Ilkeston Line up:-

Ilkeston Town made the journey to the seat of learning Cambridge knowing that they would have to cause a major upset if they were to progress to the next round. Manager Charlie Bishop was able to welcome back Alex Callery from his brief return to Worksop Town. Aaron O,Connor dropped to the bench and Chris Thompson moved back to central striker.

Ilkeston made a good start to the game and for the first half hour they looked the better side. It was at the end of this spell on 31 minutes when Alex Callery gave the Robins a well deserved lead. Chris Thompson fed him the ball on the right and Callery ran at the defence before putting a low drive inside the right hand post past the despairing keepers dive. After the break Cambridge made a substitution and the change of tactics unsettled Ilkeston. The Robins were put under immediate pressure from the home side and they equalised on 52 minutes when the excellent Simpson had a shot well saved by Andy Love. Riddle however followed up and hit the loose ball into the roof of the net. Simpson scored the second himself five minutes later when he beat Andy Love with a tremendous volley from the edge of the box. On 64 minutes Cambridge virtually sealed the tie when Nightingale scored with a good header from a well flighted right wing cross. Ilkeston carried on fighting and had a few chances to get back into the game but it was not to be their day. Cambridge City now progress to the next round with a side whose average age is only 23. Their best two players the keeper and Simpson are both only 18. Most of these players have come through their academy sides and got their chance because is deep in debt. However their biggest is the ground which is apparantly worth £11,000,000.

WhiteBallProject Man of the Match - Alex Callery -  Back so soon and an excellent performance to herald his return. Pipped Chris Thompson, Marc Laws and Fabian Smith for the Sheriffs Badge.