Eesa does it again as Town keep winning run al-Ive - Match report: St Ives Town 0 Nuneaton Town 1

St Ives Town 0-1 Nuneaton Town
(Sawyers 87(p))
Att 214
Match report by Matt Jones

Nuneaton Town secured a third straight league win as they overcame St Ives Town with a late penalty won and converted by Eesa Sawyers.

Having had an impressive performance last time out with a 5-0 win over Grantham Town, Nuneaton named an unchanged side for the clash in Cambridgeshire, the scene of Nuneaton Borough's final game just under 3 years ago. Luke Softley returned to the bench after injury. Declan Somel took to the field for the 100th time as a Nuneaton Town player.

Nuneaton made a bright start in the early minutes, and could have had the opening goal inside 4, as Terry Atem picked up a lobbed ball forward on the right, and chipped it inside to the onrushing Eesa Sawyers, who could only slice his effort across goal from a tight angle.

An unfortunate landing for Josh Green on 19 minutes saw him injured, and management decided to not risk him carrying on and replaced him with Luke Softley soon after.

With 25 gone Terry Atem was bundled over on the right and won a free kick. Stretton's ball into the box was parried away by the St Ives keeper but fell to Sawyers on the edge of the box, however his effort whistled over the bar.

Ten later, St Ives had the best chance of the game so far as they hit Nuneaton on a quick counter attack, and the ball in from the right was turned onto the outside of the post and wide.

Munroe who had already been beaten by Atem and Stretton on the right a few times, brought the latter down for the game's first yellow on the stroke of half time, however the free kick was headed over by Jacob Shilton and that was it for the first half.

Half time: St Ives Town 0-0 Nuneaton Town

Nuneaton started the second half much like the first, but came up against the same resolute defence they had previously. A training ground style corner kick worked its way into the box and the defensive header away fell to Charlie Jones and his effort sliced wide. From the goal kick St Ives worked their way up the other end and left back Olowoja hit a venomous strike across goal which Finn Osborn tipped over to protect his clean sheet as he was called into significant action for the first time in the game.

Nuneaton looked to get in behind the defence as it was where they were finding the most success, and Stretton did brilliantly to beat his man but got caught in two minds and unfortunately tripped himself and the ball went out of play, as following that Corey Currithers replaced Caine Elliott for the first away change.

With an hour gone Scholtz went into the book for a late challenge, and shortly after Liam Murphy replaced Atem, in search of being the gamechanger, and could have scored the opening goal but his zipping effort was held by the goalkeeper, with Sawyers potentially in a better position for the lay off on his right.

Sawyers, always a danger even on off nights, got in behind the defence with 13 to go and only a good defensive block stopped a great chance to score. Stuart Hendrie replaced Stretton with 9 to go, however with barely 3 minutes of normal time left Sawyers was to prove his danger, as he got to a loose ball on the edge of the box just before the keeper and was fouled.

After some protests as the referee initially gave a free kick, in which Jones was booked, the referee consulted with his linesman and agreed the foul was committed just inside the box and changed his decision to a penalty. Sawyers dusted himself down and fired home the penalty, sending the keeper the wrong way (1-0).

All Nuneaton were left to do was run down the clock expertly, and barring one silly free kick given away in stoppage time which was luckily held by Osborn, Nuneaton held on to get the 3 points, on a night when not at their best, but good teams grind out results in those situations, and the team found itself in 5th come the end of the night, a world away from 5th bottom less than 2 weeks ago.

Full time: St Ives Town 0-1 Nuneaton Town

Next up: Loughborough Students (h), Sat 3 Oct 2026