Ilkeston Town 3 (Harrad 24’, Smith 39’, Fyfe 73’)
Market Drayton Town 0
 
Ilkeston Town bounced back from their unfortunate defeat away to high flying Leek Town on Tuesday by cruising to a relatively comfortable 3-0 victory over a lack lustre Market Drayton Town. Experienced striker Shaun Harrad opened the scoring before Fabian Smith extended the lead just before the break and the impressive Reece Fyfe secured the points for the Robins with a late third goal.
 
In strong sunshine Ilkeston made a bright start totally dominating Market Drayton. In the first ten minutes both Shaun Harrad and Rod Orlando-Young came close to opening the scoring. Harrad forced a fine  save from Ashley Rawlins and Orlando-Young fired in the side netting after being put through by Harrad.
 
Orlando-Young was causing tremendous problems for an over worked visitors defence and on 16 minutes he forced another excellent save from Rawlins, then four minutes later he had a header cleared off the line. The breakthrough for the Robins came after 24 minutes when Conor Green put Harrad clear and he calmly fired under the advancing Rawlins.
 
Reece Fyfe saw an effort sail just over the bar before the rampant Orlando-Yound cleverly set up Fabian Smith for a tap in to put Ilkeston 2-0 up on 39 minutes. Fyfe was desperate to get in on the act and was unlucky when his shot hit the post just before the break.
 
After half-time the heat started to take its toll and the game noticeably slowed down. Despite this Harrad came close on two occasions and Fyfe again managed to place a shot just over the bar. Market Drayton then started to get back into the game without really threatening to breach a resolute and watertight Ilkeston defence. Any thoughts the visitors had of getting anything from the game were dashed when Fyfe finally got on the score sheet after he was set up by the impressive Jermain Hollis and he made no mistake from eight yards on 78 minutes.
 
Ironically Market Drayton came closest to scoring in the last ten minutes when their best player Levi Hunter came close on two occasions. There was still time however before the final whistle for substitute Mason Lee to force another fine save from Rawlins.
 
This comfortable win moved the Robins up to fourth place and consolidated their fine start to the season.
 
Ilkeston Town line up:- Durrant, White (Lee), Green, Marshall T, Robertson, Freeman, Smith, Hollis, Harrad (Marshall A), Fyfe and Orlando-Young (Bastos) subs not used Campbell-Gordon and Stainsby.
 
Attendance 453
 
John Shiels