SPL Premier Central
Ilkeston Town 3 (Gibson 39, Fenton 85, Campbell 90+2)
Hitchin Town 1 (Cawley 14)
It’s three wins out of four for the Robins as we came from behind to beat Hitchin Town at the Microlise New Manor Ground on Saturday.
It took two goals in the last six minutes to seal the points but it was a win that our second-half performance deserved.
We began well with Montel Gibson curling an early shot just past the post with only a minute on the clock.
But it was the visitors who led on 14 minutes, as a free-kick from inside Hitchin’s half, taken by goalkeeper Charlie Horlock, found its way through gaps in the defence and Steve Cawley was able to control and finish past Ollie Battersby.
Steve Gleeson curled a free-kick just wide as Hitchin looked for a second, while Gibson’s low shot was easily gathered by Horlock after he was found by Dan Bradley’s long pass.
Kieran Fenton’s free-kick was then deflected just wide and from the corner Bradley’s header looped down onto the top of the crossbar, Remaye Campbell then forcing a fine save out of Horlock low down from a slight angle.
But our equaliser would come on 39 minutes as Campbell’s ball into the six yard box caused a mini-scramble and Gibson was able to poke the ball home from a yard or two out.
Hitchin’s Ashley Hay saw a header cleared from near the goal line by Bradley as the visitors threatened again before the break which arrived with the sides all square.
We had the first big moment of the second-half when Gibson’s cross was headed back across goal by Campbell and Chris O’Grady was inches away from making contact.
Jack Thomas then drove wide from the edge of the penalty area and Bradley Bell twice shot past the post for Hitchin who remained a threat despite our domination of possession.
Fenton forced Horlock to push a 25-yard free-kick over the top as we kept the pressure on looking for a second, Thomas then seeing the resultant corner hit the far post as the wind caught the ball and sent it goalwards.
We then had a goal disallowed when Joe Wilson’s cross was headed home by Gibson but he was deemed to have fouled a defender in the process.
With eight minutes left, Gibson then received out wide before cutting inside and with the outside of his boot forcing Horlock to tip his shot wide.
But from the corner would come our second goal, albeit with some initial confusion. The ball dropped into the six yard box and Fenton hooked it goalwards and just over the line, the assistant referee initially seeming to have disallowed the effort but after consultation with the referee the goal was given.
Hitchin sub Diogo Freitas-Gouveia lifted a free-kick just too high from the edge of the box with a couple of minutes of normal time remaining, but the win was sealed in stoppage time when we broke down the right with Hitchin pushing forward, Wilson doing superbly before squaring for Campbell to slide home and secure the points.
Ilkeston: Battersby, Wilson, Hutchinson, Thomas, Bradley, Fenton, Campbell, Sherif, Gibson, O’Grady, Fyfe (Troke 72)
Not used: Deeney, Obadeyi, Hilton, Eratt-Thompson
Hitchin: Horlock, Georgiou, Bell, Gleeson, Barker, Jones, Wilkinson (Freitas-Gouveia 46), Dasilva (Black 53), Hay, Cawley, Snelus
Not used: Tearle, Syme, Ackom
Att: 607
By Mark Duffy
Photo: Kieran Fenton (centre) sees his effort just about cross the line before being cleared. Photo by Craig Lamont.