by an Ives defender looked like it was going to run harmlessly out of play over the goal line, everyone had stopped, even keeper Boucher had not yet moved to collect it no doubt hoping to waste a little more time. But Gyasi did not give it up the rocket propelled striker managed to get to the ball and keep it in play then had the presence of mind to get his head up and pick out Hicks in the centre who duly obliged by side footing the ball in the bottom corner past the bemused keeper.

The trickery of Gyasi continued to terrorise the Reds back line and in 65^th minute he drew a foul out of Ioan Richards on the left allowing Dylan Williams to float a free kick to the back post where Jacob Ballinger, who had only replaced a limping Seymour-Shove seconds earlier rose above his marker but he planted his powerful header over the top from eight yards.

A sickening clash by the touch line four minutes later left both Gyasi and Rankin needing lengthy treatment as both misjudged a spinning ball and clattered into each other. The loose ball was fed across the edge across the box by Hicks allowing Ballinger to get in another snap shot that deflected inches wide off a defender.

The goal that finished off any lingering resistance from the Reds arrived 15 minutes before the end. Patient build up from Ives eventually saw the ball fed into the feet of Williams 30 yards from goal in the centre of the pitch. He strode forwarded before unleashing a powerful drive that ricocheted off a defender and arrived at the feet of Hicks just outside the box. He showed fantastic composure getting his head up before curling a left footer into the top corner of the net past the grasping fingers of a diving Boucher.

Now two in front the hosts chose to preserve their lead rather than look to add to it and were very effective in keeping the ball and moving it around forcing their opponents to work very hard to simply gain possession of the ball. Throughout the remainder of normal time and the added six minutes Ives looked very comfortable restricting the Reds to a couple of half chances. In 78^th minute substitute Ethan Johnstone ran onto an Alex Cameron flick but fired over from a narrow angle. Four minutes later Toseland bravely blocked a pile driver from the edge of the box by the same player. The final chance for the visitors to cut the arrears came in 88^th minute when Kieran Day was brought down just inches outside the box by debutant Luke Howell but Kyle Copp could not get his free kick past Ives five man wall.

That is two wins out of two at Westwood Road for the classy new look Ives and if they can build on those results and pick up points from the games in hand caused by their enforced break then a very promising season beckons provided that the dreaded Covid-19 does not get in the way of us all.

Final Score : St Ives Town 3 Redditch United 1

Goals : Richards 35 (pen), Hicks 54 & 75

Team : Conway, Howell, Toseland, Gyasi, Oran Jackson, Solkhon, Seymour-Shove (Ballinger 66), Parker (capt), Richards, Williams (Seth Patrick 84), Hicks (Clifton 89)

Unused subs : Jordan Patrick

Supporters man of the match : Nathan Hicks

Attendance : 156

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

Click on photos for full size.

Deeping Rangers U18 v St Ives Town U18

Thurlow Nunn Youth League – Western Division 15-10-20

Outgang Road has for many years been a graveyard for the young Ives with some heavy pastings inflicted in the past almost inevitably in awful weather. The omens did not look good pre-match either with Rangers boasting an unbeaten run going into the game and coming into it off the back of a home victory over Peterborough Sports who had recently despatched the Ives.

One thing certainly came true to form as right on kick off the heavy rain swept in to add damp to what was already a cold evening with a North Easterly wind sweeping in all the way from the North sea.

The early stages did not bode well as in only third minute keeper George Driver was beaten to a long ball over the top that held up in the wind by Alton Strachan but the Rangers striker pulled his effort wide with the goal gaping.

A second chance came the way of the hosts in 14^th minute as Jack Squire fouled Archie Richards on the corner of the box. Richards picked himself up and curled the resulting free kick to the back post where Mapalo Mwansa rose above the crowd but steered his header over the top from eight yards. Two minutes later full back Leo Brando broke away down the left before feeding in Aaron Ake who took his time but carefully curled his shot just wide of the far post from the corner of the box.

Ives were battling hard and no one harder than midfield dynamo Squire who won a crunching tackle in the centre of the park before clipping the ball over the top into the run of Ryley McDougald in 18^th minute. The Ives centre forward tried to lob out of position keeper James Roberts from 25 yards but only succeeded in drifting his effort wide on the breeze.

By this point the game was evening up into an entertaining contest and the next chance came the way of the hosts as Will Howarth outmuscled Joe Cobb and battled his way into the box before unleashing a left footed effort that keeper Driver did well to block with his body before pouncing on the loose ball.

Back up the other end in 22^nd minute Squire again fed in McDougald who did well to hurdle a desperate lunging challenge from Jamie Allen. Had he gone down he may well have won his team a spot kick but he stayed honest and slid his shot past the advancing Roberts but inches the wrong side of the post.

Driver came to his sides rescue twice in quick succession around the half hour as he initially saved the blushes of Fayed Rhaman whose poor square pass along the back line had been cut out by Richards. Driver quickly closed down the striker as he strode into the box and stayed big to block his shot at point blank range. Only seconds later Ake got away down the right and picked out Howarth at the near post. The centre forward struck his effort cleanly from eight yards but a well positioned Driver was equal to it not only blocking but holding the shot.

A clever Ives corner almost saw them get their noses in front in 36^th minute. Zac Hope lost his man to get on the end of Faris Rhaman’s corner from the right but his near post effort rattled the upright and rebounded to safety.

Going that close lifted the visitors and they enjoyed a purple patch up to the break with keeper Roberts having to sprint from his line to just prevent Ben Smith getting on the end of a Hope through ball in 40^th minute. The ball was almost instantly fed back deep into Rangers territory where Faris Rhaman showed his silky skills as he picked up the ball fully 35 yards out before ghosting past two defenders, drawing keeper Roberts to him but sliding his shot just the wrong side of the post.

Hope managed to hit the woodwork for the second time in ten minutes as the game entered added time striking a 30 yard free kick that dipped late completely deceiving Roberts who looked on as the ball cannoned off the face of his right hand upright and rebounded into play.

They were now playing against the strong breeze but Ives continued where they left off in the early stages of the second half. In 57^th minute Smith got away down the right before driving in a cross that keeper Roberts just did enough with to prevent the late arriving Squire getting on the end of.

Ives went in front in classic fashion in the very next attack only ninety seconds later. McDougald wriggled his way out of two challenges on the left before hanging up the type of teasing cross that was crying out to be rammed in the net and Smith obliged in style as he hurled himself at the ball on the edge of the six yard box to emphatically ram the ball home.

It could so easily have been two six minutes later as Smith burst through down the right before cutting inside and trying his luck from a narrow angle but only firing straight at the keeper with Squire and Hope both unmarked and screaming for a pull back in the centre.

Having failed to kill off their opponents Ives found themselves pegged back with fifteen minutes to go. Richards latched onto a ball on the left but he was running away from goal when he was taken down just inside the box by a lunging tackle from O’Donovan. Substitute Jack Brumfield took the responsibility from the spot and sent Driver the wrong way to level things up.

An exciting last fifteen minutes was promised but as the two sides tired it began to look like a share of the spoils was looking inevitable until the final three minutes. In 87^th minute Richards teed up his skipper Ben Baker for a fierce drive from 25 yards that Mihayl Mitkov bravely blocked with his body just outside the box.

Then with only one minute of the ninety remaining the young full back teamed up with Faris Rhaman to produce a goal worthy of winning a Premiership game let alone an under 18 fixture out in the windswept fens. Mitkov picked up the ball inside his own half and exchanged passes with Rhaman at least three times as they played their way through the bemused Rangers defence on the left hand side. The final ball inside from Mitkov put Rhaman into the box and he did the rest prodding the ball past Roberts low to his right to spark wild celebrations amongst the visitors and silence the noisy group of home supporters on the rails.

There were four added minutes and that was just time for Driver to earn his corn as he plunged low to his left to fingertip away a powerful drive from the edge of the box by Baker. The resulting corner was powerfully headed away by McDougald and the referees whistle blew on a very satisfactory performance and an excellent result for Ives.

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

Goals : Smith 58, Faris Rhaman 89

St Ives team : Driver, Fayed Rhaman, Mitkov, Faris Rhaman, Quinsee, Cobb, Smith (Taylor 78), O’Donovan, McDougald, Squire, Hope (capt)

Other substitutions (roll on roll off) : none

Unused Subs : Sulman

Attendance : 86

St Ives Town Ladies v Peterborough Northern Star Ladies

St Ives Town Ladies v Bedford Ladies

St Ives Town Ladies Development v March Town Ladies

AFC Dunstable U15 Whites v St Ives Town U15

St Ives Town U11 v Parkside Athletic U11 Yellow

Leverington Sports Ladies v St Ives Town Ladies Development

Northampton Town Women v St Ives Town Ladies

Stotfold U15 v St Ives Town U15

Cambridge City Youth U14 v St Ives Town U14

Peterborough Thorpe Wood Rangers U11 Blue v St Ives Town U11

Peterborough Sports U18 v St Ives Town U18

For those wishing to attend the game this evening, the following protocols need to be followed.

Venue: Bee Arena ,Peterborough Sports FC, 651 Lincoln Road, Peterborough PE1 3HA

Please note that there are parking restrictions in place via a parking eye that will require you to enter your car registration at the bar via the tablet provided, when doing so please select the event option which will cover you for the duration of your stay. This will also include any coaches or mini buses.

ENTRY INTO THE GROUND FOR PLAYERS COACHES OFFICALS ANDSPECTATORS IS VIA THE NEW TURNSTILE BLOCK THROUGH THE GREEN GATES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR PARK ONTO THE BACK PITCH, WHERE THERE WILL BE A QR CODE OR A BOOK FOR THOSE WITHOUT THE SMARTPHONE APP FOR TRACK AND TRACE

YOU CAN LOG IN FOR COVID TRACK AND TRACE USING THE QR CODE BELOW OR USE THE BOOK PROVIDED INSIDE THE GROUND.

STEP 1 : YOU WILL NEED THE NHS COVID APP, SCAN THE CODE WITH YOUR CAMERA APP VIA THE VENUE AND IT WILL AUTOMATICALLY SIGN YOU INTO OUR ADDRESS.

Northampton Town Women

Kings Langley v St Ives Town

Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central 29-09-20

This game was a brilliant advert for step three football as the two sides slugged it out at break neck speed almost from start to finish. The only thing lacking was a grandstand finish to the game from either side but that was probably as much down to both sides simply running out of energy in the closing stages as the exertions of the crowded early season fixture list caught up with them.

With manager Ricky Marheineke awaiting the result of a coronavirus test Mitchell Austin took charge of the team for the first time. Even though Marheineke was not at the Orbital Fasteners Stadium he was very much to the fore in the changes to Ives line up from their gallant defeat on Saturday. Hard work by he and the club secretary earlier in the day ensured that experienced right back Liam Bateman was signed from Tamworth in time to replace stand in full back Jarvis Wilson. Nabil Shariff had completed his three match ban to take the number eight shirt vacated by injured skipper Robbie Parker with Marc Richards taking the armband. Austin’s first decision came his way before the game even started as Northampton loanee Jacob Ballinger pulled up in the warm-up with a muscle injury, Ben Toseland taking his place in the starting eleven.

The game may not have had an exciting finish but it certainly had an explosive start. There were only sixty seconds on the stop watch when Marc Richards caught Callum Adebiyi dallying just outside his own box. The ball was knocked sideways to Michael Gyasi who took a touch before rifling in a powerful left footed effort that keeper Alex Tokarczyk got a hand to be could not keep out of the net.

Ives high pressing game was causing the Kings defenders problems early on, two minutes later it was again Adebiyi who made the mistake. This time his hurried clearance went straight to Dylan Williams thirty yards from goal. His threaded pass picked out the well judged run of Gyasi but this time the young striker’s touch let him down allowing Tokarczyk to claim the ball.

The hosts first really threatening foray came in 14^th minute when full back Kyle Connolly was allowed space to roam forward and took the opportunity to try his luck from fully thirty yards. His low drive skimmed off the wet surface forcing keeper Martin Conway into a diving save low to his right.

Captain Richards was very much leading by example and his harrying tactics almost brought further reward half way through the first period as he robbed Rod Collins inside the centre circle before feeding in Gyasi cutting in from the left. This time the speedy striker fired his effort harmlessly across the face of goal from a narrow angle.

By this point the game had become very much an end to end affair with Richards, Gyasi and Shariff all causing problems for the visitors and to counter that the equally mobile strike force of Brad Wadkins, Harrison Crawford and Jack Wood were stretching the Ives defence. Crawford got away down the left in 27^th minute before delivering a pin-point cross to the near post where Wadkins managed to get in front of Oran Jackson but could not steer his effort on target.

Ten minutes later Collins combined well with Wood who did well to turn Brett Solkhon on the edge of the box but Jackson was covering and slid in to bravely block the striker’s effort at point blank range. With half time approaching the hosts continued to press forward in search of an equaliser Jordan Parkes had a long range effort well held by Conway four minutes from the break but the Ives keeper had no chance when the leveller did arrive ninety seconds before the break. Parkes delivered a long free kick was into Ives box a couple of attempts to get it clear were unsuccessful and the ball eventually fell to Crawford by the penalty spot who slammed home a low right footed effort to take the two teams in at the break at one goal each.

The second half started exactly as the first had with Richards forcing Adebiyi into an early mistake, this time needlessly conceding a corner. The flag kick was the first touch for Dan Clifton, who had replaced the limping Williams at the break. It was delivered to the centre of the box where Richards was again prominent. The ball ricocheted off a defender and fell to Gyasi just inside the box. He finished like a true striker spinning and lashing home the ball with such ferocity that Tokarczyk did not move a muscle as it flashed past him and billowed the net.

Ives now back in front only ninety seconds after the re-start but this time the lead did not last long as Wood was allowed to pick up a loose ball 25 yards from goal. He cleverly side stepped a defender before beating Conway low to his right with a well struck effort.

The game continued at the same unrelenting pace as both sides went in search of a winner. The next couple of attempts both came from the home side, in 56^th minute Wood cut inside Toseland down the right before firing in a low drive that keeper Conway held cleanly at his near post. Four minutes later the same player combined well with overlapping full back Gary Connolly before again lining up a fierce drive from the edge of the box but this time he was thwarted by Solkhon bravely hurling himself across the line of the shot.

Ives next noteworthy attempt arrived in 67^th minute when Richards added to Adebiyi’s tough night by forcing him into a poor header as the pair challenged for a long punt from keeper Conway just outside the box. The ball fell to Gyasi who was only denied his hat trick by Tokarczyk plunging to his left to keep out his toe poked effort. Gyasi’s pace continued to trouble the Kings back line and six minutes later he showed just how quick he can be as he picked up the ball on the half way line before showing Gary Connolly a clean pair of heels thene cutting inside and firing off a rising drive that was unfortunately straight at keeper Tokarczyk who held on well.

Opportunities continued to come the way of Ives front three and the next trio of chances all fell to Shariff. In 76^th minute he managed to almost get clear onto a clever Richards flick to a Conway punt only to be denied by a brilliantly timed covering tackle from Jorell Johnson. With just six minutes of the ninety left he got even closer as he intercepted a poor cross field pass just inside Kings half and bore down on goal. But the fact that this was his first full ninety minutes of the season began to show and he was forced into an early shot from the edge of the box as defenders began to close. His shot was still sufficient to force Tokarczyk into a diving save low to his right. The resulting corner by substitute Ben Seymour-Shove saw Shariff cleverly lose his marker but he was not able to get sufficient contact on the ball to trouble the keeper.

Referee Michael Smith added an extra six minutes to take into account time lost during two lengthy periods of treatment to keeper Conway who fortunately made it to the end and a number of periods when inexplicably there were no footballs to allow the game to continued and a wait ensued whilst someone had to go and collect one from an adjacent field. But whilst Kings enjoyed most of the possession during this period both sides were looking a bit leggy and neither were able to create a clear opportunity for a winner.

Overall conclusion was a very entertaining game where the stats suggested that a draw was probably a fair result. With the strength and guile of Richards and the speed and finishing ability of Gyasi and Shariff Ives look dangerous every time they go forward and with the inclusion of Bateman’s experience the back line now looks a lot more solid. The midfield perhaps lacked a little in this game but with captain Parker hopefully soon to return and Seth Patrick expected to get his international clearance in the near future the competition for places is hotting up which hopefully bodes well for a good season.

Final Score : Kings Langley 2 St Ives Town 2

Goals : Gyasi 2 & 47

Team : Conway, Bateman, Toseland, Hottor, Oran Jackson, Solkhon, Gyasi (Seymour-Shove 82), Shariff, Richards (capt) (Lincoln 88), Williams (Clifton 46), Hicks

Unused subs : Ballinger, Patrick

Supporters man of the match : Michael Gyasi

Attendance : 293

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