So far…
Ilkeston: Won1, Drawn 3
Bamber: Won 1. Lost 1, Drawn 2
It should be a good game here at the NMG.
Ilkeston Town
1 Yates, 2 Perch, 3 Parker, 4 Eratt-Thompson D 5 Marshall T, 6 Minkley, 7 Brandy, 8 Meikle, 9 Cursons, 10 Wafula, 11Walker,
Bench: 12 Eratt-Thompson-K, 14 Markelic, 15 Daniel, 16 Kirby-Moore, 17 Marshall A.
Bamber Bridge
1 Michalski, 2 Wallbank, 3 Brockbank, 4 Squires, 5 Kenyon, 6 Hey, 7 Churchman, 8 Potts, 9 Molloy, 10 Cane, 11 Baxter..
Bench: 12 Harvey, 14 Grand, 15 Hasler-Cregg, 16 Bould, 17 Mohamed.
Been talking to Bamber Bridge officials – they seem confident of getting a result here today – we’ll see.
We’ll also bring goal flashes from Derby and Forest matches.
Peep! Away we go at the NMG. Not so many here today as at the midweek match with Macclesfield. Ilkeston are defending the car park end first half.
[Watford 0 Derby 1, 2 mins]
Bamber (playing in all yellow) go straight on the attack and force a corner.
Meikle responds for Ilkeston with a forward surge but his shot is blocked by a defender..
Matt Yates makes a good save from Baxter.
Parker goes upfield and shoots over the bar for Ilkeston.
Near miss by Tom Cursons whose header from Walker’s cross is just wide.
GOAL for Bamber. Max Cane the scorer from close range, turning in a cross from the right wing. 0-1. 19 mins.
[Watford 1 Derby 1, 30 mins]
Cursons though on goal but Nick Michalski makes an excellent save. Then a Brandy header is close.
A brilliant Cursons pull back to Wafula creates a great chance but somehow Wafula puts the ball wide.
GOAL for Ilkeston. Cursons gets through and smashes the ball beyond Michalski. 1-1. 33 mins.
[Richie Barker Derby coach sent off at Watford.]
Brandy almost creates a goal for Ilkeston as they push for a lead but it remains 1-1 at the break.
Half time: Ilkeston 1 Bamber Bridge 1.
[HT: Southampton 0 Nottm Forest 0; Watford 1 Derby 1]
The second half begins at the NMG. Ilkeston are now attacking the car park end.
A chance presents itself for Bamber as they’re awarded a free kick on the edge of Ilkeston’s penalty area. It’s cleared.
Then Yates makes a fine save to keep them out. Strong start by the visitors.
Then a real let-off for Ilkeston as Baxter misses an open goal. If he’d shot straight away he’d have scored.
Yates saves again. Ilkeston are at sixes and sevens.
Great play between Wafula, Meikle and Brandy takes Ilkeston forward and ends with a close call for Michalski.
GOAL for Ilkeston. We’re ahead against the run of play! Cursons beats the keeper with a one-on-one chip over his head. 2-1 64 mins.
[Southampton 0 Nottm Forest 1, Watford 2 Derby 1 Latest]
That opportunist goal by Cursons and Yates’s top class goalkeeping are the reason Ilkeston lead.
L’Varn Brandy is clattered into the boards. He’s replaced by Sacha Markelic.
Alex Marshall replaces Lindon Meikle.
Bamber are making a determined effort to retrieve something. Two headers have been very close.
Tom Cursons has been announced as Man of the Match.
Today’s gate: 585.
It’s all Bamber in the closing stages – Ilkeston defending valiantly.
Ref keeps looking at his watch.
It’s full time!
Ilkeston Town 2 Bamber Bridge 1.
