It's an angry finish. 2 red cards shown after time

Last edited by Matchman (24/3/2025 9:58 AM)

ROUND UP 17:05
 
MACCLESFIELD CHAMPIONS!
 
League Two
Chesterfield 0 Harrogate Town 0 ft
 
National League North
Buxton 0 King’s Lynn Town 1
Chorley  2 Alfreton Town 0 
 
Northern Premier League Premier Division
Basford United 2 Workington 1 ft
Gainsborough Trinity 0 FC United of Manchester 1 ft
Hebburn Town 0 Guiseley 1 ft
Hyde United 1 Prescot Cables 2 ft
Lancaster City 0 Morpeth Town 0 ft
Leek Town 3 Ashton United 1
Macclesfield 2 Bamber Bridge 1 ft
Matlock Town 2 Blyth Spartans 0 ft
Mickleover 4 Whitby Town 3 ft 
Stockton Town 1 Ilkeston Town 0 ft
Warrington Rylands 0 Worksop Town 3  ft
 
 Table @16:36       GD  Pts
1 Macclesfield       +61  91
2 Worksop Town   +40  71
3 Guiseley             +25  68
4 Stockton Town   +15  62
5 Ashton United    +14  60
6 Ilkeston Town     +14  55
 
Northern Premier League East
Belper Town 1 Grimsby Borough 1 ft
Carlton Town 3 Ossett United 1 ft
Cleethorpes Town 3 Ashington 1 ft
Heaton Stannington  1 Bridlington Town 4 ft
Sherwood Colliery 1 Garforth Town 2 ft
 
Northern Premier League Midland
Anstey Nomads 0 Sporting Khalsa 1 ABANDONED
Long Eaton United 2 Darlaston Town 0
Quorn 3 Wellingborough Town 0
Shepshed Dynamo 1 Sutton Coldfield Town 0 ft
 
Lowland League
Berwick Rangers 1 Tranent 2 ft
 
Northern League Division One
Boro Rangers 2 Blyth Town 0
Newcastle Benfield 4 Whickham 0 ft
North Shields 1 Kendal Town 3
Northallerton Town 0 Newcastle Blue Star 0 ft
Whitley Bay 1 Carlisle City 0
 
Northern League Division Two
Bedlington Terriers 0 Newcastle University 0
Prudhoe 3 Billlingham Synthonia 1
Thornaby 2 Ryton & Crawcrook Albion 1 ft
 
Ex Robins 
Tom Cursons on the bench for Harrogate at Chesterfield
Eliott Reeves scores for Flint Town United
Paddy Webb scores for Quorn 23’
Goerge Wilkinson puts Mickleover in front 34’
Paddy Webb gets his second at Quorn 40’
Nat Watson puts Carlton ahead 35’
Montel Gibson scores for Matlock 47’
Dean Freeman scores for Carlton 67’
Evan Garnett scores for Long Eaton 74’
Jamie Wiliiamson eqiualises for Basford 82’
Jack Rogders puts shepshed 1-0 up 81’
Montel Gibson gets his second from the spot 89’

Defeat but not without a fight. 

Handbags?

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Sat 22nd March 2025
Northern Premier League
Stockton Town 1  Ilkeston Town 0
Ilkeston’s playoff hopes were left dangling by a thread after defeat to rivals Stockton. A second half goal by Kevin Hayes proved to be the decider on a day which ended with angry scenes and two red cards after the full time whistle following a skirmish involving players and personnel from both dugouts.  

Ilkeston started well with Jordan Stevens going past a defenders at pace down the right but his inviting cross was scrambled away. Then on three minutes, L’Varn Brandy had a golden chance when found by Harvey Kirby-Moore in space but he scuffed his effort wide. After that defences were on top with Stockton relying on crosses into the box which Matt Yates and the Ilkeston defenders were able to deal with. The next real chance fell to Brandy again on 20 minutes but again he missed his opportunity and got crowded out. Stockton were starting to dominate in terms of possession but were unable to create opportunities. A Sam Parker header was just wide and a Stevens fee kick slammed into the Stockton wall as the better chances continued to fall ilkeston’s way. Hayes had a decent chance for Stockton just before half time but saw his effort go way over the bar. 

On 50 minutes Ilkeston appealed for a penalty when Kirby-Moore was sent crashing then Josh Baggs fired wide for Stockton. Dixon was next to go tumbling in the area but when that appeal was waved away Stockton nearly scored at the other end with a fast counter attack down the left which was last ditch defended at the expense of a corner. What turned out to be the winning goal on 59 minutes came when a Stockton player was lying injured. Hayes ignored the distraction and fired the ball past Yates from a tight angle. From then onwards Ilkeston pushed hard for a leveller and they thought they had it on 70 minutes when Dixon found the net only to be knocked back by a late linesman’s flag for offside. In the closing stages a Dixon header was blocked then the followup effort by Sam Essien was also blocked as Ilkeston made a concerted effort to rescue a point but it was not to be.    

 

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Stockton’s Match Report 


Kev Hayes’ second half goal settled a heated affair against Play-Off rivals Ilkeston Town. 
Hayes struck the decisive goal close to the hour mark to steer the Anchors seven points clear of their Derbyshire opponents. The game ended in melee as both sides clashed at the full-time whistle. In the aftermath, Hayes and Kornell McDonald were sent off. It was a tremendous turn out of 1,135 from the Teesside public to back the region’s Premier Non-League club on Non-League day. Michael Dunwell named an unchanged Starting XI from the side which earned a vital win at Ashton United last Saturday. 
Ilkeston Town, managed by Ian Deakin who steered his Long Eaton side past the Anchors in the 2023 NPL East Division Play-Off Final named two players who starred in that final in Sam Parker and Captain Tom Marshall. There was also a place in the line-up for Jaden Charles who signed from Rushall Olympic since the sides last met in February. That night Stockton Town ran out 2-1 winners. 
The first half was typical of a cagey end of season match-up as both sides tried to get a sense of each other. Neither side really troubled their opponents’ goal until the final moments. Ilkeston forced a close range save from Nathan Harker, while Hayes struck over following a neat passage of play. 
Half-Time: Stockton Town 0-0 Ilkeston Town
Ilkeston had the second half’s first chance when Parker prodded just wide from a free kick into the box. Josh Baggs then set his sights with a long range effort which drifted wide. A glaring chance came when a corner was met by a free header from Arj Purewal but he couldn’t direct his header on target. Heading towards the hour mark, Hayes showed great footwork and kept his composure to convert past Yates at a diminishing angle. Ilkeston searched for a way back into the game but were unable to trouble the Stockton goal. In the end they were fortunate to end the game with the full cohort of players. Substitute Declan Erratt-Thompson was caught out on his own with Michael Fowler and he dragged the striker back. To the amazement of much of the healthy crowd, the referee displayed only a yellow card. 
As soon as the full-time whistle was blown, there was a commotion as the two benches ensued in skirmish. The aftermath saw a player each dismissed in Hayes for Stockton and McDonald for Ilkeston. 
Full-Time: Stockton Town 1-0 Ilkeston Town 

The Anchors, who are now up to 4th, face a trip to FC United of Manchester next Saturday. 
Stockton Town: Harker, Baggs, Purewal, King, Nicholson, Coulthard, Butterworth (John 74’), Painter, Scott (Fowler 83’), Sweet (Thomson 64’), Hayes (Gallacher 78’)Unused Subs; Roberts
Ilkeston Town: Yates, Minkley, Charles (Hardwick 72’), Miekle (McDonald 73’), Marshall, Parker, Brandy (Essien 60’), Daniel, Kirby-Moore, Dixon, Stevens (Eratt-Thompson 60’)Unused Subs: Wauchope 
Goals: 1-0, 59 min, Hayes
Attendance: 1,135


 

There are a few accusations in the comments following Ian Deakin's after match interview. 

I didn't see anything but what I will say is that many of their supporters were extremely biased so anything they say is likely to be greatly exaggerated. I thought that the referee had a decent game but they were giving him an awful time wanting every decision to go their way.  

In my opinion, Stockton's players and officials created the situation by over celebrating in the faces of our officials and players in such a way as to provoke a reaction.


 

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In his post match interview Stockton manager Michael Dunhill blames the after match "coming together" on the referee for not giving Declan a red card. Well, if that caused there to be a bad tempered finish, it wasn't our players and officials who were angry. It was theirs. 

Michael Dunwell gave his thoughts after today's win over Ilkeston Town
https://youtu.be/6ZywbKyeU8E?fe=0.001pxature=shared    

5:10 pm · 23 Mar 2025 



 

Stockton are unbeaten in 5 matches but their luck may run out on Saturday at Broadhurst Park against FC United, always a tough ground to visit.  if Stockton were to win promotion they will have some ground improvements to make.