A superb second-half display saw City safely through to the next round of the FA Cup at the expense of an Ilkeston team who must have thought they were destined to be in the hat after controlling the opening 45 minutes of this game.

Alan Calton returned between the posts in an otherwise unchanged City side still missing the suspended James Quilter and the injured Shane Wardley and Lee Chaffey respectively.

The opening period was fairly unremarkable with a big, strong and well organised Ilkeston team looking comfortable and containing City whilst not posing any significant attacking threat of their own. With Mark Lever and Danny Holyoak dominant in the air it was only when the Lilywhites managed to work the ball through the midfield that they gave their strikers a sight of the visitors’ goal.

With the game some 15 minutes old Rob Nightingale and Rob Miller combined to release Carlin Itonga through the inside right channel but with Lever in close attendance City’s former Arsenal striker pulled his shot wide from a tight angle.

Rob Miller shields the ball from Ilkeston's Mark Laws

The Robins struck back minutes later. With referee Mr Henry penalising practically all physical contact Ilkeston were awarded a free-kick in their inside-left position on the edge of the box, however Fabian Smith was a little too close to goal to allow for his effort to get up and down again and the ball flew narrowly over the angle of post and bar.

On 24 minutes Rob Nightingale, showing the greatest invention amongst City’s midfield quartet did well to play in Itonga on the right, but despite cutting inside Lever, who gave the Democratic Republic of Congo international little or no room to work in, his shot skidded wide of Andy Love’s left hand upright. As City enjoyed a better spell of possession Robbie Simpson, making space for himself on the right curled a shot narrowly wide of the opposite post.

Just as the Lilywhites looked like they were overcoming an uncertain opening a swift break from the Robins saw them snatch the lead. As Joe Atkinson carried the ball out of defence he switched play from left to right. Lewis Baillie, who had been drawn inside, lost his footing just inside the centre circle. As a result the ball ran into the path of Alex Callery in the outside right position. The Robins’ loanee wide man took the ball in his stride and bore down on goal before releasing a shot from the edge of the box which went across Alan Calton and into the bottom corner of the net.

Ilkeston played out the remainder of the half in much the same way as they had started it, keeping a lack-lustre City at arm’s length. Few inside Milton Road could argue that their interval lead was not deserved.

Both sides made changes at the start of the second-half. For City Jamie Godbold replaced Leon Bell, for the Robins Fabian Smith made way for Aaron O’Connor.

The first significant action of the period saw Rob Nightingale cautioned for a mis-timed tackle on Chris Thompson in centre field. City’s disjointed performance was highlighted when a mis-placed Riddle pass wrong-footed Lewis Baillie freeing Callery who fired narrowly wide when well placed to work Alan Calton.

With the half some eight minutes old City got the lifeline they desperately needed. A Louis Riddle free-kick close to the corner flag on the right was only partially cleared to the left where Itonga combined with Godbold to work the ball back into the centre where Robbie Simpson collected on the edge of the box and sent in a stinging drive which saw Love diving to his left, the former Grimsby Town stopper could only parry the shot into the path of an on-rushing Riddle who fired high into the roof of the net.

Rob Nightingale speeds past Danny Holyoak, supported by Simpson

The effect on City was immediate as they poured forward again moments later. Good work by Robbie Simpson saw him win a tough challenge with Holyoak and feed Itonga whose fizzing drive was again too hot for Love to hold onto but this time the ball came too fast and too high towards Rob Miller for the former Bedford Town midfielder to direct his header on target.

Five minutes after drawing level City took the lead. A Lee Pluck free kick was flighted accurately into Robbie Simpson on the left-hand edge of the area. Allowed an extra yard of space by the Ilkeston back-line City’s teenage striker allowed the ball to bounce and struck a dipping first-time drive over the stranded Love and into the top right-hand corner of the net, a quality strike.

Ilkeston were close to levelling within moments, only the physical presence of Craig Pope crowding out Callery as he attempted to round-off a quick counter attack with a far-post header.

However, little more than ten minutes after leading the tie, the Robins found themselves 3-1 down and effectively out of the Cup. The alert Rob Nightingale broke up an Ilkeston attack in front of his own back four, feeding Itonga with a crisp ground pass. Itonga in-turn laid the ball wide to Godbold, making yet another influential contribution as substitute. The former Stoke City midfielder played a low pass accurately into the feet of Simpson, who had made himself available by peeling off to the right. Showing great vision, and no little crossing ability, the scorer of City’s second goal swung the ball in invitingly for Nightingale who had continued his run to rise ahead of Love and plant a firm header into the back of the net. A textbook team goal which must have been very satisfying for the Lilywhites coaching staff.

Soon afterwards the hard working Itonga was given a breather to allow Danny Bloomfield the chance to capitalise on City’s superiority.

As far as the visitors were concerned they were still determined to find a way back into the game. A Callery corner from the right found the powerful Chris Freestone but his downward header was dealt with capably by Alan Calton who again looked assured throughout.

As the game entered the final quarter Louis Riddle’s influence on proceedings began to increase. A fierce shot across goal from wide on the left on 73 minutes one of several threatening moments.

By this time City were oozing with confidence on the ball and putting the visitors’ goal under increasing pressure. Nightingale winning the ball in midfield and feeding Miller who in-turn slid the ball through to Bloomfield whose hard, low shot was well gathered in by Love.

Carlin Itonga fires in a shot that goes narrowly wide of the post

With just over 15 minutes to go Charlie Bishop withdrew Mark Laws (who had been at the centre of much of Ilkeston’s good work in the opening period), Steve Coates entering the action. This change failed to alter the pattern of the game however. Simpson again turning provider to feed Godbold on the right but his driven centre came too quickly into Danny Bloomfield who fired over.

Another teasing run by Riddle stretched the Ilkeston back-line but his cut-back from the bye-line was a little behind Bloomfield who was unable to hit the target. As the game entered the final ten minutes Danny Bloomfield did find the net, rounding off another flowing move when Louis Riddle set him up, however the goal was chalked-off as a result of an offside flag.

With time almost up Robbie Simpson latched onto a spiralling Louis Riddle clearance, showed great strength to hold off Atkinson and fire past a despairing Love only to be denied the second goal his overall performance richly deserved by the thickness of the upright.

Whilst trying to avoid the inevitable ‘game of two halves’ cliché it’s difficult to think of a better way of describing this City performance. The introduction of Jamie Godbold was key allowing Miller and Nightingale to team up in the centre of the park where they were hugely influential in providing quality service to the strikers who capitalised with Robbie Simpson in particular having a fine game. The Lilywhites continue to look generally sound at the back with Lewis Baillie’s physical presence critical and Matt Rice putting in a rock solid display alongside Lee Pluck. Between the posts Alan Calton’s judgement and all round decision making continues to show a maturity beyond his years.

That’s three wins in a row and a more than useful victory against potentially tricky opponents with the team beginning to get more of a settled look about it City appear to be developing the consistency necessary the required to get results in this most crucial of seasons.