James Reid’s power-packed left foot dramatically won the Derbyshire Senior Cup for Antwan Russell and his Ilkeston FC teammates as they came from behind to beat Matlock Town 2-1 at Chesterfield’s Proact Stadium.
Kevin Wilson’s men seemed doomed to defeat, having failed to do themselves justice on the big occasion, they went behind to a 68th minute goal Lewis McMahon.
But Wilson reacted in typically positive fashion. His decision to go with a three-at-the-back formation hadn’t worked so he abandoned it and instantly made a double substitution sending on Reid and James Cullingworth in place of Danny Gordon and Ellis Storey.
The improvement was immediate as the Ilkeston mounted waves of attacks but the closest they came to an equalizer came when Aaron Hooton headed wide and time was running out.
Cue Reid! With 87 minutes on the clock, the former Telford midfielder seemed to have lost possession some 25 yards out. But he recovered smartly, collected the loose ball and unleashed a left foot drive into the top corner.
It sent close on 500 Ilkeston fans into delirium – and there was more to follow. The referee had indicated there would be three minutes of stoppage time and the game was set to go to penalties to find a winner when Reid wrote another chapter in Derbyshire Senior Cup history.
Reid’s corner from the left was aimed at Russell Cooke but Adam Yates was adjudged to have handled as he challenged. The little man ran behind the goal to grab the ball and put it on the spot and while there was a lengthy delay while Yates received treatment, he kept his composure and convincingly fired home.
Matlock had been the more dangerous in the first period as Chris Martin made a splendid double save from Massiah McDonald and James Ashmore and then denied Lavelle White in fine style.
Ilkeston had had their moments without troubling Nick Buxton and when Martin was called into action again midway into the second period, turning over a fierce 25-yarder from Micky Harcourt, it led to the Matlock goal.
Ashmore swung over a corner from the left and when McMahon attacked it at the near post, his glanced backward header found the net.
But it was a delighted Ilkestons manager Kevin Wilson who was able to punch the air at full-time and watch his captain Laurie Wilson lift the winners’ trophy.
“We’ve probably not played as well as we could tonight and didn’t keep the ball as well as we could but we just kept going,” he said.
“Reidy was a little disappointed before the start of the game and was sat there disappointed because he was left out but I told him he could come on and win it – and that’s just what he did!”
The double goalscorer was just as thrilled to help secure a second trophy for the club in as many nights following last night’s Central Conference Cup final win and added: “We left it late, but it was worth the wait from our point of view.
“To come off the bench and score two was brilliant. I’m not sure how the first one went in – I sliced it a little bit and it just kept swerving away from the keeper.
“The second one was definitely handball and a penalty and Joe Maguire was wanting to take it, but I made sure I got hold of the ball. I was confident I would score if I hit the ball well and thankfully it went in, which was enough for us to win it.”
