After a long journey down to Derbyshire, it ended in a 2-1 defeat as goals from Sam Parker and L’Varn Brandy put Ilkeston ahead in the second half, but Amar Purewal scored a late consolation goal for the Hornets.

It was a fiercely fought battle, but it was not to be on the day for the lads.

During the first three minutes of the game, the lads won the first corner of the match. Liam Noble took the corner with Michael Turner looking to connect with the header, but an Ilkeston player heads it away.

During the 6th minute, an Ilkeston player is fouled just outside the Hornets box, leading to Olly Martin receiving the first yellow card of the game. As a result, a free-kick is awarded to the Robins. However, the ball comes into the box and it’s cleared away by Joao Gomes.

Ilkeston continued with their efforts with a defender attempting to place the ball into the top of the net, but it is easily saved by Kieran Hunter as he palms the ball over the crossbar for a corner. The resulting cross comes in from the home team, but Aidan Heywood heads it away with ease.

In the 12th minute, Noble wins the lads a free-kick, but it’s straight through to the Robin’s keeper.

Two minutes later, Captain Purewal wins us another free-kick right outside the Ilkeston box. Noble takes it again, but this time, it’s blocked by a wall of Ilkeston players.

From the 16th minute until the 25th, the home team have a series of chances, but fail to pull through and score. A goal kick and a free-kick are awarded on two separate occasions, but neither help the Robin’s to secure the lead, as Hunter catches the ball in the 25th minute with ease.

Gomes is brought down in the 28th minute, and wins the Hornet’s a free-kick. Noble whips the ball inside the box, but it is headed away by an Ilkeston defender and it amounts to nothing.

During the second third of the match, both sides fall under trepidation. In the 33rd minute, an Ilkeston player gets a cross in from the right, but Heywood manages to hook it away inside of the six-yard box.

The succeeding minute found Hunter making a save as an Ilkeston player fired for the right of the goal.

The lads then win a free kick, but fail to take the lead. Ilkeston persist with their efforts as they put another cross in from the right on 36 minutes, but Heywood puts it behind for a corner. The cross comes in and another corner is awarded, but the ordeal came to a close with a goal kick.

During the 39th minute, Arron Thompson gets caught in the head by an Ilkeston player as the referee awards Hebburn a free-kick. Noble swings the ball in towards Purewal, but his header is saved by the Robin’s keeper.

A Robin’s player gets in a cross from the right on 41 minutes, but Hunter makes a comfortable save. Ilkeston then instantly force another corner in the following minute, but the attacker heads it over the crossbar, missing their chance.

Finishing off the first half at 0-0, a Robin’s player attempts to head the ball past Hunter during the third minute of extra time, but he heads into the side netting calling the first half to a close.

During the second half, both sides played with trepidation.

The Hornets had several early chances in the opening stages of the second half. Noble with the first clear cut chance on 46 minutes, but he scuffs his effort wide.

One minute later, we are awarded a free-kick due to an Ilkeston player handling the ball. Noble drives the ball into the box towards Jack Donaghy who tries a header, but the keeper gets down low to force a corner. Noble crosses the ball, but it’s cleared away by the Ilkeston defence.

Liam Murray has the next chance as he escapes the Robins defence in the 49th minute, he looks up and passes to Martin inside the box, but the chance ends when it goes inches wide of the far post and out for a goal kick.

Ilkeston took the lead on 54 minutes as Parker fired an unstoppable shot into the far corner, which was out of the reach of Hunter to draw first blood for the home side.

Matty Elsdon worked well to force a corner off the Robins in the 56th minute. Noble puts in the cross, Turner connects with the header, which is deflected behind for another corner. Noble takes it again, but Ilkeston are awarded a free-kick.

Murray creates a huge chance for an equaliser in the 59th minute as he drives at the Ilkeston defence, before getting a shot away, but it’s blocked. Purewal seems to be held in the box, but the chance is gone for the lads.

On 62 minutes, a Robin’s player has a shot inside of the Hebburn box, but his shot sails over the crossbar and out for a goal kick.

The lads made their first substitution in the 64th minute, with Martin coming off to be replaced by Dan Savage.

The lads made two further substitutions in the 70th minute, with Gomes and Thompson taking a well earned break, as Bailey Adamson and Joe Walton replaced them.

During the 74th minute, Ilkeston are awarded a free-kick in the Hornet’s half. The cross comes in, but it’s cleared away by Heywood. In the minute that followed, Brandy cuts into our box and successfully fires the ball past Hunter into the far corner to double their lead to 2-0.

During the last 15 minutes of the game, the lads took a tunnel vision approach.

A shot was tipped onto the post by the Ilkeston keeper in the 81st minute, which allowed Purewal to half the deficit and hand us a lifeline.

Savage attempts to place the ball towards the far post in the 83rd minute, but unfortunately, it goes inches past the post.

Turner is down in the 85th minute with a head injury and goes off temporary. He comes back on seconds later as play resumes.

An Ilkeston player attempts a shot in the 89th minute, but it crashes off the crossbar.

Going into the 6 minutes of extra time, we start off by taking a shot into the opposition’s goal but it lands straight into the keeper’s hands.

An Ilkeston player then receives a yellow card, before they make a substitution.

In the final few seconds of the game, Adamson creates a promising chance for the lads. A cross comes into the box and as Adamson looks to head it over the keeper, the Ilkeston defender scrambles the ball away from danger, as the referee blew for full-time.

As a result, the lad’s suffered a second consecutive defeat after losing 2-0 away to Guiseley AFC last time out, as we slip out of the play-off spots.

The Hornets will look to return to winning ways next weekend, as we host Morpeth Town at the Hebburn Sports Ground in a local derby.

By Marcella Lamb