St Ives Town v Kettering Town-Match Report
Isuzu FA Trophy Third Qualifying Round-04-10-2025
The FA Trophy made its return to the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road on Saturday afternoon with the visit of Kettering Town, in a game which saw Amir Hadi’s second half effort enough to see off the Poppies and book Ives’ place in the first round proper.
Hadi, who has undoubtedly been one of Ives’ recent stand out performers, finished off a superb team move by the home side on the hour mark to claim his third goal of the season and score what proved to be the decisive goal on a blustery day in Cambridgeshire.
Ives fans will find out on Monday who their next opponents will be, with the draw for the first round proper taking place at 13:00 on the 6th of October.
Ives manager Ricky Marheineke made two changes from his side’s frustrating 1-1 draw with Bishop’s Stortford the previous weekend, with Ethan Creary and Theo Alexandrou returning to the starting eleven in place of Aaron Smith and Gibou Njie. Kettering manager Simon Hollyhead made three changes from his side’s draw against Stamford, with Aksum White, Anthony Stewart and Alfie Lewis coming into this side to replace Wes York, Eddie Oppong and Callum Powell.
There would be no playing return for former Ives defender Will Glennon, who was left out of Hollyhead’s squad for the game, but was among one of the 322 in attendance at the Quattro-Tech Westwood Road.
It was the visitors who had the first chance of the afternoon when six minutes in, forward Jamar Loza found himself in the penalty area, but his shot from a tight angle found the side netting.
However, it was the home side that had the better of the opening 30 minutes, with Marheineke’s men creating the more meaningful opportunities. Liam Cross saw his shot tipped round the post by Jason Alexander in the Kettering goal for a corner that resulted in Ives’ best chance of the first half. Jernade Meade swung his left-footed delivery into the box with the ball eventually finding Micheal Richens, who couldn’t keep his half-volleyed effort down and will feel he ought to have given his side an early lead in the contest.
Ives continued to keep the pressure on the visitors with Hadi starting to pick up the ball in dangerous areas and make his presence felt. In the 14th minute, he picked up the ball on the left and drove at the fullback before cutting inside and letting fly an effort which was saved comfortably by Alexander. He then almost got himself on the end of Meade’s delightful delivery towards the back post four minutes later but some good defending prevented Ives’ number seven from planting his header home.
Despite Ives’ first half dominance, they could’ve so easily been a goal down at the break as a good move from Kettering in the 37th minute saw the ball lifted into the penalty area which was nodded back across goal from Nile Ranger, finding Ismael Fatadjo with what looked like a routine tap-in no more than six yards out from goal. The forward got something on it but not enough to direct the ball goal wards as his effort trickled out of play for a goal kick.
The visitors came out for the second half looking to make amends for their somewhat leggy performance in the first. The Poppies could only manage a few early half chances with Ranger’s weak effort straight down the throat of Taylor not doing much to quell the travelling fans’ frustrations.
Ives continued to plug away and create openings, but they also were struggling to make their chances count. Hadi once again causing problems for Kettering defenders found himself 25 yards from goal before unleashing a shot that lacked power and never troubled Alexander in the Kettering goal.
However, in the 59th minute, Ives made the all-important breakthrough as a move that started in midfield saw the ball played out to Alexandrou on the left-hand side before the ball found its way to Richens just outside the penalty area. His delicate first-time pass found Hadi, who swivelled round the ball and unleashed a strike which was too powerful for Alexander as the ball flew into the roof of the net. A deserved goal for Ives and one that helped to calm some of the nervous energy on display amongst the home faithful.
On the 62nd minute, Marheineke made his first change of the afternoon, with Meade being replaced by Jahrel McKoy. Meade had previously been down receiving treatment in the first half for what was thought to be a knock, but the Ives number 19 was clearly still feeling some discomfort and had to be replaced. Kettering also decided to look to their bench, with Wes York, Callum Powell and Eddie Oppong making their entrances.
Hollyhead’s side looked to be making a late attempt to turn the screw in the contest as the substitutes injected some much-needed energy into their performance. Loza, who was their most threating attacking option on the day, had the best of the late opportunities, with his shot from inside the box once again finding the safe hands of Taylor.
A free-kick from Richens in the 88th minute that just flashed wide of Alexanders right-hand post was the last of the big opportunities for both sides as despite the seven minutes of added time, Kettering couldn’t find a way through a defiant Ives backline, who have now kept three clean sheets in their last four home games and have conceded just once at home in over 360 minutes of football. Ives now have a free week without a game with Banbury’s progression in the FA Cup. Their next fixture comes in the form of a midweek trip to Bury Town on Tuesday 14th October.
Final Score: St Ives Town 1 Kettering Town 0 Half Time 0 – 0
Goals:
ST IVES: Hadi 59
KETTERING TOWN:
Team Line Ups:
ST IVES: Taylor, Creary, Richens, Williams, Idehen, Hadi, Adams (Njie 82), Cross , Miles, Alexandrou , Meade (McKoy 62)
Unused Subs: Smith, Shepherd
KETTERING TOWN: Alexander, Andoh, White (Anthony 76), Thanoj, Ranger (York 63), Loza, Stanley (Powell 63), Voice, Fatadjo, Stewart, Lewis (Oppong 63)
Unused Subs: Barker
Referee: Martin Beard
Cards: Yellow: ST IVES: Hadi (48), Richens (81)
Yellow: KETTERING TOWN:
IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Amir Hadi
Attendance: 322
