Match Report
Redditch United v St Ives Town
Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central 08-02-2025
A hard fought game that finished honours even means both sides claim another point in their quest to stay above the drop zone. Even though Ives had to come from behind to claim their first point away from home since before Christmas they will probably feel that they are the ones that should have won this game especially with substitute Josh Allen hitting the crossbar four minutes from time. But even before that it was the visitors who had taken the game to their nervous looking opponents without managing to finish off the chances that they created.
Although the Reds have been slipping down the table since Christmas they still hold an enviable home record with only one defeat in their last eight at the Valley Stadium. Ives on the other hand have a poor away record and came into this game on the back of four successive defeats on the road including a loss to rock bottom Biggleswade Town in the previous away fixture.
Having said all of that it was Ives who started on the front foot spurning two early opportunities. The first came after only 50 seconds as Aaron Smith’s long throw was knocked down to Habib Makanjuola on the edge of the box. After his cool finish last week we might have hoped for more but this time he went for power but only succeeded in firing his first time effort well over the top.
The second chance fell to another of last weeks scorers George Munday as a ball into the box was knocked down to him by an under pressure defender. He managed to get his first time effort from twelve yards on target and it was probably goal bound but for a brave block from Reds skipper Kyle Rowley who needed treatment after taking the blow in the nether regions but eventually came up smiling knowing that he had saved his team.
The hosts first opportunity came on the break in 14th minute as Marvellous Onabirekhanien looked like he had got clear onto a swift punt down the park by keeper Ollie Taylor but much to the chagrin of the home supporters referee Alex Rolfe adjudged that the speedy striker had pushed covering defender Benji Mensah out of the way to get onto the bouncing ball.
It took until midway through the first half before the game’s first shot on target. Munday and Makanjuola combined well exchanging passes through the centre with the latter being given a bit of space to get away a shot from just outside the D that only really provided catching practice for Taylor.
Reds defender Macauley King had picked up a knock and was struggling two minutes later when he could only manage to get a poor defensive header onto Mensah’s cross from the right. The ball fell to Munday on the edge of the box. He in turn knocked it sideways to Makanjuola who did well to get over the bouncing ball but again could not get any real power into his shot. That was King’s final act of the game as moments later he limped off to be replaced by Brad Burton.
The remaining period of the first half turned into something of a midfield battle with neither side able to trouble the oppositions keeper. The closest that either side came was another Ives half chance in the first added minute when Munday flung himself at the ball and came within inches of getting contact onto a dangerous cross from the right by Peter Abimbola that flashed across the six yard line.
The first meaningful save from either keeper was produced in 51st minute by Taylor in the home goal as he flung himself low to his left to make a one handed save to keep out a well struck effort from Munday after the big striker had got onto the end of Jernade Meade’s clip over the top.
Mensah got clean through the centre of the hosts defence three minutes later. Picking up a ball just inside the Reds half he ran straight at the heart of the defence and courtesy of a lucky break as the ball ricocheted out of a tackle back into his path he made it but just when a little composure was needed he snatched at the chance lifting the ball over the exposed Taylor but also well over the crossbar.
Two corners in quick succession for the hosts proved to be Ives undoing as they conceded a spot kick in 56th minute although the culprit Smith may feel his was a little unlucky as Dylan Thomas’s cross from the left after the second corner had been knocked back to him took a wicked bounce off the 3G pitch as it reared up to hit his arm right in front of referee Rolfe. Ryan Boothe made no mistake sending Wilks the wrong way with his low spot kick. Going in front lifted the Reds and two minutes later Nick Clayton-Phillips forced a save out of Wilks with a clever turn and shot from 25 yards.
To their great credit Ives wrestled back control of the game. Mensah just failed to get on the end of Munday’s 67th minute ball in from the left. Then came the master stroke from Ives manager Ricky Marheineke as he threw on strikers Amir Hadi and Josh Allen in place of defender Ethan Creary and midfielder Makanjuola and changed his formation to put three up front. It took six minutes for the change to have real impact as the all action Hadi robbed Joel Shambrook in the middle of the park and tore into the heart of the Reds back line drawing in defenders. His perfectly timed lay off to Munday just inside the box gave the centre forward chance to lash home left footed to claim his second goal in two starts and level things up on the day.
Now only one side looked like winning the game. Skipper Alex Collard spurned the next opportunity in 83rd minute as Smith’s long throw dropped to his feet six yards out. But the big centre back only managed to prod his close range effort over the top. Three minutes later Hadi almost set up the winner as he got past a defender to get to the byeline on the left. His low cross to the near post took a deflection and Allen was onto it in a flash getting across in front of his man he got a flick onto the ball which beat Taylor all ends up and thudded the underside of the crossbar before being scrambled clear.
Ives pressure continued right to the end with Abimbola latching onto Munday’s knock down to get in the last shot of the game deep in added time but his effort from just inside the box was straight at keeper Taylor who held on well.
It was the hosts who were most relieved to hear the final whistle to claim the precious point that keeps them one place and three points above Ives who themselves remain six points above the bottom four after the days results. Every point is vital for the Ives and as this is only the second time this season that they have gained reward after falling behind on their travels this point must be celebrated but the performance really should have seen them take all three.
Final Score: Redditch United 1 St Ives Town 1 Half Time 0 – 0
Goals:
REDDITCH: Boothe 56 (pen)
ST IVES: Munday 78
Team Line Ups:
REDDITCH: Taylor, Thomas (Dawkins 68), Kelly, Shambrook, Rowley (capt), King (Burton 25), Teixeira, Essen, Boothe, Clayton-Phillips, Onabirekhanlen (Dawkins 77), Unused subs: Atwal, Burroughs,
ST IVES: Wilks, Creary (Hadi 72), Smith, Meade, Makanjuola (Allen 72), Collard (capt), Abimbola, Glennon, Mensah, Pereira (Kaziboni 83), Munday, Unused subs: Williams, Hottor,
Referee: Alex Rolfe
Cards: Yellow: REDDITCH: none ST IVES: none
IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Peter Abimbola
Attendance: 269