RELEGATION worries finally seemed to waft away in spring weather which offered warm sun, swirling wind and a little snow thrown in as a conversation piece.

It was in contrast to a gloomy night in September when Lincoln won a nine-goal epic at the New Manor Ground, which saw high optimism vanish with central defender Barry Woolley who damaged his right knee and was out until Boxing Day.

Since then Lincoln have subsided to the bottom of the table while the Robins managed to hoist themselves up to tenth spot. This win made it ten points from four unbeaten games.

It all began so well. Striker Gavin Knight scored in the final moments of the Good Friday triumph over Eastwood and wasted only three minutes of this match to do the same.

Adam Muller headed on a long pass and it fell to the man borrowed from Guiseley until the end of the season. The range was 20 yards but Knight decided on a lavish lob.

He was rewarded with a fine and surprising goal partly because of the perfect arc of the ball but also because keeper Lee Walker was gardening.

The setback was exactly what the hosts did not want but they were soon suffering again. Ilkeston won a free kick on the edge of the penalty area and Justin Walker's effort was well taken by the keeper.

Knight was proving to be a headache for Lincoln, who had him on loan earlier this season. He cut inside a player as he came in from the left. Keeper Walker did a fine job of beating the ball away before a linesman's flag went up.

It took seven minutes for Lincoln to get forward with any menace. Centre-forward Mark Ashton slipped free but the shot was wide. When Ashton got through again, Chris Timons made sure the ball ran out for a goal kick.

Walker produced an excellent ball which enabled Ross Gardner to test the right side of the home defence. Gareth Holmes got involved and Muller's effort was wide.

When Ilkeston gained a corner, Walker found Richard Teesdale at the far post. The defender redirected the ball back towards the near post and it was eventually cleared.

Knight fed Muller who shook off the attentions of Karl Colley and captain Gary Walters. The ball went back to Knight and fizzled across goal with nobody around to profit.

Ashton combined well with left winger Steve Woolley but he reckoned without Timons, who headed the cross out of harm's way. James Thompson had a shot but this was taken by keeper Phil Senior, as snow fell thinly through bright sun.

There was no time to go looking for a rainbow before Timons was back in action, heading the ball a good 20 yards out of his own penalty area.

That got Gardner going forward and releasing Knight with a low pass. He skimmed round Scott Brough but the keeper saved bravely at Knight's feet.

Rick Brewer was stopping all marauders running down the Ilkeston left, as well as spraying some fine balls up to his forwards. When he stepped up to take a free-kick, Teesdale headed it into a crowd of players and the ball was scrambled away.

On 30 minutes, Colin Hunter trotted to the right to take an inswinging corner and nearly scored to the astonishment of viewers and possibly himself. The low effort hit the base of the near post. Woolley whacked it away.

Hunter, who had replaced the injured Lee Featherstone, had been encouraged. Next he played a long pass up to Muller but Ashley Foyle halted further progress.

The sun disappeared behind dark clouds and we soon knew why. It was getting out of the way of heavy snow which cascaded briefly onto the pitch and the trees surrounding the Ashby Avenue pitch.

An injury gave llkeston fans the chance to renew acquaintances with Chris Adam, the Robins' former winger who keeps turning up playing for the opposition. When he received a crossfield pass from Adam Potter, there seemed a moment of danger.

Adam's cross was too far for Senior to reach. Lincoln forwards were also too far from it and the ball passed out of peril.

Ilkeston responded with a lively spell. Gardner rushed forward and Walker made a fine save, once more redeeming his error of the third minute.

Holmes got well forward and teased a pass through a narrow gap for Knight to turn into the net. Up went the flag for offside. It was a tight decision.

Within a minute, Holmes struck up an alliance with Hunter on the left but the winger's cross was cleared, enabling Lincoln to get forward.

It only took a few seconds for them to win a corner which reached Woolley. His shot seemed to be flying into the far corner but there was the diligent Holmes to head it off the line.

Just as quickly, the ball raced to the other end and Gardner's cross was headed on by Muller for right back Liam Powell to turn in mid-air and sweep it into the net. An offside flag deprived Ilkeston of a stylish and important goal.

Woolley broke down the left but Powell was back doing the day job, shepherding him to pastures new well away from goal.

Knight forced the keeper into another good save before Ilkeston scored in the third minute of added time in the first period. Justin Walker flicked the ball over an opponent to make space in midfield, then hit a delightful pass to send Muller through on the right.

Captain Walters impeded him and was booked. The referee awarded a penalty which Gardner drove home, hard and true and low. A two-goal lead was well deserved for Ilkeston's first half efforts.

But with Premier status hanging by a thread, Lincoln were rejuvenated after their cuppas. Woolley's corner was firmly headed by Foyle and partially cleared to his centre back partner Karl Colley, whose header was well taken by Senior.

Hunter's free-kick went to Gardner but his sudden shot had no greater effect than rattling an advertising placard beside the goal. At the other end, Brough's cross was pulled down by Senior, whose goalkeeping spreads confidence.

Midfielder Leon Wainman began to attract attention and not just because he wore a trendy black bandana. He went charging through and got the ball to Ashton whose shot was taken by Senior.

In 54 minutes, Ilkeston had the perfect opportunity to slap down the Lincoln revival. Gardner got free on the right but his low cross seemed to take Muller by surprise and he contrived to miss from only a few yards.

This enlivened the Ilkeston fans behind the goal. "Come on Ilson," they began to urge as much of the play switched to the other end. Brough took a free kick which was headed over by Foyle. Wainman ran through but the ball was cleared before he could turn it across goal.

It took Brewer to give his fellow defenders a break. Not only did he win the ball but he took it three-quarters of the length of the pitch.

His reward was being fouled. When Walker took the free kick, Muller stuck it in the net but only after an offside verdict.

Holmes and Wainman had a heated dispute which ended with the Lincoln man embracing his opponent, although not fondly. The referee was not impressed but was Wainman bothered? No, he was not.

For his next trick, he reached the by-line and aimed for Ashton. Timons stretched mightily to prevent it reaching the centre forward.

In 76 minutes, Thompson crossed for Ashton, who was only a couple of yards out but the header went over the top. This prompted a mass exodus of all of six Lincoln fans who had seen enough.

They were clearly able to look into the future because a similar chance was missed as soon as they left. This time substitute Laurence Hall put a header over the top.

Wainman was worth watching and his teasing ball was intended for Ashton. It might have reached him but for Senior's cute anticipation.

When Hall got away from Teesdale, Powell recovered the situation with a good tackle which had no margin for error. Had it been a moment late, a penalty might well have been conceded.

Walker gave Ilkeston fans something to study at close range when he provided a chance for substitute Jon Douglas, who was playing against his former club. The shot rattled another advert, this time one hanging from the stand above the goal.

Three minutes of added time were permitted and Lincoln attempted to use them well. First Thompson headed over the Ilkeston bar before Wainman tried one last time to create a goal.

He cut the ball back for Ashton but Timons got a boot there to concede a corner. This was headed out by substitute Nathan Winder as the final whistle sounded to the accompaniment of "Ilson, we love you."

Ilkeston Town
1 Phil Senior
2 Liam Powell
3 Rick Brewer
4 Gareth Holmes (Matt Baxter 82)
5 Richard Teesdale
6 Chris Timons
7 Ross Gardner
8 Justin Walker
9 Adam Muller
10 Gavin Knight (Jon Douglas 70)
11 Colin Hunter (Nathan Winder 72)
Attendance: 164
Referee: N Murphy (Mansfield)