SPL Premier Central:
Ilkeston Town 1 (Lita 45)
Rushall Olympic 1 (Mantom 58)
The Robins made it three games unbeaten on Saturday visitors Rushall fought back from a half-time deficit.
Leroy Lita scored his seventh goal in as many games to put us in front before the break, but Sam Mantom’s long-range strike levelled things up early in the second-half.
The first-half saw few chances, Jordan Hallam with the first for the Robins but his shot parried away by keeper Jake Weaver.
Alex Cameron was similarly denied by Ilkeston stopper Callum Hiddlestone when released at the other end, before Robins skipper Kieran Fenton saw a long-range free-kick pushed wide by Weaver.
The opening goal came with the last kick of the half, as Weaver parried Hallam’s effort again but this time Lita followed up to fire home the rebound.
Another good chance came our way early in the second-half, as Hallam blasted over from 12 yards after Joe Wilson’s cross found him in the middle.
And the visitors would then equalise on 58 minutes as the ball dropped to skipper Mantom 25 yards out and his low drive found the corner of the net via Hiddlestone’s right hand.
Cameron was then denied by a superb last-ditch tackle by Fenton when through on goal four minutes later.
Clear chances then dried up again until the closing stages of the game, Ilkeston missing two good ones late on as first Fenton headed over from a corner and then Remaye Campbell shot too high after a Lita knock down some 12 yards out as the game petered out into a draw.
Robins boss Jamie Ward said afterwards: “I thought we had the better clear cut chances and had we taken one of them I feel we’d have gone on and won the game, but there’s a reason why Rushall are in the play-off places as they’ve made it tough for teams all season.
“Before the game you’d probably take a draw and it still gives us an outside chance of catching them.”
On Lita, who has scored seven goals seven games, Ward added: “He’s a goal machine and you can see why he’s played at the top level. You wouldn’t think he’s 38-years-old when you see him play and he’s a great influence on the younger players.”
Ilkeston: Hiddlestone, Wilson, Wilder, O’Malley, Delap, Fenton, Campbell, Dixon, Lita, Hallam (Eratt-Thompson 70), Woakes (Thomas 82)
Not used: Patterson, Hilton, Woodward
Rushall: Weaver, Green, Mitchell, Fletcher (Cook 46), Brown, Whittall, Shorrock (Ngwa 85), Mantom, Carvalho-Landell, Masidi, Cameron (Hylton 75)
Att: 602
Ref: William Booth
Report by Mark Duffy
Photo by Craig Lamont