DUBI Ogbonna proved what a wise addition to St Ives Town’s promoted side he was when the striker scored the only goal of their win at Chalfont St Peter on Saturday.

The former Wisbech Town and St Neots Town forward – who has also turned out for a whole host of teams in his short career – has settled in well at the Westwood Road club, as he said he would, and has now scored four goals in six games.

The latest, at Mill Meadow in Buckinghamshire, came from close range in the first half of St Ives’ latest Southern League Division One Central win which saw them rise to the giddy heights of sixth in the table.

“It was a nice poacher’s goal this time,” joint manager Jez Hall said. “That just shows he can score tap-ins as well as classy goals.

“His work rate on Saturday was exceptional and he is really playing well.”

St Ives were missing key players for the trip – Karl Gibbs (wedding) and the injured Lee Ellison, Will Fordham, Jamie Alsop and Jordan Lambert – so gave a rare start to young midfielder Max Roberts at right back, while Jared Cuniff returned to the fold after hastily deciding to leave the club last week. Scott Everdell has returned to university so on the bench were his father and Hall’s co-manager Warren Everdell and the club physio Dan Ruscillo,

An early Chalfont chance – from the head of Scott Fitzgerald – was saved by Nick Bennion and John Carrol put a shot wide for the home side before Ogbonna tapped home his chance from a David Cobb cross.

Bennion reacted well to another Fitzgerald shot soon after that and tipped the strike from 20 yards over his crossbar. For the Saints, Stuart Cobb put a final first half chance over the top.

Fitzgerald and St Ives’s Jon Stead went close in the second half before a free kick in the 90th minute was athletically saved by Bennion to secure the points.

“It was a nice feeling travelling back,” said Hall.