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Red aiming for Ilkeston double

FC United travel to title chasing Ilkeston Town on Saturday knowing that victory in their penultimate league fixture is absolutely vital to keep them in serious contention for the play-offs but the task couldn’t be much tougher.

The Robins, who are just four points behind leaders Eastwood Town with a game in hand, are on an incredible run of form having avoided defeat in the league for 23 consecutive matches. The run stretches back nearly six months all the way to October but perhaps tellingly - it was FC United who inflicted their last league defeat.

The Reds ran out 3-1 winners at Gigg Lane earlier in the season with two goals from Carlos Roca and one from Kyle Wilson. That fact will obviously fill Karl Marginson’s men with confidence, safe in the knowledge that they have already overcome their opponents once before so they should be capable of repeating the feat.

Playing the Derbyshire outfit on their own patch will undoubtedly be more difficult but they have been defeated at the New Manor Ground in the league this season by Hednesford and Guiseley, teams which United have beaten previously.

The Reds go into the game in a rich vein of form, having won four and drawn one out of the last five. Ilkeston on the other hand have been dropping points with three draws and just two victories out of the last five. However, they those two victories came in crucial games against local rivals Eastwood and promotion hopefuls Nantwich in the last week.

It looks like it will be another incredibly close encounter in what has been an extremely unpredictable season. FC United will be without striker Carl Lomax, who serves a one match ban, and long term injury absentee Kyle Wilson. Danny Warrender is hoping to recover from ankle injury and the rest of the squad is currently fit and available.



First Posted ~ 17:58 Sun 19 Apr 2009
News ID ~ 2206
Last Updated ~ 01:52 Tue 16 Feb 2021