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This is our final pre-season friendly and a fourth test against higher-level opposition. So far we've lost heavily against Notts County, Solihull Moors and Basford United. It's the last chance for trialists to impress against good quality opposition and get signed up. Follow the match updates from 3pm.
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ILKESTON TOWN team :
1 Brandon Ganley, 2 Lavelll White, 3 David Bafao, 4 Mo Amin, 5 Mitch Robinson, 6 Jermaine Palmer, 7 Fabian Smith (C), 8 Jermain Hollis, 9 Jordan Nadat, 10 Alex Marshall, 11 Harry Wakefield.
Subs : 12 Kieran Rowland, 14 G Ryan, 15 Kevin Da Silva Bastos, 16 Billy Bennett, 17 Tom Marshall, 18 A Daniels, 19 Richard Stainsby (GK).
GRANTHAM TOWN team :
1 Tom Nicholson, 2 Trialist, 3 AJ Adelekan, 4 Rob Atkinson, 5 Tom Ward, 6 Danny Racchi, 7James Baxendale,8 James Berrett, 9 Craig Westcarr, 10 Craig Westcarr, 11 Trialist.
Subs : 12 Michael Tweed, 14 Fernando Bell Toxie,15 Connor Bartle, 16 Jack Broadhead, 17 Ryan Baldwin, 18 Rodrigo Goncalves, 19 Jack McGovern, 20 Sam Andrew.
Last edited by Matchman (03/8/2019 6:34 PM)
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We've been told by the Grantham officials that they have a really strong team. Unfortunately, we can't say the same. Reco is not playing nor is Jamie Walker and we have a few new names in our squad. Nick Hawkins is acting as team manager this afternoon.
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It's almost kickoff time. It's cloudy but dry so conditions are good. The teams are out and we're ready to start. We're off ......
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Good defending header by Palmer. GOAL Ilkeston! Unbelievable. Amazing strong run by Wakefield and he smashes it in from 20 yards He brushed aside at least three challenges before thrashing his shot past Nicholson 1-0 3 minutes
Last edited by Matchman (03/8/2019 5:51 PM)
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Nearly another as Robinson gets on the end of Smith's free kick. Westcarr chases a long ball forward but he's offside. Good defending by Bafao at the expense of a corner. 1-0 9 minutes
Last edited by Matchman (03/8/2019 5:53 PM)
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Wakefield back defending and blocks Grantham trialist shot. Hollis shot is tipped round the post. Nadat header is saved by Nicholson. Ilkeston are doing really well so far and have had more chances. 1-0 18 minutes
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Should not have said that Equaliser for Grantham, Craig Westcarr 1-1 19 minutes
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Palmer gets his head to Smith's corner but it's wide. Terrific header by Greg Smith is only just too high. Grantham are starting to get on top. 1-1 24 minutes
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Goal Grantham Greg Smith 1-2 25 minutes
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Creation of chances has dried up for Ilkeston. Good spell of Ilkeston possession but still no effort on goal. Greg Smith muscles his way through but Ganley saves. Nadat does really well but no one on the end of his cross. 1-2 34 minutes
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Berrett slams a shot well wide. At the other end, a good Harry Wakefield effort is pushed away by Nicholson. 1-2 39 minutes
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Goal Grantham Deflection of Westcarr's free-kick wrong-foots Ganley to make it 1-3 on 40 minutes. Scoreline is rather harsh on Ilkeston.
Last edited by Matchman (03/8/2019 2:48 PM)
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Saving block by Palmer as Westcarr looked likely to score again. That's half time :
Grantham 3 Ilkeston 1
Last edited by Matchman (03/8/2019 2:51 PM)
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We're 5 minutes into the second half and It's silll 1-3
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Wakefield tries to feed Nadat but the ball goes out. Ganley races out to clear. Robinson gets in the way of a goal bound shot. Let off for Ilkeston Goal Grantham Greg Smith 4-1 55 minutes
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Good play by Bastos as he gets around the fullback and crosses but no one on the end. Great defending by Palmer and then White. Then good defending by Robinson as Grantham start to press. 1-4 62 minutes
Last edited by Matchman (03/8/2019 5:57 PM)
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A terrific effort by Nadat goes just wide . Good spell of possession by Ilkeston but they're being kept out.
1-4 70 minutes
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Ilkeston can't find the killer pass whereas Grantham are looking dangerous on the break. Another speedy run by Bastos leaves defender trailing but his final cross is too high. 1-4 75 minutes
Last edited by Matchman (03/8/2019 5:58 PM)
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Great chance for Grantham's Baldwin but he puts it wide. Bastos smart turn and shot is too high. Then Bastos shot is deflected for a corner. Today's gate 175. 1-4 82 minutes
Last edited by Matchman (03/8/2019 5:59 PM)
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Free kick to Grantham on corner of area after Palmer foul. Last gasp save by Stainsby. Ilkeston get one back . 2-4 84 minutes
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How many fans from ilson John?
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Wonderful save by Stainsby as we enter the final few minutes. 2-4 88 minutes
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Lavell fires wide and the final whistle goes
Result GRANTHAM 4 ILKESTON 2
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Liam will be getting players signed up after the game.
This was a reasonable performance from Ilkeston considering the changes forced upon them. We had some good possession but apart from the opening period, we couldn't create many chances. Up until the Grantham equaliser on 19 minutes, Ilkeston were probably the better side. After the equaliser, Grantham began to take control and deserved to be ahead but their third goal was very fortunate coming from a big deflection. Jermaine Palmer playing at the back with Mitch Robinson did really well. 2-4 was probably a fair score. Big Greg Smith was excellent for the home side.
Last edited by Matchman (03/8/2019 6:53 PM)
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At least 15 players signed registration forms after the match. Jamie Walker and Reco Fyfe were not among them.
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Jw and rf are on contract or as AR lost their contract?
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Or is this NH another cost cut?
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Grantham Town 4 Ilkeston Town 2
Ilkeston’s pre-season friendly games concluded with a defeat but a decent performance against their Premier Division opponents, Grantham Town. The Robins started well and Harry Wakefield put them ahead on 3 minutes with a superb effort. He received the ball in midfield and charged forward shrugging off several challenges before letting fly with a shot that flew past Grantham keeper, Tom Nicholson. Ilkeston held the upper hand until 19 minutes when Craig Westcarr forced in an equaliser. Following that, Grantham started to get on top and on 25 minutes Greg Smith added a second. Wakefield had a chance for Ilkeston but Nicholson denied him with a good save. Five minutes before the break Grantham scored a fortunate third goal when Westcarr’s free kick took a big deflection which wrong-footed Brandon Ganley. Just before half time it was nearly 4-1 but Jermaine Palmer did really well with a saving block. The second half started with Mitch Robinson getting in the way of a goal bound shot but Greg Smith made it 4-1 on 55 minutes. Ilkeston fought back and a terrific effort by Jordan Nadat was just wide. Ilkeston’s Kevin Da Silva Bastos was doing well down the right flank but Grantham were also making chances and Stainsby twice was twice called upon to make vital saves. On 84 minutes Ilkeston deservedly pulled one back to give the scoreline some respectability and Lavell White almost scored a third with the last kick of the match with a shot which whistled past the post.