Young blood gives new life

ALAN Young gave the Town fans a glimpse of his glittering potential as he headed his side into the second round of the FA Cup.

The 17-year-old's first goal in senior football sealed a victory which had looked anything but a formality after an even opening period.

It was a sweet moment for the young substitute whose progress this season has now been rewarded with a professional contract.

It was also a special afternoon for Martin Williams, who ended his long goal drought, and for Adam Willis who, like Young, celebrated his first goal for the club.

This was the first time Town had netted four goals in a game since September 1998 when Oxford United were the victims of a 4-1 thrashing.

The cover of Saturday's match programme featured a banana skin but once Town scored their first goal on the stroke of half time, a cup shock was never likely.

It was in stark contrast to last weekend's dismal display at Peterborough when Town were torn to pieces.

Andy King's warnings about the dangers of complacency against the Dr Martens Premier League side had clearly been heeded but Town could not find the killer ball to unlock the Ilkeston defence.

Furious appeals for a penalty on the stroke of half time ignited a match which had simply failed to capture the imagination.

Williams worked his way into the box and was clearly flattened by Garry Middleton.

The referee waved away Town's appeals but the Ilkeston players clearly felt Williams had made the most of the challenge.

Tempers flared and both Danny Invincible and Ilkeston's Mark Clifford were booked for a scuffle in the six yard area.

Ian Woan ignored the commotion to bend an inswinging corner kick which was met at the near post by Willis. The central defender powered his header past Andy Love to give Town the lead.

There was still time for further excitement as Sol Davis became entangled with Paul Challinor on the left.

Tempers boiled over again and Clifford's decision to hack the ball away in frustration saw Mr North brandish the red card.

Before the goal and the fracas that followed it, neither side had really created anything to excite the crowd.

Mark Robinson's failure to shake off injury presented Juan Cobian with a chance to impress and he grabbed it with both hands.

Composed in defence, his passing was excellent and he worked extremely effectively with Keith O'Halloran on the right.

The closest Town had come to a goal was after only six minutes. Williams latched on to a Cobian pass but shot narrowly wide of the left-hand post.

Invincible flashed a header narrowly wide on the quarter hour and the same player should have done better when put through by Cobian.

O'Halloran and Antoine Van Der Linden both had efforts blocked but the Ilkeston defence rarely looked troubled.

In spite of Town looking the more likely scorers, it was the visitors who almost took an undeserved lead after 41 minutes.

Alan Reeves, restored to the team after suspension, climbed with former York City striker Ian Helliwell to meet Paul Eshelby's corner.

The ball appeared to skim off the Town skipper's head before Helliwell nodded goalwards.

The Town faithful breathed a sigh of relief as the ball bounced back off Steve Mildenhall's crossbar to safety.

With Bart Griemink suspended, his understudy produced a solid performance which impressed Andy King.

A half-time roasting from the Town boss left the players in no doubt that they needed to step up a gear.

Woan saw his half volley tipped just wide on 48 minutes and Reeves headed narrowly wide just moments later.

Williams dreadful run without a goal looked set to continue when he was guilty of a shocking miss just five minutes after the break. He latched on to a Woan pass but stabbed his shot wide of the left hand post when it looked easier to score.

A more spectacular effort two minutes later also brought no reward.

After an aerial challenge, Williams attempted a spectacular overhead kick which flashed over the top.

He was also desperately unlucky to see another shot shave the post. However, the former Reading man was finally rewarded for some gutsy displays when he netted his first goal since September.

On 63 minutes, he played a one-two with Keith O'Halloran, raced into the box and netted with his scruffiest shot of the afternoon, a total misfire which still found its way into the bottom left-hand corner of Love's net.

The player himself recently joked that a goal scored from any part of his anatomy would do.

Confidence flowed through the former Reading man and he was unlucky not to add a second when Love blocked his goal-bound effort, again from Cobian cross.

Williams, who endured disgraceful abuse from a section of the Ilkeston supporters, was replaced by Gary Alexander 12 minutes from time.

Cobian deservedly received applause as he made way for David Duke in the last quarter of an hour.

With the cushion of a 2-0 lead Town began to spray the ball around and Ilkeston's only effort at goal was a long-range strike from Chris Timons, whose shot was comfortably dealt with by Mildenhall on 70 minutes.

One player desperately in need of a confidence-booster was midfielder Bobby Howe.

A section of the Town fans have targeted him for particular abuse but the Geordie answered his critics by hammering home the third goal on 79 minutes.

This followed another pass from the immaculate Woan.

Reeves was then narrowly off target with a header before a late rally ruined Town's chance of a clean sheet.

In the 87th minute Ilkeston substitute Todd crossed from the left and provided fellow sub Paul Cox with the chance to bury a header into the net at the far post.

That was not to be the final piece of drama. With just over a minute remaining Young, who had replaced Invincible on 72 minutes, was disappointed to see his goal-bound shot tipped behind by Andy Love.

Disappointment turned to joy seconds later as the youngster met the resulting corner with his head and powered the ball into the net.

While Town were on a hiding to nothing with this fixture, they displayed the passion and commitment which will be needed to overcome more difficult challenges they will face in the weeks and months ahead.

They will need to show a similar resolve when they take on Gateshead in the next round, book a place in the third round and, perhaps, a game against the big boys.

Now there's a target to aim for.