Just as City thought one of the most turbulent weeks’ in the club’s recent history was going to end in a desperately needed three points, Ilkeston snatched a deserved last minute leveller to take some of the shine off Jez George’s first game in temporary charge.
Much has changed since last Saturday’s abject defeat at the hands of Weymouth. First manager David Batch along with assistant boss Andy Kirkup left the club my mutual consent and then senior players Tim Wooding and Darren Collins were listed, apparently as a result of their lack of support for the club’s interim management team.
Jez George was therefore forced into a number of changes although it’s arguable that he may have been considering them anyway before his hand was forced. Inevitably a number of his reserve team charges made the step up, Rob Sturgess and Robbie Simpson starting the game with Marcus Herring and Chris Wilson making the bench.
In addition his choice of Rob Nightingale as captain appeared an inspired move and a sure fire way of cementing the backing of the fans.
Even from the opening stages of the match it was evident that there was a spirit about the team that appears to have been missing in recent weeks. Three minutes in, Che Wilson restored to his familiar central midfield role flighted an angled ball in to the far post but it was just too strong for the incoming Matt Clements. With City applying all the early pressure they carved out a glorious opening on nine minutes. More good work from Wilson on the left resulted in Bloomfield collecting the ball just outside the box. He in turn laid the ball off to Simpson who found himself clear of a static Ilkeston back line who were all expecting an offside flag. Simpson seemed unsettled by the fact that there was no attempt at a challenge and one-on-one with Matt Nurse he rolled the ball wide of the post.
Four minutes later and the Robins mounted their first attack. The ball was worked into Charlie Hartfield from the right, his cushion header fell invitingly for Anton Foster but he was unable to keep his shot down.
Ilkeston’s game plan to counter City’s pacey strike force was for their back line to push up almost to the half way line, denying Bloomfield and Simpson the opportunity to get behind them. On occasions this policy looked fraught with danger and on 18 minutes Matt Clements collected the ball deep inside his own half and turned neatly inside his man, advanced and played an angled ground pass into the path of Simpson who beat the offside trap only to be denied by Matt Nurse who came racing out of his area to clear. This was a scenario repeated on a number of occasions during the match with the alert Nurse acting like a sweeper behind the back four.
As City fans had feared the returning Nurse was proving he was still the class act he had been during his spell at Milton Road. On twenty minutes he took an awkward hanging centre from Wardley when he could easily have spilled it. Moments later excellent work by Clements to keep the ball alive on the right ended with the City winger swinging in tremendous centre. This time, under challenge from Bloomfield, he was unable to hold on cleanly but the loose ball was cleared and the danger averted.
The Robins, with only one point from a possible 27 on their travels weathered the early storm and started to get something of a foothold. A Matt McKenzie header from an Ian Robinson free-kick on the right reminding City that the visitors were more than capable of posing an attacking threat.
City then enjoyed a 10 minute spell of domination that really should have reaped richer rewards. First Rob Nightingale, revelling in his role as skipper, played a neat angled ball into Danny Bloomfield on the edge of the box but Nurse was again quickly off his line to block at his feet and force the ball behind for a corner. City were now finding the opportunity to exploit Matt Clements pace on the right hand side. On 29 minutes he got clear and pulled the ball back from the by-line into the path of Bloomfield but the centre was a little under his feet and the ex-Bournemouth striker shot over. Six minutes later an even better chance. Clements again left Richard Oakes trailing in his wake and cut inside, Bloomfield sprinting up in support unmarked on the penalty spot. Clements cut the ball back but agonisingly behind Bloomfield allowing a grateful Simon Coleman to clear to safety.
To the Robins’ credit they hung in there and were more than prepared to get forward when the opportunity arose. Firstly Vowden lost out to Heggs on the edge of the box allowing the former West Brom. striker to home in on goal but fortunately for City he was isolated up front and when he flashed an effort across the face of the goal it skidded harmlessly to safety. Ilkeston then forced a corner for which the tall Simon Coleman climbed highest, heading back across goal for Leon Kelly who also got his head to the ball but saw his effort blocked.
City ended the half in the ascendancy though. Firstly Rob Nightingale fed Simpson who in turn played in Danny Bloomfield but yet again there was no way past Nurse. Bloomfield again pressurised Coleman forcing him to concede a corner which Nightingale deliver from the left, picking out Colin Vowden, who despite making good contact could only head over.
Concerns amongst the Milton Road faithful that City would be unable to break the deadlock were soon dispelled once the second half under way. With only a minute gone Ilkeston failed to clear a Rob Nightingale corner, when the ball was worked back to the skipper his drilled centre picked out Jack Wignall whose shot was blocked and forced behind.
Two minutes later and for the first time since Saturday 26 October, City scored at Milton Road. Rob Nightingale picked up the ball deep in his own territory and ran at the heart of the visitors defence. Skillfully, he kept the ball close, drawing Matt McKenzie into the centre which left space for Danny Bloomfield who had made an excellent supporting run. Nightingale rolled the ball into the path of Bloomfield who smashed a low drive across Matt Nurse from the right hand edge of the box and into the corner of the net.
The goal gave City a tremendous confidence boost. On 55 minutes a cross field pass from Wardley found Bloomfield who played the ball into Clements, his back heeled return allowed the no. 10 another strike on goal which yet again Matt Nurse blocked. A minute later and City doubled their lead, Simpson and Clements combined well on the edge of the box creating the space to give Clements options, he chose correctly and a neat lay off for the advancing Bloomfield, again bursting through the inside right channel, saw City double their lead with a carbon copy of the first strike some eight minutes earlier.
Surely City would now go one to record their first home victory for more than two months. However, crucially, a determined Ilkeston managed to claw their way back into the game only 4 minutes later. Simon Coleman’s ball into the box picked out Matt McKenzie who headed back to Heggs who had cleverly dropped off Vowden. With space he flashed a header across a stranded Martin Davies and into the corner of the net, despite a last gasp attempt by Wardley to clear. Before City had chance to restart Anton Foster was replaced by Dion Evans.
City now found themselves pegged back and it was no surprise when a tiring Robbie Simpson was withdrawn from the action on 70 minutes (Leon Gutzmore taking his place). A performance full of running from the youngster, his presence allowing the space and possession Danny Bloomfield has rarely enjoyed since his arrival at Milton Road. The Lilywhites defence were still forced to soak up sustained pressure, although the impressive Colin Vowden and the outstanding Steve Holden seemed capable of holding the line, both proving dominant in what was principally an aerial bombardment. A Leon Kelly spin and shot on 73 minutes one of the rare occasions when the Robins got a clear sight on goal.
Ilkeston could sense that the chance of an equalising goal was still very much alive. With 15 minutes to go Ashley Murdock replaced Charlie Hartfield, the man who apparently starred alongside Vinnie Jones’ in the film ‘Mean Machine’. Simultaneously Kevin Wilkin came on for Matt Clements who had failed to run off what looked like a pull sustained a few minutes earlier.
The ever willing Heggs was denied by Wardley moments later, only a timely intervention by the City left back robbing the big striker six yards from goal. City were by now defending very deep and as the challenges became more desperate an inevitable free kick was conceded some 20 yards from goal by Che Wilson, the resultant Ryan Ford effort flashing wide of the goal.
With six minutes to go a mazy run by Murdock took him to the edge of the box, he centred for Kelly but yet another crucial (headed) Steve Holden interception averted the danger once more. As the game entered it’s dying moments some 30 minutes of sustained Ilkeston pressure finally paid off. From a quick throw, in City’s left back position, Robinson whipped the ball into the box, Freestone managed to get between City’s central defenders and saw a perfectly executed falling volley rifle into the corner of the net past a disbelieving Davies. Deserved but none the less heartbreaking for City.
In the context of the season as a whole two dropped points against relegation rivals may prove crucial, however, at the end of a traumatic week there were a number of positives to take from this game. Jez George seems to have engendered a team spirit that will stand City in good stead over the intense Christmas period. This was a committed display where the players at last seemed confident in expressing themselves and playing the game in a way they enjoyed. Chances were created and indeed converted and despite the disappointment of a last minute equaliser there was a feel good factor around Milton Road that has been missing for far too long.
Post match reaction
Jez George:
I am proud of the lads, and gutted for them also. I thought they were magnificent today, the attitude they showed was superb. Its been a difficult week, but i'm sure everyone in the ground could see they were together, everyone could see the passion. We had some honest boys out there, who will give everything to Cambridge City to get us out of trouble.
It was a disappointing result, it feels like we have lost with the goal in the last minute after being in a winning position ourselves, but the way they went about the job today was brilliant I thought. We tried to pass the ball and play with freedom, not easy to do when you haven`t won a game for two and a half months. At least we were brave enough to try and I said beforehand everything else can be forgiven you are honest and work hard.
On their first goal.....
It's a great cliche but I have to say "I did not see it". The Linesman was level but "Taff" said it wasn't over the line, but I'm not going to bleat about it. I couldn't tell whether it was in or not. However, I do know that we didn't defend the set play very well, we let the first man win the header and we were on our heels, we didn't pick up the runner, and they have scored. We need to look at our defending.
On the youngsters in the team....
I think Robbie Simpson is a 17 year-old kid with a big future, I wouldn't have put him in if I didn't think he could handle it. He had an early chance which normally he would have tucked away, but apart from that I thought he showed some promising things today. He combined well with Danny Bloomfield, both showed pace and movement.
Robin Sturgess played slightly out of position, mainly because we were short in certain areas, but he showed some good things too, and got around the pitch really well. I think the future of the club is in good hands, with some great youngsters coming through.
Danny Bloomfield:
Since the first game, where I got two goals, the three chances I got today were the first real chances I've had since. I should have had a hat-trick today. I was pleased with the two goals I got after the one I missed in the first half. I hit the target but their keeper made a decent save. Looking back, maybe I should have taken it around him
I haven't set any targets for myself, it's not about how many goals I score, I just want to score as many as I can to keep us up.
