St Ives Town were put to the sword against an Alvechurch side starting to pull away from the Southern League Premier Division Central’s relegation zone. 

And to add to Ives’ woes, who were hit with injury and illness ahead of the 4-1 defeat on February 18, Nabil Shariff was dismissed early in the second half. 

Ives conceded an early penalty from Danny Waldron after Tom Edge’s attempted cross from the right struck the outstretched arm of Ben Toseland. 

It got worse for the visitors when Edge and Ash Carter combined outside the penalty box to present Waldron with another shooting chance 10 minutes later. 

His shot was blocked by Jordan Williams before the ball ricocheted to the unmarked Remi Walker who slotted home. 

Ives surprised their hosts when they pulled a goal back on 34 minutes. 

Johnny Herd delivered a free-kick into the home penalty box which Alvechurch goalkeeper Dan Jezeph spilled, allowing Williams to direct an effort on goal. 

The shot was blocked only into the path of Kellan Hickinson who unleashed a fierce drive that Ethan Johnston directed inside the post. 

But that optimism lasted less than two minutes when Waldron beat Ives ‘keeper James Dadge emphatically low to his left to restore the hosts’ two-goal lead. 

Shariff then picked up two yellow card in a 12-minute spell either side of the break. 

Three minutes after going down to 10 men, Waldron completed his hat-trick for Alvechurch when he pounced on Walker’s skewed shot. 

Ives are due to visit Coalville Town on February 21, 7.45pm, before playing their first home game at Quattro-Tech Westwood Road in three weeks versus Barwell on Saturday, February 25, 3pm. 

St Ives Town: Dadge, Casey, Herd, Richens (C), J. Williams, Toseland (sub Johnson, 58’), Kaziboni, Hottor, Johnston (sub Higgs, 46’), Hickinson, Shariff.