Big chance I think for Cursons but his effort is wide. Duxbury wins a corner. Yates is clattered but gets the ball away. Radcliffe are not making many friends.         1-2.       82 mins

3 minutes added time

Shot hits a defender. 

It's finished.   Ilkeston 1  Radcliffe 2

In truth a poor game 

Matchman wrote:

Shot hits a defender. 

It's finished.   Ilkeston 1  Radcliffe 2

In truth a poor game 

sorry i am far from a poor game . We looked really good shutting them down and had some good time of play as in we could have scored . I  personally think there wasnt much between the two teams in the game .  we have come so far . We have something going really good at this club ......Thanks to Nally . Of all the time i have been involved  with ilson he is the only owner i trust ...... 

Yes I did  say  "In truth, a poor game"  

It wasn't really but I was so disappointed at losing a match that I felt we should have won. I know it sounds like sour grapes but Radcliffe looked nothing like a team at the top of the league. Their entertainment value was poor. To me they just looked like a mid table team and nothing like the team that beat us 3-0 on their ground.
Okay they ground out a result but we had the chances to win and didn't take them. As far as I'm concerned Radcliffe didn't make any fiends today. Their manager should be ashamed of himself. It was he who attacked Ian Deakin and started the half time brawl. What an example to set for his players.


 

Last edited by Matchman (25/2/2024 12:06 AM)

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Sat 24th February 2024
Northern Premier League
Ilkeston Town  1  Radcliffe 2
Runaway league leaders Radcliffe failed to live up to expectations but missed chances by Ilkeston left them pointless and Radcliffe 16 points clear at the top. Radcliffe led by a single goal at half time but the afternoon’s most furious action came as the players left the field. It appeared to be started by a Radcliffe official and ended with a full scale brawl involving bench occupants and players of both teams. The outcome was a red card for Radcliffe’s Willem Tomlinson and Ilkeston’s Luke Cox. 
Radcliffe had the ball in the net inside 3 minutes but the offside flag had been raised. Connor Dixon then had a great chance to put Ilkeston ahead but he placed his shot wide after good build up play by Ben Starkie. Next,Tom Cursons brought a diving save from Mateusz Hewelt who couldn’t hold onto the shot but managed to grab the loose ball. Matt Yates was then forced into acton at the other end pushing a shot round the post. On 29 minutes Lois Maynard put Radcliffe ahead from close range following a Nicky Adams corner. Ten minutes later there was a massive penalty appeal by Ilkeston when Lindon Meikle’s shot hit a defender’s arm but the referee rejected the appeals of most people in the ground and decided in Radcliffe’s favour. Radcliffe defender Rick Smith did well to block a Starkie effort then Cursons appeared to be sent tumbling in the area but again nothing was given. 
The visitors held on to their lead until half time but within two minutes of the restart Ilkeston were level when Dixon slammed the ball into the top corner. However two minutes after that Anthony Dudley restored Ratcliffe’s lead with a bending finish into the far corner. Jordan Hulme and Josh Hancock had shots saved by Yates as Radcliffe tried to add to their score. Then it was Ilkeston on top and Radcliffe were forced to defend. Cursons created a chance for himself but fired wide then Alex Marshall saw his effort from a tight angle saved by Hewelt. Ilkeston’s best chance to grab a point came in added time from a free kick after Cursons was brought down on the edge of the area. It was not to be though as Hewelt did really well  to beat out Tom Marshall’s fierce effort.

 

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Radcliffe's Match Report


Match Report - Ilkeston Town 1-2 Radcliffe
by Kieran Wilson  

Three hard-earned points return to the Neuven Stadium after a tough contest against Ilkeston.
Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley’s side maintained their unbeaten away record in 2024 with a narrow victory at the New Manor Ground, thanks to goals from Lois Maynard and Anthony Dudley, as well as a solid display from the defence who expertly held out when pressured for the vast majority.
Two changes were made to the team that came away as winners against Marine last weekend, Josh Hancock and Anthony Dudley both returned to the starting line-up in place of Ewan Bange and Matt Sargent.
An even first half saw the two outfits separated by Lois Maynard’s goal in the 28th minute. Both teams were then reduced to ten men for the second half after Will Tomlinson and Luke Cox were shown straight red cards for an incident in the tunnel.
An explosive start to the second half followed, as both sides scored within four minutes. Ilkeston’s Connor Dixon thumped home an equaliser, but Anthony Dudley quickly restored the Boro’s lead with a well-placed strike from the edge of the area.
 Ian Deakin’s team were dangerous from minute one. Full-back Larell King’s long throw provided countless opportunities to create danger in the Radcliffe box, but despite the potential to create something meaningful, the back three stood tall and cleared any early threats.Inside the opening five minutes, the Boro would have gone a goal ahead if not for the assistant’s offside flag. Jordan Hulme and Hancock linked up inside the area, but the latter had strayed slightly beyond the last man.
 On the ten-minute mark, Ilkeston had their first real sight at goal via a delivery from the left side which was well blocked by Rick Smith. Dixon was first to the second ball but the Ilkeston midfielder was unable to hit the target, as he dragged his shot past the far post.
Tom Curson’s tame effort that landed in the gloves of Mateusz Hewelt was all that came from a period of sustained pressure that included three corners, as the hosts searched for the opening goal in the game.
Moments after Lois Maynard went down to receive treatment for an off the ball injury, the defender got his name on the scoresheet. Up from the back for a corner, the centre back’s initial effort was blocked but at the second attempt, he managed to guide the ball into the corner of Matt Yates’ goal to make it 1-0 to the visitors after 29 minutes.
 With one final opportunity of the half, James Perch rolled a ball across goal which was met by a powerful strike from Lindon Meikle, and with excellent positioning, Smith was able to get his body in the way to block the ball on its travels.
 Just after the half-time whistle, both sides were reduced to ten following an incident near the tunnel which resulted in Willem Tomlinson and Luke Cox being dismissed, turning the heat up on a fairly calm 45 minutes at that stage.
Only two minutes after the restart, Dixon restored parity for Ilkeston to open the half in the best possible fashion. An accurate volley picked out the top corner from within the 18-yard area, beyond the reach of Hewelt between the Radcliffe sticks.
However, within a minute of the equaliser Radcliffe retook the lead in ruthless fashion. An intricate attack down the right side that involved Jude Oyibo and Dudley was rewarded with a goal, as the number 7 dribbled past two defenders before he curled the ball into the far corner with his unfavored foot, putting the Boro in the driving seat once more.
Half-time substitute Scott Duxbury created a sight at goal as he cut in from the left wing, but his shot was not on his preferred foot and sailed harmlessly over the crossbar.
After a double Radcliffe change in the 71st minute that saw Sean Tse and Ewan Bange replace Hancock and Dudley, Ilkeston almost drew level through Curson who battled past Duxbury but dragged his final shot wide from close range.
 Radcliffe continued to attack the home side’s box and Oyibo managed to unpick the defence with seven minutes to go, the winger wriggled past his man and into the box but his cross was sent behind for a corner at the final moment by the outstretched leg of a red shirt.In stoppage time, Curson won a free kick on the edge of the box to give Radcliffe one last test with a dangerous set piece to defend. Alex Marshall’s powerful strike beat the wall but was well matched by Hewelt, the shot stopper managed to push the ball to safety and confirm all three points were coming back at Manchester.
 
Radcliffe: Hewelt, Jackson, Oyibo, Maynard (Duxbury 45’), Thornley, Smith, Dudley (Tse 71’), Adams, Hulme, Tomlinson, Hancock (Bange 71’)
Unused Subs: Mercer, Modi
Ilkeston: Yates, King (Brandy 63’), Perch, Eratt-Thompsom (Parker 45’), Marshall, Cox, Wafula, Dixon (Marshall 71’), Curson, Meikle, Starkie
Unused Subs: Minkley, Loughlan

 

Matchman wrote:

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Following our match against Radcliffe I think its fair to say that our current team is well able to compete with any team in this league. Radcliffe didn’t look like a team 16 points better than any other team in this league. I thought they were really good when they beat us 3-0 on their ground but on Saturday I felt disappointed to lose. 
We may now be in the lower half of the league table but I think I’m right in saying that only Radcliffe and Whitby have beaten us twice so far and we have never dropped below mid table all season. That gives us plenty of hope for a more successful season next season. We still have nine matches left and without relegation and promotion pressures we have the opportunity to climb back into the top half. But even if we finish in the bottom half it still feels like we’ve had a good season because we’re on the up both on and off the field.
Despite some inconsistent results at the NMG, attendances have been reasonable. Better results next season should see home attendances start to increase. Away support has certainly increased this season thanks to Zane’s efforts.
Whether we’re in the Northern Premier or the Southern League next season I think we are capable of making a challenge to get into the playoffs. Meanwhile good luck to Radcliffe in the National League North. 

 

Just think everything is looking good for our club , playing miles better , Nally doing a brilliant job running the club and i have got to mention the fans ....Wow . In the last two games especially we have made so many friends with compliments coming fast a furious about our support ..........well done guys !!!!!!
   Again like alex has said i have never known the club to sign up players ready for next sooooooo early . Brilliant !!!!