Ilkeston Line up:-

1. Turner

2. Knowles 4. Chettle 5. Lever 3. Davies

7. Hindley  8. Johnson 9. Walshe 6. Lucas 11. Adam

10. Jemson

Subs

12. Copnell for Davies 39 mins

14. Eshelby for Adam 77 mins 

Sub not used 15. Laws

Ilkeston Town reverted to a 4-5-1 formation for the visit of in form Ossett Albion. Nigel Jemson led the line up front and Stuart Copnell returned to the bench and Liam Walshe and Steve Johnson (pictured left) were bought in to replace the injured Mark Clifford and Paul Smith.

Early on both sides seem to have Christmas shopping on their minds as both struggled to put together any fluent moves. There were few chances created by either and those that were fell to the Robins with Chris Adam and Steve Johnson having half chances.

The nature of the game changed on 39 minutes when Phil Stant introduced Stuart Copnell into the fray. The pacy forward made an immediate impact and put in a dangerous cross after a surging run down the right.

After the break Ilkeston attacked the Ossett with renewed vigour. Steve Johnson came close at the far post with a header from a Ryan Hindley corner after 50 minutes and a minute later a clever interchange of passes between Liam Walshe and Nigel Jemson resulted in Walshe shooting narrowly over the bar.

The deadlock was broken in sensational fashion after 57 minutes when the mercurial Ryan Hindley picked up the ball ran at the Ossett defence beat several defenders before dispatching his shot into the right hand corner of the net from ten yards out. Seconds later Stuart Copnell almost increased the lead after being put through by Jemson.

Ossett however decided that it was time that they made an impact on the game and on the hour Downes found space on the left and crossed for post for Micky Norbury to head home unchallenged to equalise for the visitors.

Ilkeston reacted positively to this setback and Jemson fed Hindley and his cross narrowly evaded Adam on the far post. Within minutes Hindley twice came close to restoring the Robins lead. On 65 minutes he shot over after a strong run and within a minute he shrugged two challenges before shooting over from eight yards out. Mark Lever then had a goal ruled out when he headed home from a corner as the referee spotted an infringement.

Ossett now started to look a bit more comfortable and seemed to have settled for a share of the points. Ilkeston also seemed to be running out of steam as they continued to look for a winning goal. That goal arrived in dramatic fashion two minutes into added time Nigel Jemson controlled a long ball turned inside and curled a beautifully weighted curling shot into the top corner of the net to give Ilkeston a well deserved win.

The last gasp winner should have been the last word but despite signalling only two minutes injury time the referee managed to find another five minutes to add on whilst the home fans bit their nails.

WhiteBallProject Man of the Match - Ryan Hindley (pictured below) – Another all action display and one of the best individual goals seen at the new manor ground.