Match Preview | St Ives Town (A)
Halesowen make the journey to Cambridgeshire to face St Ives Town looking to extend the four game unbeaten streak against the Saints
Head to Head
The Yeltz are unbeaten in five of the last seven games between us and St Ives, with those two defeats coming away at Westwood Road. The most recent meeting between the sides came in September in this season reverse league fixture, where we came out with a 1-0 victory. A game that begged for a late winner to end St Ives’ three successive clean sheet streak was won by two Yeltz substitutes, the only two brought on by Russ Penn. The goal came from a handball by Liam Cross after Alex Gudger’s cross flicked up off his arm. The delivery from Jak Hickman landed to 76th minute substitute Ben Cassidy at the back post, whose cross was turned in by 59th minute substitute Jim Kellermann for what was then his first Yeltz goal.
Opposition Preview
Ollie Taylor – Goalkeeper
The 26 year old signed in the summer from Redditch United. The shotstopper made 36 league appearances for Stourbridge & Redditch last season, keeping a combined 9 clean sheets. This season, Taylor has featured in all 25 of St Ives’ league games, where he has already kept six clean sheets.
Ethan Creary – Right Back
The 23 year old signed in the summer of 24 from step 4 side Dunstable Town. The former Luton Town academy man featured in 37 league games for St Ives last season, and this season has featured in 22, of which 16 have been in the starting XI.
Matty Miles – Right Back
The 28 year signed in the summer from Stamford. The full back who can also play at centre half and in the midfield, featured in 38 league games for Sudbury last season, and joined Stamford but left after a month. Since his arrival at St Ives, Miles has featured in all but one league games this season, 19 of which starts.
Duncan Idehen – Centre Back
The 23 year old signed in the summer from Irish First Division side Derry City. The Irish defender featured in two league games on loan at Ballymena United last season. This season, Idehen has featured in all but league games, all of which starts.
Jordan Williams – Centre Back
The 28 year old signed in the summer of 22 from Stratford Town. The former Cambridge United academy man featured in 34 league games last season, and this campaign has featured in all but two of their 25 league games, all of which in the XI.
Jernade Meade – Left Back
The 33 year old signed in the summer of 24 from National League South side Tonbridge Angels. The former Arsenal academy player who featured in a UEFA Champions League match in 2012, featured in 36 league games last season for the Saints. This season, Meade has featured in every league game, all but one of which in the starting XI.
Jiah Medrano – Left Back
The 23 year old signed in the summer from step 2 side Leamington. The full back who can also play further forward on the left, featured in 19 National League North games last season. This season, Medrano has appeared in 14 league games, 10 of which in the starting XI.
Aaron Smith – Left Back
The 24 year old signed in the summer of 23 from step 4 side St Neots Town. The full back who can play in midfield, featured in all but three league games last season. This season, Smith has made 14 league appearances, 11 of which starts.
Liam Cross – Central Midfielder
The 22 year old signed in the summer from National League side Brackley Town. The midfielder featured in eight National League North games last season during Brackley’s promotion, but also featured seven times in the league for relegated Needham Market on loan. This season, Cross has scored four goals in 21 league appearances, all but one of which starts.
Jahrel McKoy – Central Midfielder
The 17 year old signed in September on a work experience loan from League Two Cambridge United. The teenage midfielder is in his first season of senior football, and has featured in 12 league games this season, seven of which in the starting XI.
Gibou Njie – Central Midfielder
The 24 year old signed in the summer from step 5 side Molesey. The midfielder scored 10 goals in 37 league games last season for the latter, and this season has scored no goals in 23 league appearances for St Ives, 15 of which in the starting XI.
Michael Richens – Central Midfielder
The 30 year old signed in the summer of 2021 from Kettering Town. The midfielder who plays more attacking didn’t feature in the league last season due to injury, but this season has scored 10 goals in 21 league appearances, all but two of which starts. Richens is the highest scoring midfielder in the division.
Kellan Hickinson – Attacking Midfielder
The 22 year old signed in October from step 2 Peterborough Sports. The attacking midfielder didn’t feature last season because of a serious knee injury, but since his arrival in Cambridgeshire, he has scored once in 10 league appearances, seven of which in the XI.
Romari Forde – Right Winger
The 19 year old signed in November from Kettering Town. The right sided winger featured in Arsenal’s academy last season, before three times all off the bench for Kettering at the start of this season. Since his arrival at St Ives, Forde has eight times in the league, only two of which starts.
Alfie Sheperd – Right Winger
The 18 year old came through the Saints academy and is in his first season of senior football at the club. The winger has featured 17 times in the league this season, just three of which in the starting XI.
Tyrone Baker – Striker
The 24 year old signed in November from step 4 side Walthamstow. The striker scored just the once in 31 league appearances at Royston Town last season, before joining Walthamstowe for the latter part of the season and scoring three times in 10 league appearances. This season, Baker scored twice in 18 league appearances for Walthamstowe, before joining St Ives where he has scored once in nine league appearances, all but two of which starts.
Jonathan Edwards – Striker
The 29 year old signed on loan this week from fellow step 3 side Hednesford Town. The striker featured for St Ives from 2022-24 and was the league’s top scorer in the 2023/24 campaign. Edwards scored three goals in eight league appearances at the start of last season for St Ives, before moving to Kettering and scored 13 goals in 30 league appearances. This season, Edwards joined Hednesford and scored one goal in 13 league appearances.
Dan Efobi – Striker
The 16 year old signed in November on a work experience loan from Cambridge United. Like McKoy, Efobi featured for the latter’s academy last season, and is currently in his first season of senior football. The young striker has featured in five league games since his arrival, two of which in the starting XI.
Archie Riordan – Striker
The 17 year old came through the Saints academy, and is currently in his first season in the first team. The striker has made two league appearances this season, both off the bench. The teenager is highly thought off in Cambridgeshire, having scored six goals in one game for St Ives’ U18’s in November.
Theo Alexandrou – Left Winger
The 21 year old signed in the summer from step 2 side Dorking Wanderers. The left sided winger who spent time at St Ives in the 2023/24 season and a bit in the last campaign. The former Stevenage academy man featured seven times in the league for the Saints at the start of last season, before making 14 league appearances for step 3 Wingate & Finchley, scoring twice in 11 National League South appearances for Dorking, and featuring eight times on loan from the latter at Welling United in the NL South. This season, Alexandrou has scored five goals in 21 league appearances, 19 of which starts.
Statistical Insight
St Ives
- Only Harborough Town (6) have conceded fewer first half goals this season in the Southern Premier Central than St Ives’ 10.
- No other side in the Southern Premier Central this season have scored more goals in the 15 minutes after half-time than St Ives’ eight goals.
- Only AFC Sudbury (38) & Royston Town (32) have conceded more second half goals this season in the Southern Premier Central than St Ives’ 28.
- Only AFC Sudbury (15) have conceded more goals in the Southern Premier Central this season after the 76th minute than St Ives’ 13.
Halesowen
- Only Spalding United (39) have scored more second half goals this season in the Southern Premier Central than our 33.
- Only Spalding United (18) have scored more goals in the Southern Premier Central this season after the 76th minute than our 15.
- No other side in the Southern Premier Central this season have conceded more goals in the first 15 minutes than our 10.
- Only AFC Sudbury & Royston Town (0) have kept fewer clean sheets away from home this season in the Southern Premier Central than St Ives’ one.