Ilkeston Town v Morpeth Town.
It’s a big day for football fans – Ilkeston play their final home game of the season and Derby County have an important game at Cambridge in their quest for promotion. We’ll have regular updates from both matches.
Morpeth are a couple of places below Ilkeston but ten points behind them. When the teams last met at Craik Park in November, Morpeth won 2-1. Ilkeston are on a good run of results at the moment so will be hoping to avenge that defeat.
Derby will be on the verge of automatic promotion to the Championship if they can win at Cambridge this afternoon. They’ll have a close eye on Bolton’s game v Port Vale. If Derby lose – and Bolton win – everything will depend on the final day of the season next week. Peterborough Utd are also in the race for automatic promotion – but will need to win all three remaining games while Derby and Bolton falter.
Today’s teams at the New Manor Ground –
Ilkeston Town:
1 Yates, 2 Perch, 3 Walker, 4 Declan Eratt-Thompson- 5 Tom Marshall, 6 Minkley, 7 Brandy, 8 Dixon, 9 Cursons, 10 Meikle, 11 Wafula.
Bench: 12 Koby Eratt-Thompson 14 King, 16 Cox, 17 Alex Marshall, 18 White.
Morpeth Town:
1 Lowson, 2 Robson, 3 Steels, 4 Dowling, 5 Henderson, 6 Wombwell, 7 Foalle. 8 Barlow, 9 Hodgson. !0 Fenton. 11 Johnson.
Bench: Donaldson, 15 Lynn, 15 Boyd, 16 Bollado.17 Griggs.
Ilkeston are wearing red and white. Morpeth are in amber and black.
We’re underway..
Ilkeston are kicking towards the car park end goal.
Many fans have radios with them – an indication of their interest in other games.
Both teams have early free kick chances. Both fail to hit the mark. Then Ilkeston’s L’Varn Brandy sends across a centre that causes some concern in the Morpeth defence, but it’s cleared.
Dan Lowson makes a save from Tom Cursons.
It’s fairly even with both teams making chances.
Great save by Lowson then the ball is kicked off the line by a Morpeth defender.
GOAL for Ilkeston. Tom Marshall the scorer heading in from Declan Eratt-Thompson’s corner 1-0. 23 mins
GOAL for Morpeth. A quick reply from the visitors. Danny Barlow scores with a shot that took a big deflection leaving Yates helpless. 1-1. 29 mins.
[Cambridge 0 Derby 1, Mendez-Laing 39 mins]
Ilkeston force a couple of corners but Lowson deals with them.
Then a chance for Morpeth’s winger Johnson but Yates has it covered. Morpeth are making a strong finish to the half.
Half time: Ilkeston 1 Morpeth 1.
[HTs: Cambridge 0 Derby 1; Bolton 0 Port Vale 0; Bristol Rov 0 Peterboro’ 1; Notts 0 Colchester 0]
We’re off again at the NMG.
Double chance for Ilkeston as Dixon and then Wafula have shots blocked.
GOAL for Ilkeston. Wafula blasts the ball in the net following a corner. Morpeth couldn’t clear it and when it fell to Wafula he made no mistake. 52 mins. 2-1.
GOAL for Ilkeston. Thrilling run by Dixon and Tom Cursons hammers home the cross, 59 mins. 3-1.
Attendance here: 837.
Alex Marshall comes on for Connor Dixon, 68 mins.
[Latest scores (75 mins): Cambridge 0 Derby 1; Bolton 1 Port Vale 0; Bristol Rov 0 Peterboro’ 1; Notts 1 Colchester 0]
Brandy brings a fine save from Lowson.
GOAL for Morpeth. Jack Foalle the scorer. 78 mins. It’s against the run of play but Morpeth are back in contention. 3-2.
Josh Robson fires over for the visitors. It was a chance.
Great 50 yard un by Brandy – then he’s fouled. It was the only way they could stop him. Walkers free kick is then saved by Lowson,
Full time. Ilkeston Town 3. Morpeth Town. 2.
[Full time: Cambridge 0 Derby 1 – nervy ending but Derby hang on to record a record 13th away win and stay on course for second-spot promotion; Bolton 2 Port Vale 0 – Bolton keep up the pressure on Derby. Port Vale sadly are relegated; Bristol Rov 0 Peterboro’ 2; Notts 1 Colchester 0]
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