F A Cup 1st Qualifying Round
Saturday 16th September 2006 - 3:00 p.m. kick-off
Ilkeston Town 1 Bromsgrove Rovers 1
By Phil Baker

A familiar face from the past saw former Rovers man, Craig Gaunt line up for the home team. He played back in Conference days and though his mop of curly hair is also in the past he appeared to have lost little of his aerial ability when he created the first good chance of the match on 12 minutes when he headed a Rory Boulding corner over the bar.

Thereafter the first half created little excitement with only one more reasonable chance to each side falling to Leon McSweeney who forced Chris Taylor into a good save on the 23rd minute when Alistair Asher threaded a good pass through the away defence and Neil Davis tapped wide of the right post 31 minutes when Ilkeston 'keeper Ben Scott fumbled a Kevin Banner cross.

The second half was a different matter with both teams looking more pumped up as they came out and it took Rovers just four minutes to get their noses in front when Kevin Banner sent Scott the wrong way after Gareth Holmes had fouled Neil Davis in the box.

Ilkeston now need a bit more oomph and this came in form of former Aston Villan, Martin Carruthers he substituted Rory Boulding and made an immediate impact on the game providing a good cross for Adam Muller who went down in the box but fortunately for Rovers fans, referee Mr Tavinder waved play on. However you cannot keep a good man down and it was Carruthers who played a good one-two with Justin Walker who hit a low shot through Rovers defence past Chris Taylor's outstretched arm to give the home side an equaliser.

For both teams it was then a mad scramble to get the winner. Carruthers hit the bar and fired over shortly after the equaliser and Chris Adam should have done better than loft the ball over on 75 minutes. Although Rovers were well pinned back for much of the remainder of the match they did get forward several times with Nathan Lamey having their best effort well saved by Ben Scott seven minutes before the end.

In the end a justified draw though Ilkeston may have just played the better football across 90 minutes. However it's all to do again on Tuesday evening when former Nottingham Forest player Nigel Jemson, now the Ilkeston manager brings his team down to the Victoria Ground to settle this tie.

Ilkeston Town: Ben Scott, Alistair Asher (capt), Rick Brewer, Craig Gaunt, Barry Miller, Gareth Holmes, Rory Boulding (Martin Carruthers 56 mins), Justin Walker, Adam Muller, Leon McSweeney, Chris Adam.
Subs not used: Sam Litchfield, Martin Murray, Ritchie Butler, Paul Robinson.

Rovers: Chris Taylor, James Smith, Joe Williams, Chris McHale, Carl Heeley, Wayne Dyer, Daire Doyle (Paul Carty 81 mins), Mark Taylor (capt, Liam McDonald 46 mins), Neil Davis, Richard Burgess (Nathan Lamey 79 mins), Kevin Banner.
Subs not used: John Snape, Dean Coleman.

Scorers: Robins - Justin Walker 65 mins, Rovers - Banner 49 mins (penalty).
Reds: None; Yellows: Rovers - Smith, Williams

Attendance: 433
Referee: Mr L Tavinder (Cheddleton)

Baker's MoM for Rovers: Kevin Banner