Ives unbeaten run comes to an end against Bromsgrove
St Ives Town v Bromsgrove Sporting
Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central 15-03-2025
Ives came within seconds of extending their unbeaten run to eight games but they were undone by a fast start and an amazing finish from their in form opponents.
The Rouslers came at their hosts like a train in the early stages but their opening goal in seventh minute did have more than a hint of good fortune about it as Carter Lycett’s attempted cross from the left caught on the breeze and drifted over keeper Dan Wilks before entering the net via the far post.
The visitors second eight minutes later was much more clinical and again Lycett had a big hand in it being fed in down the left by Jack Newell the powerful number 17 delivered a well struck low cross that was bundled home at the back post by Theo Robinson sliding in. Robinson went close to adding a third in 20th minute as he got on the end of a clip through the centre by Newell but his attempt to lob Wilks lacked power allowing the keeper to make an easy save.
The final opportunity for the visitors in this excellent early spell also fell to Lycett in 25th minute as patient Rouslers build up eventually saw Jamie Meddows get to the bye line on the right hand side. His hanging cross to the back post was attacked by Lycett who got above Jordan Williams but powered his header across the face of goal.
Ives had battled hard just to stay in the game in those first 25 minutes but good pressure by Josh Allen carved out their first opportunity of the game in 27th minute. The speedy striker robbed Newell deep inside his own half and fed in George Munday. But visitor’s keeper Charlie Price was swiftly off his line to make his first impressive save of the game spreading himself at the striker’s feet to block the shot at point blank range.
But Price was left with no chance when the hosts pulled a goal back only ninety seconds later. The busy Benji Mensah won a ball in midfield and clipped it over the top to put Munday clear through the centre. This time as Price came to close him down the striker unselfishly laid the ball sideways for Josh Allen to roll it into the empty net.
That goal lifted Ives and skipper Alex Collard had the ball in the net again four minutes later but the whistle had already gone for a foul on Ash Carter by Jordan Williams in the build up. As half time approached the hosts continued to force their way back into the game but without further troubling Price.
The second half brought a different story as Ives continued to go in search of an equaliser. It took an amazing reaction save from Price to keep out a goal bound effort off the knee of his own centre back Aaron Roberts only two minutes after the restart. The big number five had got in the way of Munday’s driven cross at the near post and but for Price’s heroics would have levelled the scores.
However Ives did not have to wait much longer to achieve that parity as only two minutes later leading scorer Will Glennon levelled things up. Aaron Smith’s long throw was knocked back to him and he delivered the perfect in-swinging cross to the edge of the six yard box where Glennon rose like the proverbial salmon to power home his header past Price.
Ives continued on top throughout the remainder of the second period but could not find a way past the brave and agile Price. Williams got across in front of his man to get on the end of Allen’s low cross from the left in 67th minute but turned his effort wide of the near post.
Seconds later Price was smartly off his line to deny Munday after the big striker had been put clear through the middle by Mensah. Allen got onto the loose ball but was crowded out by defenders before he could get a shot away.
The big keeper then showed his agility to keep out Jernade Meade’s 72nd minute free kick. Amir Hadi had been unceremoniously chopped down by Lycett just outside the right hand corner of the box as he tried to jink his way through. Meade got his free kick up and down over the Rouslers wall but Price flung himself full length to his left to fingertip the ball over the top.
Ives pressure, and Price’s heroics continued. Hadi clipped a ball over the top to put Allen through the left channel in 74th minute but once again Price was swiftly off his line to close the attacker and block the shot. But the Rouslers stopper was a little fortunate to get away with dropping the resulting corner with referee Joseph Karram taking his side and awarding him a free kick even though it looked like he was already spilling the ball before he ran into Hadi.
The hosts kept coming Meade fired a 25 yarder wide in 80th minute before skipper Collard spurned the best chance of them all three minutes later. Smith’s long throw was flicked on by Williams and the ball was scrambled up in the air at the back post by a defender. Collard attacked the dropping ball three yards out in the centre of goal but he got to much on it and powered his header over the top with the goal gaping.
Still Ives kept coming in the penultimate of the ninety minutes Hadi fed Smith down the left and he picked out Allen with his low cross but just when it looked like he was going to smash the ball home Carter arrived to take the ball off his toe.
The board went up for an added four minutes but the watch had ticked into a fifth minute when the visitors won a free kick 25 yards from Ives goal. The inevitable happened as Lycett delivered the perfect free kick getting the ball up and over Ives four man wall to find the top corner just out of reach of the outstretched fingers of the diving Wilks.
That was the visitors first meaningful effort on target of the entire second half and it proved to be the last kick of the game. I guess that is football as Ives went from the euphoria of scoring a late winner at promotion chasing Kettering last week to the gut wrenching last kick defeat in this game.
The result means that they are by no means sure of safety but they still hold a seven point cushion to the bottom four with seven games left to play. Next week is the proverbial six pointer as they face a trip to Barwell who sit two places and four points behind them. A game that both sides will want to win but each will be desperate not to lose
Final Score: St Ives Town 2 Bromsgrove Sporting 3 Half Time 1 – 2
Goals:
ST IVES: Allen 28, Glennon 49
BROMSGROVE: Lycett 7, 90+5, Robinson 15
Line Ups:
ST IVES: Wilks, Williams, Smith, Meade, Miller, Collard (capt), Mensah (Gyamfi 90), Glennon, Hadi (Pereira 90), Allen, Munday, Unused subs: Creary, Makanjuola, Hottor
BROMSGROVE: Price, White, Roberts, Carter, Shaw (Powell 80), King (capt), Styche (Morrison 70), Robinson, Meddows, Newell, Lycett, Unused subs: Thurston, McNamara, Knights
Referee: Joseph Karram
Cards: Yellow: ST IVES: Meade (75), Fisher (Asst Manager (75) BROMSGROVE: Styche (66), Meddows (90)
IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Benji Mensah
Attendance: 245
