Ilkeston Town v St Ives Town-Match Report
Isuzu FA Trophy – 1st Round 25-10-2025
Written by Nigel Howlett
A poor second half performance saw Ives bundled out of the FA Trophy by a powerful Robins side who extended their unbeaten record in all competitions to six games. An even first half in which Ives fought their way back into the game with a well taken Amir Hadi goal had promised so much more but falling behind for a second time less than 20 seconds after the restart seemed to completely deflate Ives balloon, a blow which they never recovered from eventually being killed off by a breakaway goal in the first minute of added time.
The bright, sunny, but chilly afternoon in Derbyshire had started promisingly for the visitors who took the game to their hosts and enjoyed the first five minutes probing. A couple of early corners and a third minute Michael Richens free kick into the box were all dealt with effectively by the home defence.
The hosts first threat came from an unnecessarily conceded corner in 7th minute but Richens rose at the near post to head away Jordan Stevens in-swinger. Ollie Taylor was called into his first meaningful action two minutes later as he did well to bravely dive in and take the ball off the toe of Harvey Kirby-Moore as the host’s centre forward latched onto a through ball from Seth Okyere and tried to go around him.
The usually reliable Duncan Idehen was getting outmuscled on occasions and in 18th minute he was adjudged to have brought down Kirby-Moore on the edge of the D to set up an opportunity for the Robins. Jamie Walker tried to go under Ives four man wall but they did not jump high enough and the ball ricocheted away to safety.
Ives were still looking a threat on the break with Hadi causing problems on the left and in 21st minute he took down a cross field ball well before cleverly jinked his way past two men cutting inside and firing across the face of Alfie Roberts goal.
The hosts went in front four minutes later with a well worked free kick that caught out the Ives. A long raking free kick from the right sailed over everyone and looked like it was going out but left back Sam Parker had ghosted around the back completely unmarked and his low driven cross was adroitly flicked home at the near post by Kirby-Moore.
Falling behind stung Ives into action and home keeper Roberts was forced into two excellent saves in quick succession around the half hour mark. The first of these denied Liam Cross after the Ives striker had been put clear on the break. His fierce low drive from the edge of the box was palmed away by the keeper diving low to his right. The rebound just evaded Theo Alexandrou following up, but the clearance attempt fell to Jernade Meade just outside the box, he was bundled over as he went to shoot. Richens bent the resulting free kick around the wall but Roberts made another good save low to his left.
Roberts was almost caught out by another Richens free kick four minutes later. This one from at least 25 yards and wide on the right was expected to be delivered into the centre but the Ives skipper went for goal and it took some smart footwork and a full length dive low to his left from the big keeper to keep the effort out at the expenses of a corner.
Ives equaliser came from the resulting flag kick, as the host struggled to clear the ball fell to Hadi by the penalty spot and he gave Roberts no chance lashing the dropping ball high into the roof of the net to deservedly get the visitors level.
An even period followed before the host carved out a couple of chances as half time approached. In 40th minute Stevens cleverly fed in the overlapping Okyere down the right and his hanging cross to the back post was headed wide by Jamie Walker. Right on half time the tricky Kirby-Moore managed to turn Idehen and get away through the left channel but fortunately for Ives the Robins centre forward fired wide as Taylor came to close him down.
Ives were caught completely cold at the start of the second half with a goal that was missed by many in the ground who were still at the catering outlets or in the bar. There were only eighteen seconds on my watch when Stevens and Okyere again combined down the right the move ending with Stevens playing in the speedy wing back who made no mistake firing past the exposed Taylor from just inside the box to the restore the Robins lead.
To their credit the shell shocked visitors rallied quickly and created two good opportunities to get level in the next six minutes. Idehen ghosted in at the back post to arrive unmarked and get on the end of Richens deep free kick from the right. But the gusty wind just carried the ball a bit to far and he was unable to get over his free header. Two minutes later patient Ives build up ended with Cross laying the ball to Hadi on the edge of the box. But rather than go for power he tried to curl his effort into the top corner and lifted his shot inches over the top.
It took a brave save from Roberts to prevent Cross levelling things up on the hour. A threaded pass from Matty Miles fed in Alexandrou down the left, Cross was arriving at pace at the near post and looked favourite to turn the ball home but Roberts plunged in to claim the ball off the toe of the Ives striker.
Both sides were making use of their substitutes by this stage Jiah Medrano and Jamal Adams had replaced Miles and Gibou Njie for the visitor’s but it was the hosts replacements who were proving more effective. In 76th minute Jackson Blaize jinked his way to the bye line and it took an excellent catch from Taylor to prevent Kirby-Moore getting on the end of his clip to the centre.
Manager Ricky Marheineke went all in with ten minutes to go throwing on his final three substitutes as Kellan Hickinson, Alfie Shepherd and Albie O’Keefe replaced Hadi, Meade and Cross respectively. But still it was the hosts looking more likely to grab a third than Ives get themselves level. Taylor dived to his left to palm away an 84th minute rising drive from substitute Robbie Fox.
The Ives final opportunity to get something from the game came with three minutes to go. Adams received a ball twenty yards from goal and failed to see Medrano flying up his outside on the overlap in space. Instead, the big centre forward turned inside and went for goal. The shot was charged down and the chance was gone.
The final nail in Ives FA Trophy campaign for 2025/26 was delivered in the first minute of added time by the hosts man of the match Okyere who cleverly fed in Blaize through the right channel to put the substitute clear and he made no mistake slotting past the exposed Taylor to send the Robins into the next round and leave Ives to concentrate their league form for another season.
Final Score: Ilkeston Town 3 St Ives Town 1 Half Time 1 – 1
Goals:
ILKESTON: Kirby-Moore 25, Okyere 46, Blaize 90+1
ST IVES: Hadi 33
Team Line Ups:
ILKESTON:, Roberts, Okyere, Parker, Thornhill (capt), Marshall, Minkley, Stevens (Brandy 57), Dixon (Whyte 57), Kirby-Moore, Daniel (Fox 75), Walker (Blaize 84), Unused subs: Ross-Lang
ST IVES: Taylor, Creary, Miles (Medrano 65), Richens (capt), Williams, Idehen, Hadi (Hickinson 80), Njie (Adams 65), Cross (Shepherd 80), Alexandrou, Meade (O’Keefe 80), Unused subs: none
Referee: Waqar Ahmed
Cards: Yellow: ILKESTON: none ST IVES: none
IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Amir Hadi
Attendance: 375
