St Ives Town V Quorn FC
Pitching-In Southern League Premier Central 28-02-2026
An improved first half performance from Ives which saw the home side take the lead before being pegged back two minutes later, was cancelled out by a poor second half display as Quorn despatched three unanswered goals and took all three points back to Leicestershire on a mild Saturday afternoon in Cambridgeshire.
Ives manager Ricky Marheineke made two changes from his side’s 1-0 defeat to Bishop’s Stortford last weekend, with skipper Michael Richens and Kellan Hickinson coming in to replace Alfie Shepherd and Jonny Edwards.
Quorn manager Ryan Beswick also made changes to the starting XI he named in his previous game, with Silvio Bello, Zhani Burgess, Rhys Kelly and Jack Duffy coming in to replace Sam Warburton, Deen Master, Reece Fyfe and Jacob Fenton.
Unlike in the previous few home games, it was Ives who got off to a strong start as they set about trying to end a torrid run of six straight defeats. A few good quality balls into the box caused problems for the Methodists’ backline, with the best early chance coming from the head of Richens, who got on the end of Dan Lawlor’s corner but couldn’t direct his header on target.
Tyrone Baker, who provided some much needed width on the left-hand side in the first half, was found by Hickinson close to the touchline. Ives’ number 16 took a touch out of his feet and unleashed a strike that was deflected just wide of Adam Harrison’s right-hand post.
The first 20 minutes belonged to the home side, but without anything to show for it, there’s always a danger that you let the opposition into the game. Finn O’Boyle nearly provided a superb goal to open the scoring against the run of play as the ball found its way to him outside the area, but his effort curled just wide of Ollie Taylor’s post.
Some good play from Mark Jones, who managed to pluck a long kick from Taylor out of the air and play the ball to Baker on the left, saw another opening for the home side go unrewarded as Baker cut inside and fired a shot wide of the near post.
Up the other end, some good defensive work from first Duncan Idehen and then Ethan Creary, prevented Jack Duffy and Simeon Cobourne from getting their shots off from close range as both sides couldn’t make their opportunities count.
Then, on 35 minutes, Ives got the opportunity to draw first blood in the contest when referee Joshua Evans deemed Cain Noble to have handled the ball in the area and pointed to the spot. Lawlor stepped up for the home side and slotted the ball past the fingertips of Harrison, who dove the right way but couldn’t keep the ball out, as Marheineke’s men took the lead.
Unfortunately for the hosts the joy was short lived as a defensive mishap saw Cobourne get on the end of a hooked ball forward to slot past Taylor into the bottom corner to level the scores in the 41st minute. A well-taken goal that saw the sides go into the break level.
Despite conceding just before the break, it was an overall encouraging half for Ives, with Marheineke’s men showing glimpses of the side fans saw earlier on in the campaign. Whilst the first half will have been pleasing to some, the second half would prove to be anything but.
The first 25 minutes of the second half went by with very little incident, with a rash challenge from Ethan Creary seeing the defender pick up a yellow card and a few good clearances from Ryan Fryatt the main headlines. Hickinson also picked up a knock and received treatment before having to be replaced by Alfie Shepherd.
On 70 minutes, the visitors took a deserved lead through O’Boyle. Quorn’s number 11 beat Aaron Smith on the outside and rushed into the penalty area before chipping the ball past Taylor from close range to make it 2-1.
From this moment, you felt Ives heads start to drop as they saw another lead slip through their fingers in a game at home. The away side had their tails well and truly up by this point and should’ve made it 3-1 on 74 minutes as Cobourne was sent through on goal, but the forward dragged his effort wide.
They did manage to get the third goal and kill the game off 10 minutes from time as Zak Goodson got on the end of a flowing counter attacking move from the visitors to slot past Taylor from close range.
Ives’ miserable afternoon was compounded with Quorn adding a fourth goal in the second of six added minutes at the end of the half, as Zhani Burgess’ effort was palmed into the path of substitute Deen Master, who finished past Taylor to make it two goals in two games in the league for him.
Reuben Wyatt’s free kick that curled round the wall and flicked the side netting in the 96th minute was just about as close as Ives got to adding to their first half tally as referee Evans brought the game to a close. A clinical second half from Quorn who thoroughly deserved their win. A desperate afternoon for Ives who now find themselves just two points above the relegation zone, with teams around them possessing all-important games in hand.
Check out Ricky Marheineke’s post match thoughts below.
Final Score: St Ives Town 1 Quorn FC 4 Half Time 1 – 1
Goals:
ST IVES: Lawlor 38
QUORN FC: Cobourne 41, O’Boyle 70, Goodson 80, Master 92
Team Line Ups:
ST IVES: Taylor, Creary (Miles 63), Smith, Richens (capt) (Njie 87), Fryatt, Idehen, Jones, Hickinson (Shepherd 66), Lawlor, Baker, Meade (Wyatt 75) Unused subs: none
QUORN FC: Harrison, Bello, Burgess, Flanagan (Digie 82), Frizelle (capt), Kelly, Goodson (Master 86), Noble, Cobourne (Sanches 86), Duffy, O’Boyle Unused subs: Warburton, Abari
Referee: Joshua Evans
Cards: Yellow: ST IVES: Creary (50), Miles (85)
QUORN FC: Noble (31), Goodson (36)
IVES SUPPORTERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Dan Lawlor
Attendance: 246
