Ilkeston Line up:-

1. Robinson

2. Knowles 4. Swinscoe  5. Cooke 3. Jervis

7. Hindley 8. Johnson 6. Walshe  11. Eshelby

10. Laws 

9. Freestone 

Subs

12. Evans for Freestone 62 mins

14. O'Connor for Hindley 83 mins

15. Thompson for Eshelby 83 mins

Subs not used 16. Smith F and 17. Atkinson

Yellow Cards none

Red Cards none

Debuts none

Ilkeston Town traveled to Gloucester City hoping to ruin the home side's chances of overhauling Redditch United in the hunt for the Dr Martens Western Division championship. With both Mark Lever and Danny Holyoak missing Russell Cooke (pictured left) was drafted in to defence to play alongside Craig Swinscoe.

Gloucester started the game doing most of the attacking and the Ilkeston defence had to be resolute in their defending on a mud bath of a pitch. The Robins first chance did not arrive until the 25th minute when Chris Freestone curled a shot wide from 25 yards out. Gloucester continue to put Ilkeston under pressure and the Robins were content to attack on the break indeed David Jervis should have given Ilkeston the lead just before the interval after he was put through by Paul Eshelby. However the defenders poor finishing let him down.

The home side started the second half in the same vein they had finished the first and continued to peg Ilkeston back without being able to breach the stoic Robins rearguard. As the game wore on Ilkeston came more into the game and started to look more potent as an attacking force. Paul Eshelby, Andy Evans, Steve Johnson and Marc Laws all had good chances to put the Robins in front. 

Ilkeston finally got the breakthrough five minutes before the end when Marc Laws latched on to a poor back pass by Lee Jefferies and coolly slotted his shot past Matt Bath in the Gloucester goal to give the Robins a well deserved three points.

WhiteBallProject Man of the Match - Dan Robinson (pictured below) - Another tremendous performance and kept Ilkeston in the game.

This was an excellent performance by Ilkeston against a side who needed three points to stand any chance of catching Redditch United at the top of the table. Ilkeston again showed that away from home they can sit back and soak up pressure before taking advantage as the home side starts to run out of steam and ideas. Manager Phil Stant professes not to be believe in systems and tactics too much but it is no confidence that the Robins always play one up front away from home and give Marc Laws a free rein in the hole as the professional like to call it. Marc Laws is a very skillful player who is at his best when he runs at defenders and when he plays behind the lone striker he is very difficult to pick up as most defenders are reluctant to follow him as he tracks back into midfield. 

Many observers will be bemused by Ilkeston loss against lowly Cinderford compared with today's victory a team second in the table. In reality the Robins should have beat Cinderford 5-1 put they just could not put away their chances.

So Ilkeston end the season in a much stronger position than they were mid November and much of the credit must go to Phil Stant and Ernie Oliver. Ilkeston are now looking to next season with their eyes set on winning something rather than just surviving.

The Robins like the rest of the non-league world will know by May 9th which league they will play in next season although it would be a major surprise if Ilkeston Town are not in the Northern Premier League Division One.