UCL Premier Division St Ives Town 1 Daventry Town 1 This top-of-the-table clash proved to be yet another game of two halves as St Ives managed to get a second-half equaliser and had enough chances to take all three points at Westwood Road. The first 20 m

UCL Premier Division

St Ives Town 1 Daventry Town 1

This top-of-the-table clash proved to be yet another game of two halves as St Ives managed to get a second-half equaliser and had enough chances to take all three points at Westwood Road.

The first 20 minutes saw many chances from the home side, including a 30-yard strike from skipper Dan Newman going just wide and his fellow centre-half Will Fordham, returning after injury; saw his close-range header crash against the bar after a clinical cross from the left by Liam Kennett.

Soon after these chances the away side, sitting second in the Premier Division, took the lead when Josh O'Grady seemed to find himself space through the Saints defence to side-foot the ball into the roof of the net. Further chances from Saints' Liam Kennett and Jamie Blackwell came and went but they failed to get that all important goal back prior to half time. The Daventry keeper, Joe Mellings, was also on fine form to frustrate the home supporters.

After the break St Ives came out firing and for the first 10 minutes they controlled the game in the opposition's half. Junior McDougald went close after 53 minutes when he saw his left-footed effort blaze over the bar.

It was on 60 minutes when the Saints' efforts were rewarded when a Liam Kennett corner left the Daventry defence indecisive and Will Fordham managed to toe-poke the ball over the line to make it all square at 1-1.

The home players and supporters were left even more frustrated when a through ball appeared to have struck the arm of a Daventry defender inside the penalty box, but neither the referee nor his assistant on the line appeared to notice the offence and play was allowed to continue.

Further chances from St Ives were missed by Liam Kennett and Scott Fielding and, with only minutes to go, Saints keeper Robin MacKney made a fine finger-tip save to deny the visitors all three points.

After the game joint manager Jez Hall said: "The lads needed waking up at half time and they came out firing in the second half, just as we had asked them to.

"We all felt we should have had a penalty in the second half, but it wasn't surprising as we don't seem to be getting the rub of the green at the moment"

St Ives Town have a busy week of football action this week with the first team at home to Stotfold on Tuesday night and the Under 18s facing a tricky home tie in the East Anglian Cup against Ipswich Wanderers U18.