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Saturday 22nd April - Ilkeston Town 0-0 Frickley Athletic

A goal in each half courtesy of Alex Callery and Lee Pugh saw the Blues ease to a comfortable 2-0 win at Ilkeston Town this afternoon. In the end the result could have been even more convincing but, results elsewhere now mean the Blues are now just 2 points away from a guaranteed top 2 finish and remain level on points with leaders Blyth Spartans.

Manager Gary Marrow opted to make two changes to the starting eleven from Tuesday's game at Wakefield-Emley by bringing Rob Pell and Neil Ashley into the starting line-up in place of Mark Ward and Peter Duffield. This saw the Blues line-up with Martyn Woolford and Alex Callery supporting Pell as the main striker. Ward joined Chris Adam and Andy Evans on the subs. bench.

The Blues started the game positively with Woolford going close after 10 minutes but his angled shot flew into the side netting. But, the Blues didn't have to wait long to take the lead as on 18 minutes Pell played the ball in to CALLERY inside the box who controlled it well before placing his shot passed Ben Scott from 10 yards. Ten minutes later Callery combined well with Lee Pugh down the left for the latter to flick the ball inside for Woolford but his low shot was comfortably saved. Callery then broke from half way before releasing Woolford but Scott again denied him as he shot from the edge of the box.

The home side had rarely threatened during the first half but they started the second a little better, forcing a couple of corners which enabled the Blues' defence to be alert to clear the danger. However, the Blues weathered the storm and went close to increasing their lead when Pell sized on a defensive error to fire in an angled shot from 18 yards which Scott saved at full stretch. On 66 minutes Gary Ingham launched a long clearance which Craig Swinscoe misjudged allowing PUGH to get there before the advancing Scott and steer the ball into the empty net. Pugh then saw his 20 yard shot deflect off a defender and wrong-foot Scott with the ball looking destined for the goal but Scott recovered well to scoop the ball off the line whilst under pressure from Woolford. Ward and Evans then replaced Pell and Ashley and it was Evans who had the next chance when Ritchie Butler's cross fell to him at the near post but his close range angled shot was blocked on the line by Scott's legs on 85 minutes. A minute later Ingham pulled off a breathtaking save to somehow launch himself to his right to keep out Glenn Kirkwood's goalbound header following a cross from the right. As the game entered stoppage time the Blues went desperately close again as Pugh broke from midfield to tee up Evans who hit a first time shot from 20 yards which skimmed the bar.