Threadbare Ilkeston Town torn apart by Gainsborough Trinity
Monday, August 30, 2010 Blue Square Bet North ILKESTON TOWN 2 Jack Watts 6 Josh Burge 67pen GAINSBOROUGH TRINITY 5 Leon Mettam 3, 55 Luke Waterfall 29, 41 Jefferson Louis 57
THEY came, they witnessed, they banged their drum and sang their hearts out, but the most loyal of Ilkeston Town's fans in a horrible period of uncertainty felt the full force of a Gainsborough Trinity onslaught in this Bank Holiday Monday clash.
Once again depleted by rules, regulations, injuries and suspensions, Darren Caskey was named as the only substitute for a Robins side desperate to add to their encouraging draw at Hyde.
But three minutes in reality hit home once again as former Robins loanee Leon Mettam ran on to a long ball and finished low past keeper Kyle Clancy.
A long and arduous afternoon was feared, but soon that thought was, albeit temporarily, extinguished as Amari Morgan-Smith hit a divine long ball over the head of Andrew Milne and Jack Watts strode forward to finish well and level the scores after six minutes.
Gainsborough looked neat and tidy and also threatening whenever the ball was launched into the box. This occurred on ten minutes when Paul Mayo's throw-in found the head of Lewis McMahon but his fine effort was well palmed away by Clancy for a corner.
Trinity keeper Phil Barnes then copied the trick when Gary Ricketts got a firm head on Ryan Clarke's cross, Barnes superbly tipping the effort wide at point-blank range.
The resulting corner saw Jason Lee head home but the referee saw a foul and chalked the effort off, and Lee was again frustrated minutes later as his long range effort could only find the side netting.
Trinity defender Luke Waterfall spent all of last season with the Robins but only found the net once. Here, he returned to haunt his old club with two goals in the space of 12 minutes.
Both came after free-kicks from out wide. The first, on 29 minutes, saw Mayo cross from the right and Waterfall's header beat Clancy and the lunging Jake Picton on the line as it crept in.
Then, four minutes before the break, Waterfall headed home from James Clarke's delivery on the left and a firm half-time lead was secured.
The chat during the break established the next goal would be key and so it proved. Another Mayo throw-in wasn't cleared and Mettam headed his second goal home on 55 minutes.
Two minutes later it was five as Jefferson Louis forced his way inside from the left and finished low past Clancy.
Ilkeston's spirit was encouraging as they sought to gain some respectability for the scoreline, something achieved in part when Josh Burge converted from the penalty spot on 67 after McMahon's handball.
Ricketts retired hurt leaving the Robins down to ten men once again, while Mettam saw his hat-trick goal denied by an offside flag as Trinity eased home and left the Robins licking their numerous wounds.
Ilkeston: 1 Kyle Clancy 2 Ryan Clarke 3 Liam Green 4 Josh Burge 5 Jake Picton 6 Laurie Wilson 7 Jack Watts 8 Paul Dempsey (c) 9 Gary Ricketts 10 Jason Lee 11 Amari Morgan-Smith (Darren Caskey 46). Att: 361. Ref: M Parker
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Friday 25 May 2012
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