Ives exit Trophy on penalties
Boldmere St Michael’s v St Ives Town
FA Trophy 1st Qualifying Round 29-08-2026
Battling Ives exited their second FA competition in four days in the cruellest fashion against the high flying Mikes. An excellent diving save by home keeper Adam Harrison kept out Eze Williams spot kick in an otherwise faultless shoot out from both sides. That save was enough to ensure that the hosts maintained their one hundred percent record in all competitions at the Amber Arena. But Ives most experienced side of the season were well worth a draw in a game which could so easily have gone their way.
The game started in the pouring rain in front of a meagre crowd and perhaps not unsurprisingly the in form hosts were the first to threaten. Wing back Kyle Bilton was upended by Ben Kaninda 35 yards from goal giving Connor Armstrong chance to deliver a teasing free kick to the back post. Mikes skipper Dan O’Callaghan won the header and directed it across the face of goal but Aaron Smith was on hand to hook the ball away before a home attacked could pounce.
The hosts next half chance in 15th minute came from a deep corner that was won at the back post by Perdo Lima his downward header fell to the feet of Jay Leydon who screwed his effort wide under heavy pressure from Ives defenders.
Ives first real foray deep into Mikes territory came four minutes later as the powerful Mbunya Alemanji held the ball up well and fed in Neo Dobson through the right channel. But the Northampton Town loanee seemed caught in two minds over whether to shoot or square the ball to team mates running through and ended up doing neither as defenders closed him down.
The visitors were defending stoutly and restricting the hosts to just half chances another of those came along in 27th minute. This time the corner was delivered into the centre where it flicked off a head and arrived at the feet of O’Callaghan beyond the far post, he snatched at the chance and volleyed well over the top from a narrow angle.
Harrison was the first keeper called into meaningful action in 33rd minute when a snap shot from 20 yards by Alemanji deflected off a defender into the feet of debutant Lovall Edwards. His attempted shot was also blocked but the ball ran on to Neo Dobson who let fly from just inside the box but the Mikes keeper was equal to the effort parrying the fierce shot away.Lovall Edwards also went close for Ives three minutes before the break as he danced inside from the left and curled a right footed shot just wide of the far post from the corner of the box.
Having gone through most of the first period untroubled Ives keeper Jonah Gill had to earn his corn to prevent the hosts going in front just seconds before the break. An excellent advantage from referee Richard Dune allowed Kyle Burn to gallop down the right. Leydon managed to get in front of his marker through the centre and was in one on one with Gill. But it was the Ives keeper who won the battle producing an excellent diving stop at close range to take the two sides into the break on level terms.
Having matched their opponents blow for blow in the first period Ives Achilles heel caught them out early in the second half as they conceded yet again within minutes of the restart. Kaninda clipped the heels of Daniele Reka just outside the D. Armstrong lined up the free kick and curled it around Ives four man wall to find the bottom corner just out of reach of the diving Gill.
Ives lifted their game again and apart from the impressive electric scoreboard showing that the hosts were now a goal to the good anyone late returning from half time refreshment would have been forgiven for thinking that the predominantly midfield battle from the first period was still ongoing as the two teams continued to cancel each other out. Dan Lawlor and new arrival from Quorn Aidan Edwards were showing remarkable energy to match their illustrious opponents in that engine room battle.
The next couple of half chances both fell to the hosts. On the hour Jack Burgess set up a shooting opportunity for Reka. But the Mikes number eleven’s 25 yarder lacked power and was a comfortable save for Gill. Tolani Omotola was a rugged old style centre forward who enjoyed his afternoon battle with Gash and Kaninda. Most of the afternoon the Ives pair won the battle but in 65th minute Omotola burst through the pair to unleash a fierce shot from the edge of the box that Gill did well to hang onto.
Apart from that one lapse at the start of the second half Ives did not deserve to be behind and they got that deserved equaliser in 69th minute. Lawlor delivered a corner deep to the back post where Gash powered between defenders to win the header. His knock down into the six yard box was deftly flicked home by Dobson to level things up.
With an usually experienced bench manager Ricky Marheineke had chance to bring on players that could make a difference and Junior Varela, Mark Jones and Eze Williams all joined the battle replacing Lovell Edwards, Alemanji and Aidan Edwards respectively as the game entered its closing stages. With this added experience Ives just about shaded the last fifteen minutes. But the only truly noteworthy effort in that time was a curling effort from Dobson that deflected inches wide off a defender. The chance had been created by Kai Source who did well to keep alive a deep Varela cross from the left and feed it into the feet of Dobson just outside the box.
With only substitutions to add on time there were only an added three minutes and by the rules of the FA Trophy if the scores finish level at 90 minutes it is straight to spot kicks. Gash won the toss to choose ends and go first. Lawlor and Dobson’s efforts for Ives were cancelled out by substitute James Tague and Armstrong for the hosts. Williams well struck effort was brilliantly turned onto the post by the diving Harrison before O’Callaghan lashed the Mikes in front. Andy Ankrah scored for Ives but Max Ngbeken-Itota kept the hosts in front. Junior Varela fired home but Reka stayed cool to send Gill the wrong way and win the tie.
Hopefully all came through the game unscathed and will be ready for an even bigger challenge on Bank Holiday Monday as the Ives make the short trip to Wellingborough to face the league leaders and only side still with a one hundred percent record in all competitions this season.
Final Score: Boldmere St Michael’s 1 St Ives Town 1 Half Time 0 – 0
Goals:
BOLDMERE: Armstrong 49
ST IVES: Dobson 69
Team Line Ups:
BOLDMERE: Harrison, Bilton (Phillips 46), O’Neill, O’Callaghan (capt), Lima, Armstrong, Burgess, Leydon (Ngbeken-Itota 70), Omotola (Tague 79), Byrne (Atherton 80), Reka Unused subs: Doyle
ST IVES: Gill, A. Edwards (Williams 79), Milne, Alemanji (Jones 79), Lawlor, Dobson, Source (Ankrah 86), Smith, Kaninda, L.Edwards (Varela 61), Gash (capt) Unused subs: Miles
Referee: Richard Dune
Cards: Yellow: BOLDMERE: none ST IVES: Lawlor (58)
IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Michael Gash
Attendance: 90
