Match Preview: Ilkeston Town (A) - Pitching In Northern Premier League

Our penultimate away game of the 2024/25 season sees us head to Derbyshire as FC United of Manchester take on Ilkeston Town in the Pitching In Northern Premier League.

Our Opponents – Ilkeston Town, The Robins

Ilkeston are currently five points behind Ashton United who occupy the final play-off spot, with two wins in the Robins’ last two keeping them firmly in the race for promotion candidacy. A 94th minute penalty by Thomas Marshall gave Ilkeston the points in a 2-1 win over Hebburn Town in their last outing.

Tom Cursons’ departure to League Two side, Harrogate Town at the end of January has given the Robins some big shoes to fill in the goalscoring department; Cursons netted an exceptional 25 goals in all competitions before making his move to the Football League. Ilkeston own the second best home record in the Northern Premier League, with 12 wins and five draws landing them behind only Macclesfield for points accumulated on home turf.

FC United manager, Mark Beesley on Ilkeston, ending the season strongly: “(Ilkeston) are a team we don’t know too much about, but with them being in the position they’re in fighting for the play-offs, we’ll be going there expecting a tough game.

“Our first goal is to be mathematically safe, until we are that should be our priority. Aside from that, performances in the last few weeks haven’t been at the level we want them to be, so I’d like to see us close out these last few games stronger.”

 

Previous Meetings

In the first matchup between FC United and Ilkeston this season, it was Cursons who prevented FC from picking up their first home win of the campaign, cancelling out Dec Evans’ close range effort in a 1-1 draw at Broadhurst Park in August.

The Reds will be looking for an improvement on last season’s trip to the New Manor Ground, when Ilkeston came away 2-0 (Cursons, Dixon) winners last January.

On This Day – April 12, 2008

FC United of Manchester 5-2 Lancaster City

Northern Premier League - Division One North

FC took a another step towards promotion to the Northern Premier League Premier Division with a 5-2 win against Lancaster City, on this day in 2008.

In a frantic first half at Gigg Lane, FC twice came from behind to lead at the half time break, with Stuart Rudd, Robert Nugent and Rory Patterson giving the Reds a 3-2 lead after the first 45. Nugent and Patterson both secured a brace in the second half to consolidate FC’s lead and steer us to victory in front of 2700+ in Bury

Read: Craig Phillips’ full match report from FC United’s 5-2 win against Lancaster City, on this day in 2008.