Boldmere St Michael’s v St Ives Town-Match Report
Pitching-In Northern Premier League Midlands Division 03-10-202
Written by Nigel Howlett
Another battling display unfortunately ended in a second single goal defeat in a row for the gallant Ives. It is scant consolation that both of those reverses have come against sides in the top seven. New manager Tommy Cooney’s rebuilding process had moved on another step with three more players making their debut for the visitors. Seventeen year old Cambridge United loanee goalkeeper Zak Massoud and his U’s under 18 teammate Jordan Yakubu both made excellent first appearance but unfortunately central striker Daniel Forde got little opportunity to show his abilities as he was the victim of a tactical change in the first half being replaced by midfielder Jedidiah Brown-Johnson.
The only goal of the game came in seventeenth minute when Ives failed to deal with a long ball into their box as the powerful Omotolani Omotola caused problems allowing Frankie Ealing to pounce onto the loose ball and fire past the exposed Massoud from close range.
The Mikes had already drawn two excellent saves from the agile Massoud before they got their noses in front. The young keeper showed his athleticism as early as fifth minute when he reacted brilliantly to keep out a close range effort from Ealing after Ives has struggled to clear a Nathan Allison long throw. Massoud was in action again two minutes later hurling himself to his left to keep out a powerful Dan O’Callaghan header after the host’s skipper had got on the end of Jack Lynch’s in-swinging corner.
The hosts continued to dominate the first period and Yakubu did brilliantly to prevent Omotola getting on the end of Allison’s dangerous cross from the right midway through the half. Another brilliant reaction save from Massoud nine minutes before the break kept Ives in the game. This time the keeper denied Fraser Doyle from close range as Ives again struggled to deal with a corner delivered into their box from the right.
With half time approach Cooney decided that he must reinforce his midfield to try and shore things up hence six minutes before the break the ineffective Forde was replaced by Brown-Johnson. The hosts had one final opportunity to increase their lead before the break as Omotola again caused problems in the box creating an opportunity for Ealing but The Mikes number ten fired high and wide from a good position.
The change in formation seemed to nullify the hosts midfield domination and Ives created their first half chance four minutes after the re-start. Oli Brookes got a flick onto Zak Howell’s long throw and a poor attempted clearance fell to the feet of Trey Charles on the left. His low cross picked out Matty Miles on the edge of the box and the skipper’s low drive forced the first real action from home keeper Adam Harrison who made a routine save at his near post.
The keeper’s long punt straight up the park almost caught out Ives as Omotola was hauled down 25 yards from goal as he tried to take the ball down. Connor Armstrong went for power with the resulting free kick and got it past the visitor’s four man wall but Massoud was equal to the effort getting down smartly to his right to turn the ball around the post.
Although not overrunning Ives as they had in the first half the Mikes still looked more likely to score a second than Ives to grab an equaliser. They did get the ball in the net again just before the hour as James O’Neill flicked home a driven cross from fellow substitute John Atherton but the visitors were saved by an assistant’s upraised flag.
The hosts continued to use route one tactics regularly and with substitute O’Neill proving to be just as much of a handful as the man that he replaced Omotola it was an option that was always likely to bring reward. In 64th minute a long punt from keeper Harrison was flicked on by O’Neill only for Doyle to fire well off target with his first time effort from just outside the box.
The frame of the goal saved the visitors two minutes later as CJ Gordon lost possession on half way allowing Doyle to race away into space down the left. He cut inside past a covering defender and beat the diving Massoud with a powerful effort that rebounded back into play off the keeper’s right hand post and was scrambled clear.
Ives one real opportunity to get something from the game came thirteen minutes from time as Temi Olowojoba delivered a deep free kick from just inside the hosts half. Brookes lost his man to get on the end of it and directed his header down into the crowded six yard box where keeper Harrison could only fingertip it up into the air. The ball looped to Miles ten yards from goal but in trying to get power into his header to beat defenders covering on the line the Ives skipper got to much on the ball and it went just over the top.
Moments later a medical emergency in the crowd lead to a fifteen minute delay. Thankfully paramedics were on the scene very quickly and I am pleased to report that the spectator concerned was conscious and lucid when taken from the ground to the waiting ambulance at the end of the game.
But unfortunately that incident took the sting out of things and there was little to write home about in the remaining eleven, or the added five, minutes as the hosts rather comfortably played out time to move up into a play-off spot. Leaving Ives still languishing in the bottom four with a quarter of the season gone.
Final Score: Boldmere St Michael’s 1 St Ives Town 0 Half Time 1 – 0
Goals:
BOLDMERE: Ealing 17
ST IVES:
Team Line Ups:
BOLDMERE: Harrison, Allison (Bilton 75), Lynch, O’Callaghan (capt), Lima, Armstrong, Burgess (Christophorou 90 +19), Doyle, Omotola (O’Neill 52), Ealing (Atherton 52), Byrne (Townsend 61), Unused subs: none,
ST IVES: Massoud, Howell, Olowojoba, Ankrah, Brookes, Yakubu, Charles (Chapman 78), Miles (capt), Forde (Brown-Johnson 39), Wright, Gordon (Scholtz 69), Unused subs: Kakembo, Cooney
Referee: James Astley
Cards: Yellow: BOLDMERE: Roberts (manager) (90+4) ST IVES: Ankrah (23), Brown-Johnson (90+10)
IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Zak Massoud
Attendance: 140
