Needham Market v St Ives Town
Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central 14-03-2026
Written by Nigel Howlett
Still without a win in 2026 sad Ives slipped to their ninth defeat in a row a run which has seen them tumble from a comfortable mid table position into the relegation zone. But yet again there were glimpses of the early season form that still gives a little hope that they can soon arrest their slide and move away from the bottom four but that turn around must come soon.
Not for the first time in that dismal run Ives were undone by conceding a batch of goals immediately after the half time interval. This time it was three in an eight minute spell from 50th minute. This inexplicable brief spell where they seemed to lose their way completely undid what had been an excellent first half display where they had harried and hassled their play-off chasing opponents into errors and got their noses in front courtesy of a well worked 14th minute free kick that saw Michael Richens bury a powerful, close range, header.
Manager Ricky Marheineke again made four changes to the starting eleven bringing Matty Miles, Michael Richens, Reuben Wyatt and Jernade Meade into the side with Ethan Creary, Aaron Smith and Tyrone Baker dropping to the bench and highly promising loanee Lenny Brown recalled by Stevenage. Marheineke’s opposite number Tom Rothery perhaps unsurprisingly stuck with the same side that had turned over league leaders Spalding United in their previous game.
It was an ex Ives player that had the first attempt on goal of the game as Myles Cowling got on the end of an early ball in from the left by Tommy Smith but fortunately for the visitors only managed to screw his close range effort into the side netting.
Then came the early goal that Ives wanted to boost their confidence. With 14 minutes on the watch Theo Alexandrou was brought down 35 yards from goal by Kieron Morphew. Dan Lawlor curled the perfect inviting free kick to the back post where Richens ghosted in unmarked and powered his header past James Bradbrook.
The hosts reacted well to falling behind and came within inches of equalising four minutes later. A driven cross from the right by Reggie Lambe ricocheted off a defender into the path of Smith 25 yards out. The rampaging wing back took on the effort first time and his shot skimmed off the wet turf, beat the diving Ollie Taylor, but thudded the inside of his left hand post and rebounded to safety.
Ives continued to battle and although the hosts had the majority of possession the visitors defended their box well and it took until ten minutes before the break for the Marketmen to carve out their next opportunity to test Taylor. An excellent ball into the feet of Lambe allowed the tricky striker to turn Sam Tessler on the edge of the box and get a run on goal but Taylor was smartly off his line to smother the ball and deny him.
The hosts had one more half chance to get on terms before the break as Cowling again arrived at the near post to get on the end of Smith’s cross from the left but again the ex Ives striker failed to hit the target with his glancing header.
The second half was only five minutes old when Smith ghosted in between Ives centre backs to get on the end of Kyle Hammond’s cross from the right to power his free header low past the left hand of the startled Taylor and level things up
Ives should have gone back in front almost instantly as Mark Jones won the ball high up the pitch and fed inside to Wyatt he threaded his pass into the run of Alexandrou who cut inside his marker and unleashed a curling effort from the edge of the box that beat the diving Bradbook but rebounded off the foot of the post and was scrambled clear.
But having failed to get back in the lead the visitors then found themselves behind in 54th minute conceding in the worst fashion possible. A long Daniel Morphew free kick from inside the centre circle floated over the heads of Ives back line allowing Ingram to get on the end of it. The Marketmen’s number seven even had time to take down the ball before slotting it past the exposed Taylor.
Once more the visitors reacted well to conceding as Alexandrou combined well with Wyatt. The latter feeding the former in down the right. Alexandrou cut inside along the bye line and it took a brave save from Bradbrook plunging into feet to claim the ball off the toe of Richens at the near post.
For the second time in a matter of minutes the hosts capitalised on Ives failure to find the net as they broke at pace with Ollie Saunders getting away down the left before sliding a ball into the centre where substitute Joe Neal, who had only been on the pitch ninety seconds, side footed home to seal the game.
The hosts did squander a couple more good opportunities both falling to Ingram. Taylor almost gifted them a goal in 64th minute when his poor pass out was cut out by Cowling. His low cross into the centre picked out Ingram who looked sure to score but the combined efforts of Tessler and Meade did just enough to stop him sliding the ball home at the back post. Nine minutes later Lawlor lost possession in the centre circle to Ingram who tried lobbing Taylor from fully 45 yards and was within inches of getting it right. The Ives stopper very pleased to see the ball drift just over his crossbar thanks to a strong wind down the pitch.
Ives battled to the end and Ryan Fryatt came very close to halving the arrears with five minutes to go. A deep Lawlor free kick was hung up at the back post where the powerful centre back leapt above the crowd and beat Bradbrook with his powerful header only to see the effort hit the crossbar and bounce over the top.
The result sees the hosts extend their unbeaten run to seven games and they leapfrog Redditch and Halesowen into the final play off place whilst sad Ives must limp away to lick their wounds as they slip into the final relegation place just one point behind Stamford but the Daniels have two games in hand. Things do not get any easier for the Ives with their next game at home to second placed Spalding who have only lost two in twenty since Ives surprise win at Sir Halley Stewart Field in early November, dare we hope for a repeat of that wonderful day?
Final Score: Needham Market 3 St Ives Town 1 Half Time 0 – 1
Goals:
NEEDHAM: Smith 50, Ingram 55, Neal 58
ST IVES: Richens 14
Team Line Ups:
NEEDHAM: Bradbrook, Dye, T. Smith, Hammond (Appauh 84), K. Morphew, D. Morphew, Ingram (Fiddy 90+2), Saunders, Cowling (Chambers 72), Hunter (Barker 87), Lambe (Neal 56), Unused subs: none
ST IVES: Taylor, Richens (capt), Fryatt, Tessler, Jones, Wyatt (Hickenson 76), Miles (Creary 68), Lawlor, Njie (A.Smith 87), Alexandrou (Baker 76), Meade, Unused subs: Idehen,
Referee: Dario Matthewson
Cards: Yellow: NEEDHAM: K.Morphew (79), Hunter (82), Bradbrook (83) ST IVES: Lawlor (81), Jones (89)
IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Dan Lawlor
Attendance: 368
