Saturday Ravens Struggle In 3-1 Defeat At Ashby Ivanhoe

Saturday Ravens faced Ashby Falcons in a brisk 7-a-side league encounter at Ashby Ivanhoe FC on the morning of 1 November 2025, kicking off promptly at 9:30am. The match lasted 50 minutes plus added time, with the Ravens ultimately succumbing to a 3-1 defeat on their travels.

Deploying a 2-1-3 formation, Saturday Ravens lined up with Jedd Garrett in goal, flanked by central defenders Jake Whiteman and Reggie Dedmen-Ert. Arkyn Brown occupied the central midfield role, tasked with linking defence and attack. Up front, the trio consisted of Alex Smigiel on the left, Hugo Evans on the right, and Rueben Allured-Rowley leading as the striker. This setup was designed to provide defensive solidity through the two centre-backs, midfield control via Brown, and attacking width and penetration from the three forwards. The substitutes named were Walter Hughes and Nicholas Czwartosz.

Ashby Falcons struck early, capitalising on a lapse in concentration to open the scoring in the second minute. The early goal set the tone, forcing Saturday Ravens to respond quickly. Within a minute, Alex Smigiel tested the Falcons’ defence with an attempt on goal, signalling the Ravens’ intent to fight back.

Arkyn Brown followed up with a shot in the fourth minute, which was well saved by the Falcons’ goalkeeper, denying the visitors an immediate equaliser. Hugo Evans then had two efforts on goal, one in the fifth minute and another at the eleventh, both missing the target wide, highlighting some early frustration in front of goal.

At the 13-minute mark, Saturday Ravens made a double substitution, bringing on Walter Hughes for striker Rueben Allured-Rowley and Nicholas Czwartosz replacing central defender Jake Whiteman. This tactical tweak suggested a shift in approach, perhaps aiming to inject fresh energy and defensive resilience.

Reggie Dedmen-Ert and Alex Smigiel both had attempts on goal in the seventeenth minute, but neither could find the net, keeping the scoreline in Ashby Falcons’ favour. Hugo Evans continued to press with another attempt in the twenty-second minute, though again without success.

Jedd Garrett was called into action in the twenty-third minute, making a crucial save to keep his side in the contest as the half approached its conclusion. The first half ended at 25 minutes with the Ravens trailing and needing to regroup.

At half-time, Saturday Ravens made further changes, reinstating Rueben Allured-Rowley for Arkyn Brown and bringing back Jake Whiteman in place of Alex Smigiel. These substitutions indicated a desire to regain attacking impetus and defensive stability going into the second half.

Hugo Evans remained active, firing off attempts in the thirty-second and thirty-fourth minutes, the latter sailing high over the bar. The breakthrough for the Ravens finally came in the thirty-seventh minute when Walter Hughes provided a precise assist for Rueben Allured-Rowley to score, halving the deficit and injecting renewed hope.

However, the Ravens’ reshuffle continued with Arkyn Brown returning to the pitch for Reggie Dedmen-Ert and Alex Smigiel coming on for Hugo Evans just after the goal. Smigiel immediately tested the goalkeeper with a shot saved in the thirty-ninth minute and then sent another effort high over the bar in the forty-third minute.

Arkyn Brown also had a wide attempt in the forty-fourth minute as the Ravens pushed for an equaliser. Unfortunately, Ashby Falcons struck again in the forty-fifth minute to restore their two-goal cushion.

Jedd Garrett was kept busy in the closing stages, making several saves at the forty-sixth and forty-eighth minutes to deny further Falcons’ advances. Despite his efforts, the opposition extended their lead with a third goal in the forty-eighth minute.

In response, Saturday Ravens made another substitution, with Hugo Evans replacing Jake Whiteman in defence. Walter Hughes had a shot saved in the forty-ninth minute, and Nicholas Czwartosz came on for Reggie Dedmen-Ert shortly after.

The Ravens continued to press, with Arkyn Brown’s attempt saved in the fiftieth minute, but they could not find a way back into the match before the final whistle.

Despite the loss, Rueben Allured-Rowley, Alex Smigiel, and Reggie Dedmen-Ert were singled out as the standout performers for Saturday Ravens, showing determination and quality in a challenging away fixture.