Offline
There will be live updates as usual from the Aspray Arena this afternoon.
Martin McIntosh takes over from Steve Chettle today and faces a tough start with an away game on the 3G pitch at Sporting Khalsa. Khalsa have only lost one league match so far and have conceded only four goals in their six games. This looks like it could be our toughest match so far.
The following three league matches are against teams currently in the top six. Boldmere are 6th and have only dropped 5 points. Westfields are currently 2nd and are only one point behind us. Coventry Sphinx are 4th and like Boldmere and Westfields have only tasted defeat once.
Our next four league games then including today are :
Sat 8th September Sporting Khalsa (away)
Sat 22nd September Boldmere St Michaels (home)
Sat 29th September Westfields (home)
Sat 6th October Coventry Sphinx (away)
(Sat 15th September we play Graham St Prims in the FA Vase)
After our brilliant start, expectation have become high. We're forced to drop points in some games but hopefully not today.
If we come through the above 4 league games with 12 points we're favourites for promotion.
If we come through the above 4 league games with 8, 9 or 10 points we're still very much on course for promotion
Offline
We're at the Aspray Areana and it's a really nice ground. Plenty of seating on both sides of the pitch. It's been raining quite heavily but it's now almost stopped and the 3G pitch is well wet. Both teams are out getting used to the surface.
Offline
Teams are out. Khalsa in yellow and blue stripes.Ilkeston in all red (new kit). We're off........
Offline
First shot by Malachi and it's only just wide with the keeper beaten. Rickford has to concede a corner. Great chance from the corner but Ilkeston defend it at the expense of another corner. Early pressure by Khalsa.
0-0 6 minutes
Last edited by Matchman (08/9/2018 2:09 PM)
Offline
Ilkeston are being pinned back. It's all Khalsa at the moment. 0-0 12 minutes
Offline
Notts 2-0 down
Offline
Meese gets a shot in but Mitchell is there. Ilkeston can't get going. Ilkeston break and Jemson shoots but his effort is blocked. Another Ilkeston break lets Khalsa see the danger of pushing up too far. Khalsa are going flat out. Still 0-0 20 minutes
Offline
Walker breaks free down the left but keeper gathers. Khalsa's Robinson heads against the post from a corner. But Ilkeston are now looking dangerous on the break. Great try by Reeves to lob the keeper but it's just too high. 0-0 30 minutes
Offline
Khalsa are playing a very high defensive line. GOAL for Khalsa following corner Westwood the scorer. 0-1 31 minutes
Last edited by Matchman (08/9/2018 2:35 PM)
Offline
Another chance for Westwood but his fierce shot is wide. Ilkeston are on the ropes. 0-1 35 minutes
Offline
Good cross by Jemson from the right wing but no one on the end of it . First corner to Ilkeston on 38 minutes. Khalsa clear it. Khalsa are still on top possession wise. Jemson gets header in but easy save for keeper. 0-1 43 minutes
Offline
It's half time Ilkeston trail 0-1. Fair scoreline.
Offline
Ilkeston team is :
1 Liam Mitchell, 2 Charlie Jemson, 3 Billy Bennett, 4 Chris Shaw, 5 Shaun Rickford, 6 Jordan Wheatley, 7 Elliott Reeves, 8 Kyle Dixon, 9 Malachi Lavelle-Moore, 10 Tim Hopkinson, 11 Jamie Walker.
Subs : 12 Ryan Wheatley, 14 Ben Fairclough, 15 Ben Morris, 16 Elliott Hodgett-Young, 17 Jamie Hannis
Sporting Khalsa :
1 Reece Francis, 2 Carlo Franco, 3 Alex Melbourne, 4 Leon Miles, 5 Tesfa Robinson,6 Alex Perry, 7 Josh Thomas, 8 Dave Meese, 9 Dan westwood, 10 Lee Chilton, 11 Rico Taylor.
Subs : 12 Jay Holdcroft, 14 Jordan Haynes, 15 Shawn Boothe, 16 Alex Woodhouse, 17 Vidal Hendrickson
Offline
Second half is underway .... Malachi replaced by Fairclough.
Offline
So close to a Khalsa second goal as ball flashes across Ilkeston goal. Shaw has pulled up injured and has to leave the field. ilkeston are hanging on while down to ten players. Shaw is still being treated.
Offline
Ryan Wheatley is on. Free kick to Khalsa in good position. Wheatley clears the danger. Ilkeston struggling to get forward. 0-1 hour gone.
Last edited by Matchman (10/9/2018 6:53 AM)
Offline
Another free kick to Khalsa near corner. Walker gets it away. Mitchell is injured now. He's limping but he says he's ok. Taylor shot only just wide as Khalsa press for a second.
Offline
At last a decent little spell by Ilkeston. But Reeves has gone down injured. It's bucketing down with rain.
Offline
Jordan Wheatley booked. Reeves breaks away but he's forced down the flank and the chance has gone.
0-1 78 minutes
Offline
Morris on for Rickford. Last throw of the dice. Mitchell saves from Thomas. Ilkeston are now going for it and taking chances as they have to. 0-1 5 minutes left
Offline
Khalsa pushing for another goal . Free kick to Ilkeston . Morris fires wide. Holdcroft booked. Morris fouled on edge. Last chance saloon. Cross is too high. Ilkeston are giving it a good go. Ilkeston corner. Hopkinson heads into side netting.
Offline
Bennett is out cold ,.Didn't see what happened but all the players stopped.
Offline
Groggy Bennett has to come off. He's on again. It's finished and a deserved win for Khalsa.
Result : Sporting Khalsa 1 Ilkeston Town 0
Offline
McIntosh out !
Offline
If i did not respect you as a member of the cloth I would say you have over reacted and you are a bounder. However even Sir Gareth Southgate could not have helped the Robins beat a very well motivated and organised Khalsa team. To have won today Ilkeston would have needed to have got a few lucky breaks. They did not and therefore lost. The 3G surface was not great and for once it did not help Ilkeston's passing style as the ball seemed to get stuck in the layer of black beads. Ultimately Khalsa were the better side on the day and fully deserved their victory.
Offline
Khalsa were much better than us on the day. They were highly motivated and a very good side. We could easily have lost by more than the single goal and if we had sneaked a late equaliser then we would have been very fortunate. Khalsa had two top class defenders in Leon Miles and Tesfa Robinson who didn't allow the Ilkeston attack to function. Like David Gibson on the IFS forum, I was surprised that Malachi was withdrawn at half time. He is always capable of getting or making a goal. I would also have given Shaun Rickford a go up front near the end rather than taking him off. Battling Kyle Dixon was my star Ilkeston player as he never stopped trying to win the ball and create openings. I would be interested to know what our players thought of the pitch because it didn't seem to suit them and four of our players picked up injuries. Physio Dave Lester was a busy man and I was impressed with his swift action when Billy Bennett got knocked out. Well done to the Sporting Khalsa physio who also rushed onto the pitch and stood by ready to assist Dave if needed. I thought the Aspray Arena was one of the best grounds we have been to for facilities, surely one of the best Step 5 grounds in the country.
Once again a great turnout by our supporters who did their best to lift the team.
Last edited by Matchman (10/9/2018 8:00 AM)