The Hillmen’s supporters were left fuming at refereeing decisions that they feel took away their opportunity to win the club’s first silverware in 13 years at Alfreton on Tuesday night. With the game goalless at half time, within 20 minutes of the restart man in black Alix Pashley awarded two penalties to Ilkeston – the first of which looked incredibly soft – and in between dismissed Kieran Lugsden for a tackle that most observers felt was a yellow card offence. These actions left GNE with an insurmountable task.
Glossop North End 0, Ilkeston FC 2
Derbyshire County FA Senior Cup Final
(played at Alfreton Town FC)
Match Report: Jonathan Haggart
Pictures: Jim Lockwood
The first half started scrappily – as you might expect for two sides who have never faced each other before. It was the Hillmen that fashioned the first shot on goal when Lee Blackshaw and Kieran Lugsden combined to set up a shooting opportunity at the corner of the box for Dave Young. Young tried to place his shot, but Etheridge was equal to it, and turned it around the post.
Largely though, for the first half an hour defences were on top, and the next incident of real note came on 29 minutes when the referee gave a free kick to Ilkeston right on the edge of the area. James Reid tried a curler that hit the wall and went wide. From the corner the ball dropped to Gary Ricketts, but his shot was also blocked by a Glossop body and went wide.
Left back Reid was certainly Ilkeston’s liveliest player and his in a ten minute spell of pressure, where GNE failed to retain possession, he teased a low cross across the face of goal that Kelvin Lugsden did well to turn behind for a corner. The whole defence withstood the brief barrage well, and the pressure was lifted a little by a break in play, Sam Madeley claiming he had been elbowed by an Ilkeston defender. Indeed, on half time Sam Hare had a chance to shoot on goal, but mis-kicked when volleying a cleared free kick from the edge of the area.
The game’s turning point came with less than 3 minutes of the second half gone. Ricketts was at the very edge of the area when he knocked the ball past Lincoln Adams and simply ran into him and fell over. Adams had been unable to teleport himself from where he was standing to out of Ricketts path, but the referee felt that this was enough to award a spot kick to Ilkeston.
Laurie Wilson stepped up to take it, but Greg Hall guessed correctly and pushed it away to his right, only for Kane Richards to follow up and net from short range. There were at least two Ilkeston players in the box when the kick was taken, but the referee failed to spot this infringement.
Tempers flared, and Andy Kilheeney was shown a yellow card for a late tackle. Then Kieran Lugsden was late in another tackle on 56 minutes and it was assumed another yellow card would be shown. However, to the surprise to most, the referee produced a red.
Backs truly to wall, Hall was forced to save an Ilkeston long shot, but they tried to force their way back into it, although too tempted to play it long rather than play the game they have trusted for the bulk of the season. However on the hour mark a deep Blackshaw cross just evaded Madeley’s outstretched leg and he couldn’t connect properly at the far post.
The game was put beyond doubt on 65 minutes though when breaking from a North End free kick Ilkeston swept the ball from right to left to Wilson. He advanced into the area and Kelvin Lugsden dived in and missed the ball. The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot again and this time Reid smashed the ball into the net to double the lead.
There was a huge sense of injustice among the North End fans and players – although the second penalty was a correct decision – particularly when Ricketts avoided a talking to, never mind a yellow card for barging Hall long after he caught the ball, and their defence was penalised time and time again for seemingly ‘six vs half a dozen’ challenges, mostly given by the linesman in front of the Ilkeston benches.
As time wore on though, Ilkeston began to sit back on their lead. North End, post triple substitution, tried to pinch a goal to bring some pressure. Dave Young was at the heart of the play, but firstly his shot for the top corner was tame, then his low curling free kick hit the wall and he drove angrily over the bar with the rebound. He also tried a square ball when put in on goal at the angle, when maybe a shot was the better option, as the pass was blocked and cleared.
The Robins should have added on 40 minutes when Hall and Adams got into a muddle at the edge of the area and Hall’s weak punch allowed Richards to look at an empty net, but he was closed down quickly and his shot went wide.
As injury time approached Glossop were playing 2 at the back, but although Alex Byrne swept a shot just wide they could not break through. The whistle called time, and left them feeling disappointed and aggrieved. A game that had been nicely set up at half time had been spoiled in the opening minutes of the second half.
Glossop North End: Hall, Byrne, Russell, Kelvin Lugsden, Adams, Kieran Lugsden, Kilheeney (Kay), Madeley (Riley), Hare, Blackshaw (Richardson).
Attendance: 694
