Each week the website asks a supporter to give us their match report for a recent game. This week, loyal supporter and current sponsor; Danny Sharratt of Mitsa Promotions in St Ives gave us his insight into Saturday's match.

Hunts Senior Cup - Quarter Final

Godmanchester Rovers 1 St Ives Town 3

Godmanchester Rovers hosted St Ives Town in glorious sunshine in this Hunts Senior Cup quarter final clash at Bearscroft Lane.  During the early exchanges, Godmanchester struggled to make it out of their own half, kicking into a bitter wind.  St Ives won the first corner of the game after six minutes but were unable to get an effort on target and had to wait until five minutes later for the games first real chance.

On 18 minutes, a King throw found Ozzie Foster who turned well and shot from 18 yards, but the keeper made a good save to deny St Ives an opening goal that they were looking odds on favourite to get.  Another deep cross on 22 minutes from Moyes on the right hand side looked to be heading out for a goal kick until Declan Rogers, coming in from the left flank, hit a side footed effort that hit the inside of Bruce’s right post before travelling along the goal line to safety.  Three minutes later and a Rogers free kick was met by a firm header from Will Fordham, but he was unable to get high enough and his effort flew inches over the Godmanchester bar.

At this stage it was all St Ives with Godmanchester failing to get any foot hold on the game against a stiff breeze and a busy Matty Bannister in the St Ives midfield.  Washington failed to get his effort on target after being put through superbly by Ricky Dear on 31 minutes, and Dan Newman’s well struck volley, from a Rogers corner, was well held above his head from home keeper Bruce.

Moyes and King continued to cause problems down the right with another Moyes centre being headed narrowly over by St Ives left back, Tim Quy.  A Rogers free kick on 38 minutes failed to trouble Bruce, as did Fordham’s effort from distance after another free kick shortly afterwards.  Rogers played a short pass, Fordham shaped to shoot drawing the Godmanchester defender before striding on another couple of yards before unleashing an effort that he was not able to keep down.

Godmanchester managed to make inroads into the St Ives half just before half time, and an excellent through ball split the St Ives defence and Paul Bass gave the advancing Rob Mackney no chance with a lob from 25 yards.  St Ives failed to create any further chances before half time with Godmanchester taking an unlikely lead into the interval.

St Ives started the second period brightly and forced a flurry of free kicks, Rogers finding Foster from the first with his header being well palmed by Bruce and Quy’s follow up hit the outside of the post.  On 48 minutes, St Ives were on level terms with Quy on hand to volley home Fordham’s headed pull back from another Rogers free kick, again down left wing.

The 50^th minute saw Foster drawing Godmanchester's right back into a foul by the left touch line, with the free kick being taken by Moyes this time.  Godmanchester’s clearance fell to Newman who was unable to find the target with a well struck volley.  A minute later, Jason King collected the ball on the halfway line before running at Godmanchester and eventually being upended on the edge of the penalty area.  The foul earned Ruddy the games first yellow card and the home side were further punished when St Ives took the lead from the resulting Rogers direct free kick, finding Bruce’s top right hand corner with a superb effort that gave the keeper no chance despite getting his fingertips on the ball.

Quick thinking Fordham drilled a pass into Washington’s feet on 52 minutes but his excellent turn and subsequent shot failed to trouble Bruce and sailed harmlessly over the crossbar.  Further good work from the industrious Washington lead to King lashing wide from 25 yards, before Godmanchester made the first substitution of the afternoon replacing the overworked Ruddy in the middle of park.

Matty Bannister and Ricky Dear were unrelenting in midfield and were first to almost every second ball as Godmanchester to struggled to get back into the game.  Washington latched onto a decent pass from the halfway line, with Godmanchester defender Steve Hurst losing the lobbed pass in the descending spring sunshine.  However, Washington was thwarted by Bruce who did well to come out and smoother.  Hurst was replaced shortly after having looked to have taken a knock when turning to help his keeper.

Hurst’s fellow centre half combined well with his keeper the stop Washington once more after he had been put through by Quy. Shortly afterwards Moyes beat two defenders on the right wing before lashing an effort inches wide of Godmanchester’s right post and on 74 minutes Washington was once again on hand to set up Dear, whose effort lacked the required venom to seriously test Bruce.

By now it was all St Ives with Washington once again coming second best in a one on one with his nemesis Bruce.  However Bruce was beaten for the third time of the afternoon after another free kick from the left wing.  It was Moyes’s fantastic whipped cross that did all the damage, Ricky Dear’s well timed run and header giving Bruce no chance at the near post.

Carl Forman replaced Rogers on the right wing on 78 minutes.  Virtual spectator Rob Mackney in the St Ives goal was alert on 79 minutes when he came out to claim a Godmanchester through ball ahead of the pacey danger man Bass and was also on hand to save Boon’s drilled effort from the edge of the area just three minutes later. 

With 5 minutes of normal time remaining, St Ives made their final substitutions with Washington and Moyes being replaced by Nana and Jon Hall respectively and Nana was soon in the action blocking a clearance from a short Godmanchester goal kick but, despite linking well with Foster, didn’t manage to get a shot away when well placed.

Nana’s awesome strength was evident on 89 minutes when he won a header on the halfway line and ran through to the 18 yard box before teeing up fellow substitute Hall whose drilled effort was excellently tipped wide of the post by the impressive Bruce.  That was the final action of the game and St Ives will be pleased with a great afternoons work that saw them progress to a semi final meeting away to Yaxley. 

Danny Sharratt - St Ives Town Man of the Match:   Dan Moyes