Swinscoe threatens	Walshe is back!	Sonic clears

Ilkeston Town welcomed Clitheroe for their first ever visit to the New Manor Ground. The North Lanacashire side had won only one game since November and were facing a Robins side which had bought in Craig Swinscoe for the injured Steve Chettle.

Ilkeston almost got the perfect start when after five minutes they were awarded a penalty for handball. Nigel Jemson however saw his well struck penalty excellently saved by Kris Richens in the visitors goal. The let off encouraged Clitheroe and they started to trouble the Ilkeston defence without calling for Ross Turner to make a save of any note.

The Robins however then started get on top and put the visitors defence under constant pressure. Clitheroe were defending in depth and clear cut chances were few and far between. Jemson, Swinscoe and Mick Goddard all had half chances but failed to turn Ilkeston’s territorial advantage into goals.

After the break the Robins continued to pour forward and they finally got a breakthrough after 48 minutes.  A David Jervis free kick found Mark Clifford (pictured above) six yards out and he smartly controlled the ball and slotted it past Richens to put Ilkeston one up.

Clitheroe’s almost equalised straight from the restart when they came close from a fee kick. The game soon  exploded into controversy early in the second half when after a free kick the players became involved in an unsightly melee. Clitheroe claimed Goddard had spat at one of their players but in the end the referee booked two Clitheroe players.  The game which had been very physical throughout was threatening to flair out of control with Clitheroe having two more players booked in quick succession and on 74 minutes Russell Clarke was sent off after being given his second yellow card for a foul on Jemson.

Ilkeston were still however unable to increase their despite being encamped in the visitors half. Jemson missed an excellent chance when he took a touch too many after he was involved in an excellent passing move with Liam Walshe and Goddard. Substitute Ryan Hindley being watched by a scout from Rotherham crossed for Walshe but a Clitheroe head  just deflected the ball wide.

With two minutes left and Clitheroe down to ten men the unimaginable happened, the visitors equalised. A free kick was sent into the box and Turner raced out to punch the ball clear but only managed to divert the ball into his own net. Ironically this was Clitheroe’s first effort on goal and even that was going wide until Turner intervened. The referee added five minutes on at the end but Clitheroe hung on for a point which they had never looked like getting.

WhiteBallProject Man of the Match - Alan Davies  (pictured below) – solid as a rock at right back and never put a foot wrong.

Luckily for Ilkeston other results softened the loss of two points. Willenhall lost at home for the second time in a week and North Ferriby drew at Kendal Town.

On Tuesday Ilkeston will face a much better side in Kidsgrove Athletic and hopefully they will has they have done in the past be able to raise their game when playing better opposition.

Ilson defending freekicks	Davies tackles