Match Report: Ilkeston FC vs. Stamford, 1st Oct 2011

Full of confidence with a six game unbeaten run behind them, Stamford faced their toughest challenge of the season so far when they travelled to league leaders. Ilkeston FC.

 

Robbie Maddox was back from suspension but only on the bench. David Staff made his first league start replacing Danny Brooks who was also on the bench.

 

Both sides started playing good football on a superb pitch, one which must be voted best in the league this season. With five minutes gone, Stamford forced the first corner when a cross from Gary King was cut out.

 

Ilkeston made it clear that their tactics would be to get the ball forward quickly to strikers Gary Ricketts and Darryl Thomas either moving the ball quickly or, more often, the simple long ball over the top. Alex Archer had to be quick to come out of his area to clear the ball with his knee. A minute later Thomas did get on the end of a long ball but completely fluffed his shot side footing the ball to Archer.

 

With 16 minutes gone Stamford took the lead and it started with a quick ball from Lee Beeson. Sam Mullarkey did well to use his strength to win the ball before driving into the area and shooting into the far corner. Two minutes later Sam chased a long ball with two defenders chopping away at him. It looked certain that Sam would be brought down but eventually the ball was cleared for a corner.

 

Stamford were having the best of the game since scoring and a great cross from Dan Steadman was met by Gary King at the far post but his header was straight into the arms of Ilkeston keeper Ben Gathercole.

 

The ball was straight down the other end and Archer made a superb save to deny Russell Peel and then denied Peel again as he followed up the loose ball. Just after the half hour Peel finished a move which started when Stamford lost the ball on the Ilkeston goal line and didn’t get close to the ball as it was passed down the wing to Peel but there was no one to get on the end of his cross. Five minutes later Miles Chamberlain had to be sharp to get his body in the way to block a shot from Darren Caskey with no other defender anywhere near.

 

Stamford deserved their half time lead. Ilkeston were usually route one for Gary Rickets and Darryll Thomas but the Stamford defence had done well to keep them both under control.

 

Ilkeston had to lift their game to force an equaliser and, although most of the second half was spent in the Stamford half, the first chance of the half went to Stamford. David Staff took a quick throw in to Mullarkey who released Gary King. He took the ball into the Ilkeston area but was crowded out by a posse of defenders and ended up shooting straight at Gathercole.

 

Despite all the possession for Ilkeston, the Stamford defence stood firm and, up to the hour mark, Archer had little to do but how that was to change.

 

First Ilkeston brought on Andrew Osei-Siribour and he hugged the right touch line to give Ilkeston a wide alternative to the usual long ball forward. He gave Archer his first test of the half with a shot from distance which Archer did well to hold low down.

 

Next Archer had to switch to sweeper to rush out of his area and head away a long clearance from his opposite number with both of Ilkeston’s big strikers bearing down on him.

 

Then came the start of what was to be a virtuoso performance from the young keeper. A superb cross from Osei-Siribour was met at the far post by Rickets. His header looked to be going in to the top corner but Archer stretched to tip the ball away one handed.

 

It looked certain that Ilkeston would score but, with 72 minutes gone, Stamford managed to get the ball into the Ilkeston half with a great ball to Lee Beeson. He pulled away from a defender to give himself room to shoot into the near corner of the goal from 20 yards and give Stamford an unlikely two goal lead.

 

Next it was Rickets turn to test Archer but he stretched to tip the ball over the bar. A minute later Rickets gave Archer no chance when he got on the end of another long ball and took on Archer one on one taking the ball past Archer, tormenting him until he had to commit himself and then calmly slid the ball home.

 

As they had to, Ilkeston piled on the pressure for an equaliser and Michael Jacklin had to clear a corner off the line. Long balls forward, and pressure from Rickets on the Stamford centre backs, conceded free kicks close to the Stamford box. Caskey placed the first into the top left corner but Archer made a superb save to turn the ball way.

 

Next Caskey placed the ball in the top right hand corner but Archer turned that away as well with another great save. Then, five minutes into stoppage time Caskey placed one just under the Stamford bar but, yet again, Archer wasn’t going to concede and stretched to turn the ball over the bar.

 

It had been backs to the wall for most of the second half for Stamford but they held on. Both centre backs did well against a very strong Rickets but star of the match was young Alex Archer and that was appreciated by the big Ilkeston crowd who applauded him off the pitch.

 

The win moved Stamford to joint top, second only on goal difference.

 

The euphoria on the journey home lasted only until the news emerged that the management team of Simon Clark and Dave Frecklington had accepted an offer to take over at Worksop, close to the bottom of the premier division.

 

Stamford: Alex Archer, Matt Cook, Adam Hewitt, David Staff, Miles Chamberlain, Michael Jacklin, Lee Beeson, Danny Steadman (Robbie Maddox 78), Gary King, Sam Mullarkey (Danny Brooks 83), Jake Gibson (Harry Deane 65). Sub not used: Seth Burkett

 

Ilkeston: Ben Gathercole, James Cullingworth, Ryan Wilson, Liam Green, Josh Hill (Joe Wilocox 90), Russell Cooke, Russell Peel (Andrew Osei-Siribour 75), Darren Caskey, Gary Rickets, Darryl Thomas, Will McCall. Subs not used; Dan Partridge, Adam Colton, Tyrell Waite

 

MOM: Alex Archer

 

Attendance: 664