Hednesford Town currently sit second in the table even on points with North Ferriby, so with two league fixtures left apiece there is a title up for grabs.
Ilkeston on the other hand have only the final of the Derbyshire Senior Cup to look forward to at Chesterfield`s Pro-act Stadium on the 30th of April. Aptly nicknamed 'The Pitmen', Hednesford hardly had to "dig too deep" to come away with all three points this afternoon.
The visitors, accompanied with a very vocal backing from a good contingent of supporters initially started the brighter of the two sides.The front pairing of Neil Harvey and Michael Lennon look very capable and very quick on the break. Town pressed forward in the opening five minutes and could have took an early lead as John Disney`s shot was forced out for a corner.
Eventually Ilkeston start to find their way into the game and Aaron Hooton is slowly making his presence felt with some excellent game-play from nineteen year old mid-fielder..Kane Richards, recently released by Derby County, "this lad definitely has something special in his locker".
Entering the best spell of their game, the home-side through Laurie Wilson, Hooton and especially Richards continue to trouble the visitors yet remain steady in defence as Harvey and Lennon continue to pose a threat.
James Reid and Robert Kozluk are working the right-wing well on the over-lap and a neat one-two see`s Kozluk with plenty of space to nip in behind his marker, much to the dismay of the crowd he decides to trip himself off the defender...take a Swan-dive and earn himself a yellow-card for simulation..!! Why??.
Ilkeston continue to press and take a series of corners, but with Gary Ricketts on the bench there`s no real target man to take advantage of the set piece. Still looking dangerous and competing well, James Reid had a a decent shot at Dan Crane`s goal only for him to make a cracker of a diving save just tipping it over the bar. But then came the sucker punch..!!
Hednesford make a quick break and the ball is forced out for a corner, Ben Bailey nodded the ball down and it looked to have been cleared off the line, the Ref allowed play to continue but the linesman was waving his flag and pointed to the centre line, the Ref then indicates the goal is given despite demonstrations that it hadn`t crossed the line by the Ilkeston players, ("stood by the half-way line it`s hard for me to comment").
Despite such a good show up until the goal, for some reason the goal had totally knocked 'The Robins' of their perch as so to speak and it remained 0-1 until the half time whistle.
Wondering if Kevin Wilson`s half time talk might get 'The Robins' flying again was at best cautious optimism, they seemed to have left all of the momentum of the first half hour in the changing room, Hednesford looked stronger and stronger as the game progressed.
Ricketts was bought on to try to introduce a threat in the box and although he had a couple of decent chances to square the game the robust Hednesford defence had soon got the big guy sussed.
'The Pitmen' continued to press deep toward the Clock Tower end and finally sealed the game as a free-kick is awarded about twenty five yards out to the left of the goal, Kris Taylor took command of the kick and delivered a peach of a curling shot into the top right-hand corner of Chris Martin`s goal, 0-2 with about five minutes left on the clock. Game over..!!
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| Mmm... Didn`t see it on the way in!! |
A decent result for Hednesford which keeps them in the title race with North Ferriby who also won, Ilkeston on the other hand just seemed to lose the game plan after the first goal. Decent enough game though.
My Men of the Match - Ilkeston : Kane Richards (a very exciting young prospect for the club). Hednesford : Michael Lennon (constant threat in and around the area with a lot to show)
Match Pictures - Click Here
Admission - £9
Attendance - 529
Starting Line-Up`s : Ilkeston - Martin, Kozluk, R Wilson, L Wilson (c), Maguire, Cooke, K Richards, Gordon, Russell, Hooton, Reid. Subs - Cullingworth, Storey, Ricketts, Chettle, O'Connell
Hednesford - Crane, Disney, Campion (c), Bailey, Francis, MacPherson, Osborne, Durrell, Harvey, Lennon, Taylor. Subs - Woolfe, Patterson, Rey, Melbourne, Barnes
Neil Lennon, it's Neil Lennon.
ReplyDeleteHe wishes..!!
DeleteActually, it's Michael Lennon.
ReplyDeleteActually, I`ve amended it. Apologies to Michael..!!
ReplyDelete