NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL: Vital victory for St Ives Town . . . now another nine more are needed!
St Ives Town manager Ricky Marheineke saw his side beat Redditch United yesterday. Picture: DUNCAN LAMONT - Credit: Archant
It’s one down and nine to go in St Ives Town’s survival mission.
Manager Ricky Marheineke saw his side jump out of the Southern League Premier Division Central drop-zone after beating rock-bottom Redditch yesterday.
The 2-1 triumph - secured by a late Robbie Parker penalty - provided the first of the 10 victories Marheineke reckons are necessary to ensure Saints preserve their Step 3 status.
"We made the lads aware last week that we feel we need 10 more wins to stay up and that is the first of them chalked off," said Marheineke. "It was a game that we had to win and we did that.
"I felt we were much better than Redditch and should have won it more convincingly. In fact we could have been out of sight by half-time.
"We've ended up with nothing to show for good performances on too many occasions this season.
"I don't think this was a bad performance by any means, but it was a day when the result is all that really mattered.
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"We'll take plenty of confidence and belief from this win and it gets us moving forward again. Now we need to ensure that we back it up and create a bit of momentum.
"Every single game from now until the end of the season is a cup final."
Saints were given the perfect start by a stunning Ben Seymour-Shove strike but their lead lasted just seven minutes.
Substitute Dylan Wilson then hit the bar in the second half before Parker made no mistake from the spot to settle the issue.
"A truly beautiful goal gave us the perfect start but it was frustrating to concede such a poor one to lose the lead," added Marheineke.
"We had the chances to be out of sight by half-time and then hit the crossbar in the second half. As the game went on you just started to worry it might not be our day again.
"But luckily for us we got the penalty and Robbie again showed how cool he is under pressure to tuck it away.
Saints' home clash against Hednesford Town on Tuesday night has been postponed due to their opponents' involvement in an FA Trophy replay.
Saints next two games are now on the road as they travel to Nuneaton Borough this Saturday (a match Marheineke describes as a 'free hit') before making a Boxing Day trek to Needham Market (1pm).
