We're off. chesterfield have 8 first team players in their starting lineup.

Last edited by Matchman (28/1/2020 9:24 PM)

Ilkeston are now much more in the game but Chesterfield's passing's looks really good. Ilkeston player leaves the field injured.  I think its Tom Marshall.        0-0    23 minutes

Good effort by Lambert but Keeper saves well. Second goal for Chesterfield by . no. 21 McKay.      0-2     33 minutes

Half time 0-2

Terrific effort by Wells is just wide of curling in at the far post. Bennett is as solid as ever.         0-2      58 minutes

Chesterfield make a goalkeeper change.   Goal by Ilkeston No.19.   Superb header beats the keeper.       1-2      77 minutes

Last edited by Matchman (28/1/2020 8:05 PM)

No 19 so close again but his first time volley is too high.  It's a really strong finish by Ilkeston. 

It's finished       Ilkeston 1  Chesterfield  2

Last edited by Matchman (28/1/2020 8:15 PM)

My take on the game. 

I was given the Chesterfield squad but not the Ilkeston squad presumably because it included trialists.
The match started off with what looked like Ilkeston's strongest team against a Chesterfield team with eight players with first team experience. Bearing in mind that Chesterfield are three levels higher, we did reasonably well but Chesterfield's players were generally more skilled and fitter than ours. Chesterfield started really strongly passing the ball quickly and accurately but as the game went on Ilkeston came more into it . However, the half time score of 0-2 reflected Chesterfield's superiority. Unfortunately Tom Marshall took a knock and had to come off. Hopefully it isn't too serious as the first team are already depleted by injuries and players leaving.
The second half saw both teams make several changes. Ilkeston introduced several young players including some of whom looked quite promising and they did well to match the slightly weaker Chesterfield side. 

So it seems like we are having a look at several young players who are at present playing locally. I'm guessing this is with a view to forming the proposed Under23 team for next season with the aim being that the Under 23s can then feed into the first team. Several of the young players spent time in the office with Martin Carruthers and Mark Clifford after the match.

So for the couple hundred who turned up to watch; it was a decent game and maybe a glimpse of the Club's future plans. We may have only won one of our last eight games but watching these young lads perform so well was very uplifting and hopfully a sign of things to come.

 

Last edited by Matchman (29/1/2020 7:54 PM)