Ilkeston Town ladies boss targets promotion

Town currently sits fourth in the East Midlands Women's Regional Football League – Division One South, with nine points from four games.

The Robins beat Beaumont Park 3-2 in their last match before lockdown to make it three wins in a row.

"We want to get out of this league,” he said. “There is only one ambition, and that is promotion."

To gain promotion Ilkeston has to win the East Midlands Women's Regional Football League – Div1 South.

"I do believe there is a lot of work to do,” he added. “I believe we are going to be up there.

“We started a bit shaky at the beginning of the season, and we weren't fit enough.

“We are showing now that we are getting fitter every week. I think it's just progression. "

Ilkeston took the lead just before the break and took a 2-0 lead at the start of the second half.

Beaumont Park mounted a comeback and equalised in the 76th minute.

But the home side didn't give in and got a winning goal through Millie Huckle with four minutes left of regular time.

Pike said: "It was a bit scrappy to start with, and in the first half we didn't put our chances away; we could have got a few more goals in the first half. We told them to come out in the second half and fight a bit more for the ball and put the chances away. "

In the dying minutes of the game, a fight broke out between the two teams, which saw the referee hand out five red cards - three of them to Ilkeston players.

"It was unfortunate what happened at the end, said Pike. “I can't assess it until I take a better look at it, but overall I think it was a good win and good three points.

“Millie (Huckle) ran forever. When she is one on one with the goalkeeper, there are not many times where she misses.

“She composes and slots it away, that's what we ask them to do."

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