Match Report
Halesowen Town v St Ives Town
Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central 20-09-2025
Written by Nigel Howlett
Ives had what would have been a very hard fought point snatched away from them by a poor decision from referee Paul Collier five minutes from time. The match official, perhaps swayed by a reckless challenge from Alfie Shepherd moments before, whistled for a handball against Liam Cross as the ball skipped up off the wet turf and cannoned into his chest. To compound his error the otherwise very good match official felt the “offence” was sufficient to wave a yellow card at the Ives man.
To add injury to the insult Jak Hickman delivered the perfect free kick deep beyond the far post where Ben Cassidy knocked it back into the mix for his fellow substitute James Kellermann to bundle the ball over the line from close range.
That bundled goal was the first that Ives have conceded in 378 minutes of league football and prior to that their solid back line well marshalled as ever by centre back pairing of Jordan Williams and Duncan Idehen soaked up everything that their hosts could throw at them on a wet September afternoon in the West Midlands.
Ives had started the game well and home keeper Dan Platt was forced into a good save low to his right after only six minutes. Ives breaking at pace with Jernade Meade getting down the left and picking out Theo Alexandrou in a little bit of space just outside the box with his pull back. Alexandrou’s crisp low drive skimmed off the immaculate turf but Platt was down smartly to his right to make the save.
The Yeltz first meaningful attack in eleventh minute saw the tricky McKauley Manning dance past a couple of defenders before being clipped by Meade. Kyle Finn fired the resulting 25 yard free kick straight into Ives four man wall and the ball was scrambled clear.
Hickman was causing problems for the hosts down the right and he was heavily involved in the hosts next two threatening sorties. In 18th minute he got down the line before picking out Todd Parker with a ball inside that he pulled back to Manning on the edge of the box. The Yeltz number eleven took the chance on first time but fired his powerful strike wide of the target.
Three minutes later Hickman was again at the heart of the action combining well with Finn who delivered a low cross to the near post where a clever back heel from Jason Cowley deflected inches wide off the shins of Williams. Ollie Taylor in Ives goal did well to rise above the crowd inside the six yard box to get a clean punch onto the resulting corner. He did even better a few minutes later to claim Hickman’s in-swinger under his own crossbar under equally heavy pressure.
As the half wore on Ives began to create a few more opportunities of their own. Just after the half hour it took an excellent sliding tackle from Milan Butterfield to just stop George Munday getting away onto a perfect cross field ball from Gibou Njie.
Ives best chance of the game came in 37th minute when a slip from Butterfield allowed Munday to get clear through the middle. But the young centre forward failed to realise that his marker was on the deck and he had time to stride on into the penalty area instead he took on the shot first time and failed to beat Platt from just outside the box.
Having probably just about shaded the first half Ives came out to start the second facing what was always going to be a tough challenge with the Yeltz kicking towards their Shed End with the wind and rain at their backs. An early long range snap shot from Manning sailed harmlessly over the top.
The visitors were still very much in the game and showed that they were still a threat in 53rd minute when Richens tested keeper Platt with a well struck 25 yard free kick. The chance came about as Cross cut inside past his marker only to be taken down by the covering Manning. Richens got his free kick up and over the hosts four man wall but Platt was equal to the effort leaping high to his right to palm the ball over the top.
Ives continued to defend resolutely and every time that the hosts looked like finding a way through one of the back four was on hand to thwart them. This never say die attitude was personified by Ethan Creary in 55th minute. Harry Burns and Finn combined well in a move that looked like it had got Finn clear but Creary stuck with him and timed his challenge to perfection to take all of the sting out of the shot and allow Tayor to make a comfortable save.
Ives suffered the first of a couple of injury blows soon after that excellent piece of defending from Creary. Munday took a knock in the centre of the park and despite trying to run it off he was soon forced to come off to be replaced by Jamal Adams. The visitors next half chance fell to the substitute with twenty minutes to go. Meade played a ball into the feet of Alexandrou 25 yards from goal and he in turn laid the ball off to Adams whose first time effort was straight at keeper Platt.
That proved to be Ives final opportunity of the afternoon as roared on by their faithful the hosts began to get on top. A 74th minute break down the right ended in a fiercely driven cross from Finn that Taylor was forced to palm away. The ball dropped to Cowley who failed to hit the ball cleanly but got it on target forcing the covering Williams to hack the ball away off the line.
Manning was replaced by Cassidy with 15 minutes to go and the left sided substitute soon got involved and combined well with Reece Mitchell to create a couple of good crossing opportunities but on both occasions his delivery was a little to powerful failing to pick out team mates arriving at the back post.
The second injury blow for Ives came ten minutes from time as Alexandrou took a knock forcing him off to be replaced by Shepherd. The young winger had only been on the park a matter of minutes before he lost control of the ball wide on Ives left and lunged in on Finn. Referee Collier had a long consultation with his assistant before only producing a yellow card. Finn’s resulting free kick was cleared to the opposite side of the park where Mitchell knocked it into Cross leading to the free kick which proved decisive.
The incident happened right in front of the director’s box and consultation with Yeltz directors after the game proved my view of the event. “It was never a handball but we will take it” being the general opinion.
Ives have a swift opportunity to get back to winning ways with another tough trip to Leiston on Tuesday evening. One must hope that the injuries to Munday and Alexandrou are not as serious as they at first appeared as if those two join Ed Hottor, Jiah Medrano and Neo Dobson on the injured list the shallow depth of Ives squad could be tested to the full by the Blues.
Final Score: Halesowen Town 1 St Ives Town 0 Half Time 0 – 0
Goals:
HALESOWEN: Kellermann 87
ST IVES:
Team Line Ups:
HALESOWEN: Platt, Hickman, Smile (capt), Gudger, Parker, Cowley, Finn, Manning (Cassidy 75), Butterfield, Burns (Kellermann 58), Mitchell, Unused subs: Heather, Nabi, Wood
ST IVES: Taylor, Creary, Richens (capt), Williams, Idehen, Cross, Miles, Munday (Adams 62), Njie (Hadi 73), Alexandrou (Shepherd 80), Meade, Unused subs: Smith
Referee: Paul Collier
Cards: Yellow: HALESOWEN: Manning (53) ST IVES: Shepherd (84), Cross (85), Richens (90+4)
IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Jordan Williams
Attendance: 934