Tough Game Ahead

by Peter Scherer

Manager Ricky Marheineke has been in charge at St Ives for nine years, but this season has been a struggle for our hosts, suffering their third successive defeat at Rushden on Bank Holiday Monday.

They went down 0-2 in their last home game again Royston and have only had two wins in the last 10 games, dropping them to 16th in the table.

Sports will be without Andy Dales again due to his groin strain, and Mason Warren serves the second game in his three-match suspension, in addition to the long standing injuries.

Lets take a look at our hosts line-up. Keeper James Goff came from Lincoln Utd in October 2021, having started as a Northampton Town junior. He’s played for Banbury, Wisbech and Spalding too.

Right back Julien Saka was a pre-season signing from Soham Rangers, who was previously at Tooting & Mitcham.

Left back Johnny Herd is a former Southend Utd youth player, who moved on to Ebbsfleet, Bishops Stortford and St Neots and had a couple of seasons at Peterborough Sports before arriving at St Ives pre-season.

Michael Richens is a midfielder and team captain. He was originally at Peterborough Utd but spent much of his time out on loan. He made a couple of first team starts and joined Stevenage on his release. He then moved on via Farnborough, Hemel, Bishops Stortford and Biggleswade, before joining St Ives from Kettering in July 2021.

Jordan Williams plays centre back and began his career at Cambridge Utd. Moves to Brackley, Cambridge City, Stratford and Stourbridge followed, before a return trip to Stratford preceded his move to St Ives pre-season.

Defender Callum Milne is in his second season with our hosts, having arrived from Harborough Town. He started as an Aston Villa junior and has also played for Kettering, Wisbech, Eynesbury and Bedford.

Zimbabwean born midfielder Greg Kaziboni started out at Northampton Town. He’s played for Corby, Brackley, Tamworth, Rushden, Banbury and Stratford, before two years at Nuneaton, preceded  his St Ives arrival in July. 

Myles Cowling is a midfielder who has recently returned on another loan spell from Cambridge United. He has also been loaned to St Neots and Braintree.

Striker Jonny Edwards was another summer singing from FC Romania. He started at Peterborough but has had experience in Leagues One and Two during his various moves. He was loaned to Bishop Stortford and St Albans before moving to Hull City, where further loans at Accrington and Woking following, before a move to Halifax. 

He has since played for Maidstone, Biggleswade and Royston, before spending last season with Romania.

Dylan Williams is another midfielder who started out at Cambridge Utd. St Neots, Biggleswade and Lowestoft followed, before a return trip to Biggleswade preceded his St Ives move two years ago.

Midfielder Enoch Andoh is a Ghanian international at Under 17 and 20 levels. Much of his early career was spent abroad, with FC Porto and Limassol, before a spell with Port Vale, where he played in League One. He then played for Whitehawk, Nuneaton, Macclesfield, Hednesford and Stratford, arriving at St Ives in early August from Biggleswade.

Nabil Shariff is a striker who hit a hattrick against Stratford. He started at Rushden & Diamonds, moving to Banbury, Tamworth, Oxford City, Kettering, Banbury, Corby, Stamford, Alfreton, St Neots and Stratford. He came to our hosts in July 2020 after a third spell at Rushden.

Edmund Hottor is another Ghanaian midfielder. Most of his early football was spent in Italy, which included spells at both AC and Inter Milan. He came to the UK with Kettering in July 2018 from Sliema Wanderers in Malta and was at Banbury before coming to St Ives in December 2019.

Right back Kane Lewis was signed in early August. He was with Brentford and Liverpool, before playing in the Welsh League with The New Saints and Cefn Druids, where he gained Champions League and Europa League experience.

Ethan Johnston is a striker signed from Banbury in November 2020, after starting out at Northampton Town.

Midfielder Tyrone Baker arrived in November 2020 too from Basildon, having been at Bowers & Pitsea and Heybridge Swifts previously.

Centre back Charlie Johnson first played for St Ives during the aborted 2019/20 season.  He started out at Cambridge United featuring in their U18 team and has played for Yaxley and St Neots Town since his first spell with the Ives and re-signed at the beginning of this season from Bury Town. Division.

Defender Paddy Casey is a recent arrival, dual registered with Harborough Town. He has also played for Rushden & Diamonds.

Attacking midfielder Ravi Shamsi was signed earlier this season from Rushden & Diamonds. A former Fulham and Oxford Utd Junior, he has played Banbury, Chesham, Stratford and Nuneaton too, as well as in the National League with Maidenhead.

Winger Lewis Lembikisa was a pre-season signing from Chester Le Street. A former Wolves Junior, he has played for Harlow Town too.

Winger Kieran Higgs is a fairly new arrival. He’s a former Norwich City Junior, who was also loaned to Solihull Moors. On his release he joined Lowestoft, where he spent four years before his move to St Ives.

Kick off as usual is 3pm.

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