Play Off Hopes Still Alive

There was a feeling of deja vu at the Stute on Saturday as the calculators were produced to confirm that with one game left Ilkeston
can still claim second place and a play off spot.

Exactly the situation they found themselves in this time last season only to be disappointed at the final hurdle. As with last year the Elks need to win their game away at Spalding while Paviors loose theirs at home to Market Rasen.

This was a must win encounter as the two sides, placed third and fourth, looked to keep the season alive until the final weekend. The Elks started favourites with home advantage and a run of seven wins on the run but Kettering, who have occupied one of the top four league positions all season, were not to be underestimated.

Kettering had first advantage of the breeze and slope and Bridgeman and Bryan made good use of the boot to make the home side play from deep, something which the Elks were more than prepared to do. turnovers by Cotcoran, Greg Taylor and Moore provided ball to launch probes by Lewis Taylor, Falls and Quinn but the Kettering defence was equal to the task.

A breakout by Townsend instigated a flowing move involving Fowkes, Bennett, McGuire and Haigh which almost put Gatehouse in but he was hauled down just short of the line. As both sides strove to find a rythm the Elks were disrupted when Quinn was forced off with a hamstring injury to be be replaced by McKelvey with only fifteen minutes gone.

The first clearcut chance came twenty minutes in when a Daniels penalty form fifty metres fell short. Kettering had second chance ten minutes
later when Smidt broke from deep and linked with Newman to put Sumner clear but desperate defence forced him into touch in the corner.

Enjoying a slight advantage in territory and possession Kettering's task was given a boost when Fowkes received a yellow card folowing an
altercation with Crooks where in truth Fowkes was more sinned against than sinner. Making the most of the extra man Kettering's Poole peeled
off the back of a line out and made ground into the Elks twenty two where only Mahoney's intervention prevented a score. Putting his body on
the line resulted in damaged ribs and neccessitated his replacement by Rudkin. The Elks fought their way back up field and following a Mckelvey
line out take, Ayres broke in midfield and earned a penalty which Falls converted to give the home side a 3 - 0 lead at half time.

The Elks were first out of the blocks in the second half and extended their lead to 10 - 0 with only two minutes gone. From the kick off Townsend secured a turnover and linked with Wells and Moore to earn a line out inside the Kettering half. Fowkes secured the throw and Rudkin peeled from the back to link with Greg Taylor who powered into the twenty two. His pass found McGuire and he offloaded to Mckelvey whose strength took him over the line. Falls secured the extras.

Kettering came back strongly and the Elks defence was tested to the limit but not found wanting. Having absorbed the pressure clever interplay and swift hands from Haigh, Gatehouse, Fowkes and Corcoran earned Falls a long penalty shot. His effort fell just short but Lewis Taylors chase earned a five metre scrum. A solid scrum and shunt looked to have earned try for Corcoran but he was deemed held up. The second attempt however achieved the desired result with Rudkin claiming the try. Falls conversion made it 17 - 0.

As the game entered the last quarter Wells was replaced by Meakin who took his place in the front row. The twenty minutes to the final whistle
produced some flowing rugby with both sides willing to move the ball, Ilkeston looking for bonus point tries and Kettering to rescue the game.

As time ran out Falls opted to run from inside his own twenty two. As play moved from side to side and the length of the park fifteen pairs of hands kept the ball alive. The final inroads from Rudkin and Greg Taylor provided the finishing touches for Ayres to crash over. Man of the Match Falls conversion made it 24 - 0.

Kettering claimed a consolation try when an Elks mistake from the restart allowed Newman to hack through, gather and score between the posts. Daniels conversion left it 24 - 7 at the final whistle.

Classic Drinks Man of the Match Jonno Falls