Pitmen steal the points in top-of-the-table clash

Oct 27 2008

Ilkeston Town 0 Hednesford Town 1

The table topping clash at the New Manor Ground in Ilkeston lived up to its pre match billing as the teams who were prior to the kick off lying in first and second place produced a game which had the fans on edge for the whole game.

Dean Edwards was forced into two changes for the game as Danny Harvey had not recovered from the dead leg injury he received during the Quorn FA Trophy game and Ross Draper was sitting out his one match ban.

Chad Sheppard got the nod to replace Draper and new signing Curtis Ujah who was signed less than 48 hours before the game was selected in place of Harvey.

In the opening minutes of the game Anthony Maguire brought Sam Duncum, Ben Pringle down just outside the penalty area. Ben Pringle pulled the free kick back to Steven Istead who hit a shot which was blocked.

The Pitmen were passing the ball around on the good surface but were not getting a final ball through to the forwards. Tom Cahill tried to punish the visitors with a shot from the left which hit the side netting. The play flowed to the other end where Tyrone Barnett had a weak shot saved by Adamson after Elliott Durrell had created the chance.

Stuart Brock made a good save to deny Morgan-Smith then Pringle missed a good chance to give Ilkeston the lead when Morgan-Smith’s cross was missed by Curtis Ujah which allowed the midfielder to hit a frim shot wide of the right hand post.

Brock then had to tip over a shot from the edge of the box by Sam Duncum. The resulting corner saw Brock in action again when he had to punch the cross clear from the danger area.

The best effort of the first half for the Pitmen fell to Elliott Durrell who hit a 25 yard effort just past the left hand post after Sam Hall did well on the right to hit a cross to Durrell. Maguire hit a 30 yard shot over the crossbar just before the half time break.

At the start of the second half Durrell attempted a cross from the right but his effort was caught by the strong wind and drifted behind the goal for a goal kick. Sam Hall hit a volley from 40 yards which was dipping under the crossbar but Adamson who had watched it all the way managed to tip it over for a corner.

Ilkeston pressed hard for a winner but they found Brock in fine form.The Pitmen keeper denied Morgan-Smith when he dived to his right to tip round the post his free kick which was awarded after he was brought down by Ujah. The new signing marked his debut with a caution for the tackle.

Good chances were wasted by Ilkeston, Tom Cahill broke clear and with only Brock to beat his effort was diverted away by the keepers feet then soon after following a quick break out of defence substitute Anthony Howell broke from the half way line and with only Brock to beat he pulled his shot wide of the right hand post.

The defence’s of both teams had for the majority of the game been well organised and it was going to take something special to win the game and that moment of brilliance came in the 88th minute when Tyrone Barnett rose above the Ilkeston defence to meet Mark Briggs pinpointed cross from the right to head the ball past Chris Adamson who could only stand and watch the ball float into far side of the net

The goal was celebrated in style by the players and supporters alike but with two minutes of normal time and three added minutes still left to play the team had to ensure that they kept there composure to hold onto the hard earned three points.

Ilkeston Town

Adamson, Thompson, Hurst, Church, Garner, Murphy,, Istead, Pringle, Morgan-Smith (Howell 76), Cahill (Douglas 81), Duncum (Shaw 89). Subs not used: Gordon, Haystead.

Hednesford Town

Brock, Hall, Maguire, Gomes, Ujah, Marshall, Briggs, Durrell (Musafiri 72), Barnett, Dyer, Sheppard.Subs not used: Styche, Stamps, O’Reilly, Burley

Referee Mr I.A.Dudley (Mansfield)

Attendance 541 -