Match Report
Biggleswade Town v St Ives Town
Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central 25-01-2025
Waders first home win of the season will probably only delay their inevitable relegation but the result has certainly ensured that the Ives are now very much in the mix to avoid joining their hosts in step 4 next season.
Out of form Ives went into this game with only one win in their last eight league fixtures but that record was enviable in comparison to their hosts whose only victory in a desperate league campaign had come at Bishop’s Stortford back in September. Ives manager Ricky Marheineke made three changes to the starting eleven following last Saturdays home defeat to league leaders Bedford Town. In a reshuffle wing backs Benji Mensah and Aaron Smith and injured midfielder Albie O’Keefe were replaced by midfielder Kymani Skyers and strikers Amir Hadi and Coree Wilson.
The visitors enjoyed a brief early period on top with the front three combining to set up a shooting opportunity in the third minute. Wilson laying off the ball to Hadi who in turn fed the run of Josh Allen into the box but the striker delayed his shot and when it eventually came the effort from just inside the box lacked power allowing home keeper Jack Berman to make a comfortable save.
Four minutes later Hadi was taken down by Dan Izekor just outside the left corner of the box to give Ives another chance to pressurise the home defence but Will Glennon’s floated free kick was comfortably claimed by keeper Berman.
That tame effort proved to be the visitor’s final meaningful penetration into the Waders box before the break as the hosts settled into the game and began to take control. Their first noteworthy attempt at goal came in 17th minute when Michael Adu seized an opportunity to step inside an unleash a 30 yards screamer that dipped inches over the crossbar.
The midfield battle during this section of the game was looking fierce and on a heavy pitch where keeping your feet was at times proving difficult timing a tackle was looking equally hard to do. Ed Hottor picked up a 23rd minute booking for clumsily bringing down Izekor and two more fouls inside a couple of minutes just after the half hour had him walking a tightrope to stay on the pitch. Rather than risk going down to ten men Marheineke wisely replaced his combative midfielder with Mensah and again reshuffled the side.
Ives were a little fortunate not to fall behind from the free kick that followed Hottor’s last foul before he departed as ex Ives man Josh Flanagan delivered a deep free kick that was headed back into the mix by Josh Steele. Cyrus Babaie forced his way between defenders to get on the end of the knock down but fortunately directed his close range header straight into the hands of keeper Dan Wilks.
The visitors were even more fortunate not to go a goal down four minutes before the break. John Oyenuga got around the outside of Glennon and burst into the box before being bundled over by his pursuer right in front of referee Christopher Poole who immediately pointed to the spot. Izekor stepped up but blasted the resulting penalty well over the top.
Perhaps boosted by their good fortune before the break Ives started the second period on the front foot and Hadi got the ball in the net in 54th minute as he latched onto Jernade Meade’s deft clip over the top of Waders back line. But the striker had gone to soon and his celebration was cut short by the assistant’s upraised flag.
Moments later it took a brilliant block tackle from Flanagan to deny Allen after Wilson and Hadi had again combined well to feed in the number ten. But Allen took one touch to many and allowed Flanagan chance to slide in and block as he got his shot away.
That proved to be Wilson’s last action as he found himself replaced by debutant loanee from Peterborough Sports Sidney Pereira. Pereira’s first act was to tee up what was probably Ives best chance of the game only three minutes after his introduction. Peter Abimbola put him away down the left and the speedy striker got to the bye line before picking out Hadi with his pull back. The Ives number nine struck his first time effort from 15 yards powerfully but the ball was always rising and flew well over the top.
Having failed to take their chances Ives again found themselves pushed back as the hosts began to sense that a first home league win of the season may be in the offing. Patient build up in 62nd minute carved out the hosts first real opportunity of the second period. The move ending with Oyenuga delivering a low cross from the left that evaded everyone in the centre and arrived at the feet of Izekor by the back post. Wilks did brilliantly hurling himself to his left to palm the striker’s well struck effort around the post. Steele rose highest at the back post to head Seb Simpson’s resulting corner over the top.
The only goal of the game came in 72nd minute as another low cross from the left by Oyenuga caused problems in Ives box. Shots from Babaie and Izekor were both blocked before the ball ran on to substitute Tsaguim Florian at the back post and he gleefully lashed it home past the exposed Wilks.
Ives immediately tried to get back on terms as Mensah was bundled over by Simpson trying to bustle his way through. Meade delivered the resulting free kick in-swinging to the back post where substitute Ethan Creary had ghosted in but failed to get a touch in front of Berman.
The visitors huffed and puffed to try and find an equaliser but the battling Waders were not about to give away what they had fought all season for, to win a league victory in front of their home faithful. Keeper Berman was their hero as he pulled off a fantastic flying save to deny Allen in the final minute of the ninety. The battling Abimbola again got down the left and his low cross ricocheted to the feet of Allen on the edge of the box. His well struck effort was destined for the top corner before the fingertips of the flying Berman deflected it over the top.
Ives continued to press in the added four minutes but were unable to test keeper Berman again. The closest that they came was Creary getting on the end of a Smith long throw but directing his header wide of the post.
The result leaves the Waders still fifteen points from safety with eighteen games to go. Ives still find themselves three points, but now only a precarious two places from the drop zone. Manager Marheineke has rescued Ives from this type of position, and worse, before and his challenge now is to get some confidence back into a side that at present look very nervous.
Final Score: Biggleswade Town 1 St Ives Town 0 Half Time 0 – 0
Goals:
BIGGLESWADE: Florian 72,
ST IVES:
Team Line Ups:
BIGGLESWADE: Berman, Flanagan, Simpson, Stirling, Doherty (capt), Steele, Adu, Andrews (Florian 46), Babaie, Izekor (Ibrahim 88), Oyenuga, Unused subs: Wilson, Briggs, Ademiluyl
ST IVES: Wilks, Abimbola, Skyers (Creary 72), Meade (Smith 84), Williams, Collard (capt), Hottor (Mensah 35), Glennon, Hadi (Kaziboni 82), Allen, Wilson (Piereira 58), Unused subs: none
Referee: Christopher Poole
Cards: Yellow: BIGGLESWADE: Simpson (72), Babaie (87) ST IVES: Hottor (23), Hadi (80)
IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Peter Abimbola
Attendance: 141
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