Redditch United v St Ives Town
Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central 07-03-2026
Written by Nigel Howlett
A much improved performance but sadly no reward for struggling Ives who extended their losing run to eight games with a hard fought defeat to the in-form Reds who remain in the play-off places courtesy of this two goal victory.
Ives manager Ricky Marheineke made four changes to the starting eleven on the back of last week’s poor second half performance against another high flying side in Quorn. Into the starting line up came Sam Tessler, called up from a dual registration spell at Downham Town, Gibou Njie, Theo Alexandrou and a debut for 17 year old loan signing from Stevenage Lenny Brown. Duncan Idehen, Michael Richens, Jernade Meade and Kellan Hickinson all dropped to the bench to make way for the above quartet.
A couple of early off target efforts were all that Ives had to show for a lively start. But it was the hosts who came close to taking the lead in tenth minute as Joel Shambrook got down the left and found Alex Cameron with his pull back it took the combined efforts of Ethan Creary and keeper Ollie Taylor to prevent the Reds skipper’s close range effort from crossing the line.
New strike duo of Mark Jones and Alexandrou combined well in 18th minute the move ending with the latter curling a 25 yard effort straight into the arms of home keeper Tyrese Warmington. The game then settled into a midfield battle with both defences looking solid and largely untroubled. But the visitors suffered a blow just after the half hour with centre half Ryan Fryatt limped out of the action to be replaced by Idehen.
The next noteworthy effort on goal came ten minutes before the break when Aaron Bishop robbed Njie in the centre of the park and drove forward before unleashing a powerful 30 yard effort that flew just wide of keeper Taylor’s right hand upright.
The host’s created a good opportunity for themselves three minutes later when Idehen brought down the busy Matt Warburton inches outside the right hand edge of Ives box by the goal line effectively creating the equivalent of a hockey short corner. However with the big men all packed inside Ives six yard box awaiting the right delivery Warburton wasted the chance by driving the free kick straight at Dan Lawlor who was serving as a one man wall.
Then in the first of four added minutes at the end of the first half Ives created the best scoring opportunity before the break. Dan Lawlor clipped a perfectly weighted ball over Luke Ward and Alexandrou took the ball down inside the box. Keeper Warmington was on him in a flash, initially preventing him getting his shot away and eventually managing to snatch the ball of the toe of the Ives striker.
Ives were out early for the start of the second half and looked keen but they were undone only three minutes after the restart as Danny King and Warburton combined on the right with the latter delivering a ball across the face of Ives box that Bishop took in before laying off into the path of Shambrook arriving unmarked on the left. His well struck first time effort from just inside the box was brilliantly saved by Taylor but the ever alert Cameron was first to react to slam home the loose ball from close range.
Getting their noses in front lifted the hosts and they upped the ante taking the game to Ives, who to give them their due, reacted well. But chances to increase their lead began to appear for the ebullient Reds. Three minutes after the goal King and Warburton again combined well down the right the move ending with Warburton flashing a fierce drive across the face of goal from the right corner of the box.
The hosts again went close in 57th minute as King delivered another cross into the box from the right that ended up ricocheting out to Robbie Bunn just outside the crowded Ives box. He calmly kept his nerve and delicately curled a left footed effort inches wide of the post with the unsighted Taylor beaten.
The hosts doubled their advantage just after the hour as Warburton’s in-swinging corner to the back post caused chaos inside Ives box the ball eventually falling to Dexter Dudley-Toole who forced it over the line from point blank range despite the efforts of Ethan Creary and Taylor to keep it out.
The Reds pushed for a third and came close to getting it only ninety seconds later as Bishop played in Cameron through the right channel and it took an excellent diving save from the agile Taylor to keep out the well struck effort.
Then came a plethora of substitutions, the two sides making seven changes between them in a six minute spell from 70th minute. This had the effect of breaking up the tempo of the game and it evened out more with Ives continuing to work hard but unable to create anything to test Warmington in the home goal.
There were four added minutes and each side created one good opportunity in that time. In the first added minute Reds substitute Tyler Bruck got down the left before cutting inside and unleashing a fierce right footed effort from 20 yards that forced another brilliant diving save from Taylor. Two minutes later at the other end of the park three Ives substitutes combined to come close to cancelling out Warmington’s clean sheet bonus. Hickinson got around his marker to get to the bye-line on the left and delivered a deep cross beyond the far post where Reuben Wyatt did well to keep the ball alive before pulling it back to Meade on the edge of the box. His powerful first time effort beat the flying keeper but thudded the top of the crossbar before going over the top.
There were certainly signs of improvement for Ives in this showing, the return of Alexandrou gives a more threatening edge and youngster Brown looks a real prospect who can hopefully find a few goals for Ives as he further hones his abilities at quattro-tech Westwood Road. But the biggest smiles on the long trip home were elicited courtesy of rock bottom Royston winning at Barwell a result which means that Ives keep their heads just above the water line on goal difference. But with the next two games also against top six sides staying above that line in the near future may prove a little difficult, on this performance I can say in all certainty it will not be lack of effort that lets them down.
Final Score: Redditch United 2 St Ives Town 0 Half Time 0 – 0
Goals:
REDDITCH: Cameron 49, Dudley-Toole 61
ST IVES:
Team Line Ups:
REDDITCH: Warmington, Shambrook, Owen, Dudley-Toole, Cameron (capt) (Loughran 70), Loughlan, King (Richardson 76), Ward, Warburton (Fielding 70), Bishop (Bruck 70), Bunn, Unused subs: Amos,
ST IVES: Taylor, Creary (capt), Smith, Fryatt (Idehen 32), Brown (Richens 86), Jones (Wyatt 75), Tessler, Lawlor, Njie (Meade 75), Baker, Alexandrou (Hickinson 66), Unused subs: none
Referee: Alex Rolph
Cards: Yellow: REDDITCH: Bishop (25) ST IVES: Alexandrou (55)
IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Ollie Taylor
Attendance: 448
