Well it sounds like it was a good job I wasn't there . Like fans have been saying "a win is a win " but few fans have been saying that we aren't playing like we should do . Was it because of the changes ? Nerves ?

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Sat 19th March 2022   Northern Premier League
Ilkeston Town  3  Coleshill Town  2 
Ilkeston survived a remarkable second half comeback by Coleshill after three goals in the final fifteen minutes of the first half had put the Robins into a strong position. Martin Carruthers made five changes to the team beaten at Chasetown and included the latest two signings Jack Thomas and Dan Bradley. Both teams had promotion ambitions and needed the win to boost their chances. 
The game started at pace with both sides having early chances. On 8 minutes Thomas’s shot was deflected wide then at the other end Alex Tomkinson hit a scorcher which Saul Deeney made light of. Aman Verma’s header brought an excellent save by Paul Hathaway then Montel Gibson laid on a chance for Charlie Wakefield which was also saved. The first goal arrived on 31 minutes courtesy of a Kieran Fenton header. Before Coleshill could recover Ilkeston struck again and it was another header. Wakefield provided the cross which was firmly despatched by Gibson. Just before half time Fenton fired home a free kick to make it 3-0.
The second half started with Ilkeston pushing for a fourth goal. Gibson created a chance for Thomas but he mis-hit his shot. Thomas was then involved in another nice Ilkeston move but a Coleshill counter attack was to reduce the arrears on 62 minutes. The goal by Kai Tonge was against the run of play but it was to be a game changer. Five minutes later it was 3-2 when a Joe Phillips effort found the net after a wicked deflection took it past Deeney. From then on Coleshill dominated the game and pushed hard for a leveller with Ilkeston only occasionally breaking forward. Coleshill went close as Deeney saved twice in quick succession and Ilkeston then survived a frantic goalmouth scramble. Not a vintage performance but Ilkeston held on to the points and stay top.


 

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Some interesting after match comments on Facebook. Many differing opinions . 
Some people were asking why Ross was dropped. I’m pretty sure he wasn’t dropped. I think Carruthers just wanted to give Deeney some match time in case he has to be called upon. 
We all have different opinions which we are entitled to express. Aman Verma was unfairly criticised in my humble opinion and I happen to agree with Rob W that Verma is quality. At Histon he was our best player. 
Several people were asking why Zak had been left out. In the away matches against Histon, Spalding and Chasetown Zak was well below par. He was not on his own of course and I know Zak can be a match winner but in those matches he didn’t do enough.
Paul A made some valid comments about the defence looking shot to pieces. Was it a coincidence that it happened after Maguire was replaced? I agree that Billy Bennett should have been subbed sooner when he was struggling.
I also agree that Zak should have been brought on a bit earlier than 3 minutes from time if he was to have an impact.
Everyone sees games differently and my opinions are no more valid than anyone else’s.

 

ILKESTON TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB STATS 2021-22

Northern Premier League Midland Division
3:00pm Saturday 19th March 2022 

Ilkeston Town (3) 2
Fenton 31’ 42’
Gibson 34’

Coleshill Town (0) 2
Tonge 63’
Phillips 69’

Att 904
 
Ilkeston Town – Deeney, Verma, Bennett (Reid 84’), Irvine, Maguire (Jemson 57’), Fenton, Thomas, Bradley, Campbell, Gibson (Goodson 87’) and Wakefield. 
Subs not used Troke and Durrant. 
 
Coleshill Town  – Hathaway, Hendrickson, Carter-Byrne (Marsellia 36’), Rowe, Palmer, Doyle, Tonge, Willis (Phillips 64’), Dainty (Hilton 88’), Tomkinson and Washbourne.
Subs not used White.

Notes Debuts for Saul Deeney and Dan Bradley. Jack Thomas makes his second debut after a spell at Tamworth.

P 32 W 22 D 6 L 4 F 86 A 34  Pts 72    Pos 1st

Next Game
3:00pm Saturday 26th March 2022
v Yaxley  home Northern Premier League Midland Division

Player Stats 20-21  --  Career 
Durrant  34 apps 0 sub 1 unused sub 0 goals  -- 79 apps 0 sub 1 unused sub 0 goals 
Bennett 25 apps 1 sub 1 unused sub 4 goals  -- 106 apps 7 subs 13 unused sub 8 goals 
Spence 3 apps 1 sub 0 unused sub 0 goals  -- 3 apps 1 sub 0 unused sub 0 goals 
Wakefield 34 apps 2 sub 0 unused sub 8 goals  -- 34 apps 2 sub 0 unused sub 8 goals 
Maguire 28 apps 0 sub 4 unused sub 1 goal  -- 46 apps 1 sub 4 unused sub 3 goals 
Fenton 32 apps 0 sub 1 unused sub 7 goals  -- 64 apps 0 sub1 unused sub 7 goals 
Marzano 4 apps 0 sub 1 unused sub 0 goals  -- 12 apps 0 sub 3 unused sub 0 goals 
Goodson 31 apps 5 sub 0 unused sub 21 goals  -- 43 apps 6 sub 0 unused sub 30 goals 
Campbell 29 apps 4 sub 0 unused sub 14 goals  -- 29 apps 4 sub 0 unused sub 14 goals
Troke 30 apps 0 sub 3 unused sub 14 goals -- 43 apps 0 sub 2 unused sub 26 goals
Tait 12 apps 0 sub 0 unused sub 0 goals  --18 apps 1 sub 3 unused sub 0 goals
Carvell 6 apps 16 sub 11 unused sub 0 goals  -- 6 apps 16 sub 11 unused sub 0 goals 
Verma 13 apps 7 sub 0 unused sub 2 goals  -- 13 apps 7 sub 0 unused sub 2 goals 
Rogers 2 apps 3 sub 6 unused sub 0 goals  -- 2 apps 3 sub 6 unused sub 0 goals 
Stainsby 0 apps 0 sub 8 unused sub 0 goals  -- 4 apps 0 sub 44 unused sub 0 goals
Irvine 13 apps 5 sub 13 unused sub 0 goals  -- 13 apps 5 sub 13 unused sub 0 goals
Frances 3 apps 1 sub 3 unused sub 0 goals  -- 3 apps 1 sub 4 unused sub 0 goals
Reid 12 apps 9 sub 5 unused sub 0 goals  -- 24 apps 9 sub 5 unused sub 1 goal
Brown-Hill 14 apps 9 sub 9 unused sub 2 goals  -- 27 apps 9 sub 9 unused sub 3 goals
Webb 4 apps 11 sub 2 unused sub 4 goals  -- 4 apps 11 sub 2 unused sub 4 goals
Watson 0 apps 0 sub 4 unused sub 0 goals -- 0 apps 0 sub 6 unused sub 0 goals
Tomlin 3 apps 1 sub 0 unused sub 0 goals – 3 apps 1 sub 0 unused sub 0 goals 
Williams 19 apps 1 sub 1 unused sub 1 goal – 19 apps 1 sub 1 unused sub 1 goal
Foster 1 app 1 sub 5 unused sub 0 goals – 1 app 1 sub 5 unused sub 0 goals
Chapman 13 apps 3 sub 1 unused sub 4 goals -- 13 apps 3 sub 1 unused sub 4 goals
Bird 17 apps 1 sub 0 unused sub 1 goal --17 apps 1 sub 0 unused sub 1 goal 
Caine 0 app 2 sub 3 unused sub 0 goals -- 0 apps 2 sub 3 unused sub 0 goals 
Gibson 3 app 2 sub 0 unused sub 1 goal -- 31 apps 5 sub 0 unused sub 16 goals 
Thomas-Sadler 1 app 0 sub 1 unused sub 0 goals-- 1 app 0 sub 1 unused sub 0 goals
Jemson 2 apps 1 sub 1 unused sub 0 goals-- 60 app 1 sub 1 unused sub 4 goals
Griffiths 0 app 1 sub 0 unused sub 0 goals-- 0 app 1 sub 0 unused sub 0 goals
Deeney 1 app 0 sub 1 unused sub 0 goals-- 1 app 0 sub 1 unused sub 0 goals
Thomas 1 app 0 sub 0 unused sub 0 goals-- 13 app 1 sub 0 unused sub 1 goal
Bradley 1 app 0 sub 0 unused sub 0 goals-- 1 app 0 sub 0 unused sub 0 goals


Top Five 
Scorers 20-21
Goodson 21
Campbell 14
Troke 14
Wakefield 8
Fenton 7

Scorers Career
Goodson 30
Troke 26
Campbell 14
Gibson 15
Bennett 8
Wakefield 8
 
Appearances 20-21
Wakefield 34+2
Durrant 34
Fenton 33
Goodson 31+5
Troke 31+1

Appearances Career
Bennett 106+7
Durrant 79
Fenton 64
Jemson 61
Maguire 46+1

Matchman wrote:

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Just listened to Wayne Hallcro’s after match comments. I got the feeling he was holding back and not wanting to criticise the players. He was right that goals change games and their second goal was a bit of a fluke as the shot took a deflection. He was also right that the most important thing was the result. At this stage of the season in our position it’s better to win ugly than play brilliantly but drop points.

 Some people were saying we made too many changes but I think Carruthers was letting some players know that he expects more from them. The player I really feel sorry for is Ollie Brown-Hill who didn’t make the squad on Saturday. In my opinion he’s a top player and never lets us down.

 There’s been some criticism of Joe Maguire recently but today with Joe on the field we led 3-0.  Five minutes after he was replaced Coleshill got one back and the game changed. That may have been a coincidence but for me Joe has a presence on the field and he reads the game well.

Let’s not forget that Coleshill were a decent side. 

 Next weeks game at home to Yaxley should enable our new players to settle in but we still have to win it. Chasetown’s next two games are tough ones against Cambridge and Carlton so really hoping they drop points.
 
After Yaxley we play Cambridge away and that is our next most testing match. I feel we have to win every game. 

One advantage we have is the size of our squad. We have enough players to cope with several injuries or suspensions. We also now know that we have cover for Ross who surely should be back in the team next week.

 

I was thinking that about the interview. Didn't really convince me of the performance . We certainly need our confidence back.