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Ilson
foiled by Bradford fightback
12th
November 2005 - UniBond League Premier Division
Bradford
Park Avenue
2
Dunne
45, 54
Ilkeston
Town
2
Townsend
4, 39
Att
235
Bradford
Park Avenue
:- Worsop,
Siddall, Agus, Walsh, Denvers, Ryan, Colcutt, Dunne, Greaves,
Hadland, Newton Subs not used O’Brien, Challender and Smith.
Ilkeston
Town
:- Turner,
Ludlam, Jervis, Gaunt, Swinscoe, Holmes, Smith, Burns, Townsend,
Ryan, Adam Subs not used Turner M, Knowles and Brewer.
Facing
another club with a Football League pedigree Manager Nigel Jemson kept faith with the line up that preformed so well
against
Gateshead
last Saturday.
The
Robins had the perfect start when on four minutes Gary Townsend got on the end of a long Ross Turner clearance and poked the ball past Worsop on the Bradford
goal. The goal spurred on the Ilkeston team and they had chances to
go further ahead when John
Burns fed Oliver Ryan
but was foiled by the advancing Worsop. The ball fell to Burns
who shot over.
The
Robins however made their dominance pay when they went 2-0 up after
39 minutes. Gareth Holmes
made a surging run into the box and forced a corner. Townsend
got his second gaol of the game when he converted the
resultant Burns corner with the deftest of touches.
Bradford
did not give up and just before the break they got back into the
game when Dunne got on the end of a long corner by
Newton
to head the ball past the helpless Turner.
In fact they should have equalised in added time but they squandered
a good chance.
After
the break the home side made the better start sensing that they
could get something out of the game. On 54 minutes that’s exactly
what they did when Turner
dropped the ball after a Tony Agar free kick and it kindly fell to
Dunne who coolly slotted the ball home.
Townsend
could have completed a hat trick and won the game for Ilkeston but
he headed straight at the keeper after getting on the end of a Ryan
Ludlam cross and David
Jervis had a shot well saved by Worsop.
Bradford
also had a few chances to snatch the points the best coming when
Walsh headed over from six yards out and Colcutt had his shot well
saved by Turner. In the end however the points were shared.
WhiteBallProject
Man of the Match
- John Burns - Midfield maestro and another class
performance
Ilkeston
Town
may have
looked at this fixture and decided that a draw would be a good
result but after going two up in the first half they will be
disappointed with only a share of the spoils.
Gary
Townsend
finally doing himself justice and finding the net will be a bonus
but the manner of the two goals will be a worry. Keeper Ross
Turner may be blamed for both but in the end Ilkeston must learn
to close games down once they have built a lead.
The
Robins are left still looking for that first elusive away win but in
the meantime they face a tough home tie against old foes North
Ferriby United who are still top of the Premier Division after being
promoted as champions of Division One last season. Despite the loss
of Gary Bradshaw who was ironically sent off on his debut for
Cheltenham Town North Ferriby are still the team to beat and they
will provide a true test of Ilkeston’s progress since the
departure of Phil Stant.
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