Riley O’Sullivan bags a brace as Harborough Town kick off their Bank Holiday double-header with 3 points at the BeeHive.
Harborough Town 2 (O’Sullivan 24’, 69’)
St Ives Town 0
Riley O’Sullivan scores a brace as Harborough kick off their Bank Holiday double-header with a dominant victory over St Ives, banishing any memories of last season’s double defeat to the Saints. The 100-plus strong Spanish contingent who witnessed the home defeat to St Ives last season would have wished they were here on this occasion and will feel thoroughly avenged as the Bees started the brighter of the two sides, pinning St Ives into their own half with a succession of early corners and sustained pressure. Dempsey Arlott-John looked lively down the right flank, causing problems with his trickery and delivery, and Brady Hickey saw a close-range header scrambled off the line.
The breakthrough came on 24 minutes when Riley O’Sullivan, who had started the move with a defence-splitting pass to Arlott-John, somehow found himself on the end of the winger’s cutback to slot home from close range after Brady Hickey’s initial sliding shot was blocked. The biggest chance for the visitors ironically came when miscommunication between Liam Dolman and keeper Elliott Taylor resulted in a routine back-pass header looping over the goalkeeper, only for Taylor to get the finest finger-tip to slow the ball and scramble back to stop an own goal. The latter stages of the first half saw Harborough ease off slightly, allowing the game to become scrappy, with both sides sharing territory and possession. Nevertheless, the Harborough faithful began chanting manager Mitch Austin’s name in a show of support.
There was a familiar face in the opposing dugout in experienced manager Ricky Marheineke, who Harborough manager Mitch Austin once worked alongside and both remain good friends. His St Ives side looked to change their fortunes in the remaining 45 minutes and experienced a brief spell of control after the break, however Harborough doubled their lead on 69 minutes. A wonderfully weighted, lofted ball down the left wing from Eliot Putman put through O’Sullivan, who shrugged off his marker and rifled home a low left-foot shot across the goalkeeper and into the far corner from a narrow angle. St Ives, who struggled to score away from home last season, rarely threatened Elliott Taylor in the Harborough goal, aside from a late effort from Jamal Adams that was comfortably pushed wide. The Bees looked composed and confident, with skipper Liam Dolman marshalling the defence alongside the ever-reliable Alex Morris, who made his 100th club appearance. Frustration showed when defender Jordan Williams lost the ball to Bees substitute Jutorre Burgess, only to take the young winger out with a cynical tackle. Burgess looked bright when he came on and, helping force a number of corners and free-kicks , however the Bees were unable to add to the scoreline.
The Bees will be hoping to continue their strong unbeaten start to the season when they make the short trip to local rivals Kettering Town on Bank Holiday Monday, before switching their attention to cup competition when they host Leek Town in the FA Cup First Qualifying Round next Saturday, 30th August.
Report: Ben Monti
Photo: RB Media
Attendance: 533
Match: Southern League Premier Central