Match Report
St Ives Town V Needham Market
PitchingIn Southern Premier Division Central-15.11.2025
In a game that only really got going in the second half, Ives showed great resilience to come from behind twice to claim a hard-fought point against a Needham Market side, who provided arguably the toughest test of any team that has made the trip to Cambridgeshire this season. Captain Micheal Richens continued his impressive goal scoring form as his second half double cancelled out efforts from Joe Neal and Luke Ingram, with the game ending in a 2-2 stalemate at Quattro-Tech Westwood Road.
Manager Ricky Marheineke’s side came into this fixture full of confidence and looking to make it three consecutive wins in the league for this first time this campaign. It wouldn’t come as too much of a surprise therefore that the Ives boss only made two alterations to his side’s 2-1 win over Banbury United on Monday night, with Jiah Medrano and Alfie Shepherd making way for Matty Miles and Kellan Hickinson. New additions Tyrone Baker and Romari Forde were also included in the squad for Saturday’s fixture, with both players named amongst the substitutes.
Marketmen manager Tom Rothery made one change from his side’s 2-1 win over Redditch United last weekend, with Oliver Saunders replacing Kieran Morphew in the line-up. Former Ives forward Myles Cowling also featured for the visitors from the start.
The game kicked off at 3:03PM to signify Ives’ support of the National league’s ‘3UP Campaign’, which looks to promote the implementation of three promotion places in the National League for sides looking to make the jump to the English Football League, rather than just the two that are available presently. Saturday’s fixture was one of many games kicking off at the later time as clubs across steps 1-4 of non-league showed their support.
The first half was a frustrating affair for both sides as neither team were really able to lay a meaningful blow on the other. The visitors demonstrated some good early possession that gave an indication of the sort of quality which had helped them to their healthy position in the league standings.
Luke Ingram’s early cross just two minutes into the contest that just evaded the run of Joe Neal turned out to be an early display of what spectators inside the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road were to expect for the rest of the 45 as Rothery’s men made a habit of targeting both Ives fullbacks.
The away-side’s best chance of the half came in the 18th minute as Ethan Creary lost out to Neal on the edge of his own penalty area, with the Needham forward baring down on Ollie Taylors goal. Neal took aim from a slightly wider angle than he might’ve hoped and fizzed his shot across the face of goal, wide of Taylor’s left-hand post.
Ives also struggled to get a real foothold in proceedings with clear-cut chances not easy to come by. Hickinson, who has made an impressive start to life in the men’s senior set-up, provided Theo Alexandrou with his side’s best opportunity of the half 20 minutes in. Ives number 11 produced a delightful cross into the box that was met by the head of Alexandrou, with the Ives forward directing his effort straight at James Bradbrook in the Needham goal.
A couple of strong pieces of defensive work by Jordan Williams helped to prevent the visitors taking a lead into the break, with both Neal and Saunders seeing their efforts blocked by the big centre half.
Neal did manage to force Taylor into a good save in the 23rd minute as Ives failed to fully clear a cross into the box, with the bouncing ball finding Neal in space on the edge of the area. The Needham forward’s half-volleyed effort stung the palms of Taylor, but the Ives keeper did enough to deflect the ball over the bar for a corner.
The rest of half played out with relatively little in the way of opportunities for both sides as the game became somewhat scrappy in nature, with the quality of final ball lacking. The only incident of note before referee Christopher Poole brought the half to a close was the unfortunate injury to Creary on the half-hour mark, with the Ives fullback suffering a suspected muscle related injury that saw him have to be replaced by Medrano.
The game was looking as though it would need a goal to spark it into life and just over a minute after the restart, the visitors provided it. Fullback Tommy Smith was played through down the left by Ben Hunter and fired an accurate ball across the area towards Neal, who provided the deft flick required to beat Taylor, with the ball nestling into the top right-hand corner.
Ives responded to well initially to the early blow, with Liam Cross making a bursting run down the right before seeing his cross well-blocked behind for a corner. The resulting corner was cleared by the visitors but the positive intent was appreciated by the Ives faithful watching on.
Ingram looked to double the host’s advantage on 50 minutes as he first touch allowed the Needham number seven to cut inside onto his right foot and unleash a strike which was ultimately gathered by Taylor.
Four minutes later, the home side managed to get level as substitute Medrano produced a superb lofted ball towards the back post which found the head of Williams. The defender managed to nod the ball back across the face of Bradbrook’s goal, with Ives skipper Richens in the right place at the right time to tap home and put his side on level terms. A well worked goal from Marheineke’s men.
The momentum was well and truly with the hosts at this stage and they could’ve easily gone ahead in the 54th minute as Cross cut inside on his favoured left foot and unleashed a cracking drive towards Bradbrook’s top corner, only to be denied by the fingertips of the Needham shot-stopper.
On the hour mark, Rothery looked to his bench and made the first change of the afternoon, with Seth-Carroll-Chambers being replaced by Max Appauh, who looked to provide some attacking dynamism on the left for the visitors.
It wasn’t long after this switch that Needham got themselves back in front in the contest, with referee Poole pointing to the spot following a challenge by Jernade Meade on Luke Ingram in the penalty area. Despite protests from the Ives players and coaching staff, the decision remained, with Needham’s resident penalty specialist stepping up and driving the ball hard and low towards Taylor’s bottom right-hand corner. The Ives keeper got a hand to it but couldn’t prevent the ball crossing the line as the visitors regained the lead in the contest.
The goal prompted changes from Marheineke as he made three substitutions between the 70th and 71st minute. New signings Baker and Forde made their entrances, replacing Alexandrou and Matty Miles. Miles picked up a booking in the 56th minute and having received his fifth yellow of the season, will be suspended for Ives’ midweek meeting with AFC Sudbury. The third substitution saw Alfie Shepherd replacing Liam Cross.
The home side once again showed great spirit after conceding and should’ve been level had it not been for another fantastic save from Bradbrook to deny Duncan Idehen at the back post. The Ives defender planted his header back across goal but the Needham keeper was there to palm the ball over for a corner.
As the minutes ticked away it was looking increasingly likely that Ives would be tasting their first home defeat of the season in all competitions, as Needham pressed forward in search of a goal that would put the game to bed. Neal, who was a constant threat throughout, had their best chance to make it 3-1 as his curling shot produced a fine save from Taylor who dived to his right and parried the ball away to safety with 10 minutes left on the clock.
Marheineke’s substitutions did make an impact however and added some much needed attacking impotence. Tyrone Baker caused problems down the right-hand side for the visitors and almost turned provider in the 87th minute as his cross was deflected kindly into the arms of Bradbrook, with a few Ives forwards cueing up in the box.
Moments later, it was Ives turn to be on the right end of a somewhat controversial decision by referee Poole as Williams went down under the challenge of a Needham defender as a ball was lofted into the penalty area. Poole felt that the Needham defender had enough of a hold of the Ives centre half to put the whistle to his mouth and point to the spot on 88 minutes.
Richens, who has scored two out of three of his penalties so far this season, stayed calm under pressure and placed the ball down the middle, past the diving Bradbrook, as the skipper put his side back on level terms, despite more protests from the Needham players and coaching staff.
In the five added minutes at the end of the match, it was the home side who looked more likely to snatch what would be a dramatic late winner, very much akin to the events that unfolded at Spalding a week ago. Richens again was involved late on as he found himself in the penalty, but on this occasion he couldn’t get the cross quite right as the ball flashed past the onrushing Baker and out for a goal kick.
There was no more time for chances as Poole brought a close to a utterly pulsating half of football, which saw the home side once again demonstrate their never say die attitude. Needham will be disappointed that they let their lead slip not once but twice in the game, but won’t be too disappointed with coming away from Quattro-Tech Westwood Road with a point against a side with an unbeaten home record.
Final Score: St Ives Town 2-2 Needham Market Half Time 0-0
Goals:
ST IVES: Richens 54, 90
NEEDHAM MARKET: Neal 47, Ingram 66
Team Line Ups:
ST IVES : Taylor, Creary (Medrano 31), Richens, Williams, Idehen, McKoy, Cross (Shepherd 71), Hickinson, Miles (Baker 70), Alexandrou (Forde 70), Meade
NEEDHAM MARKET: Bradbrook, Dye, Smith, Hammond, D. Morphew, Ingram, Saunders, Carroll-Chambers (Appuah 60), Neal, Cowling (Barker 76), Hunter
Referee: Christopher Poole
Cards: Yellow: ST IVES: Miles (56)
NEEDHAM MARKET: None
IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Kellan Hickinson
Attendance: 359