ilkeston 6 Trafford 0

TRAFFORD'S promising start to the season suffered a devastating setback on Saturday when they were thrashed 6-0 by a mightily impressive Ilkeston outfit.

After Shelton Payne volleyed wide in the opening minute, the hosts took control with Che Adams seeing a shot blocked by Tom Read in the 6th minute and then David Morgan blasting a thunderbolt from 25 yards that was pushed behind by the under-fire keeper.

However, Read was powerless to prevent Ilkeston taking the lead in the 11th minute when Rob Duffy steered a textbook header into the bottom corner following a pinpoint cross from the right.

The visitors slack marking was punished once more in the 25th minute when skipper Joe Maguire headed in unchallenged from four yards following a right wing corner.

Trafford were giving the ball away repeatedly and in the 41st minute the game was as good as over when Ilkeston were awarded a penalty and Duffy coolly planted the ball into the bottom corner.

Seconds before the interval Shelton Payne was desperately unlucky not to reduce the arrears when he struck a magnificent drive from 35 yards that cannoned back into play off the crossbar.

The second half was similar to the first with Ilkeston totally in control and Trafford once again careless in possession and in the 52nd minute Kane Richards turned inside Steve Mason and shot home via a slight deflection off Nia Bayunu.

Che Adams made it five in the 69th minute with a superb drive into the top corner following a poor clearance by substitute Ben Woods and Adams almost struck again shortly afterwards but saw his shot saved by the legs of Read.

The quicksilver Adams completed the scoring in the 78th minute when he outpaced the Trafford defence and fired into the bottom corner and two minutes later Read produced a fine fingertip save to thwart a long range effort by substitute Michael Williams.

The final whistle arrived to put Trafford and their loyal fans out of their misery and they will certainly need to raise their game for Monday’s big local clash against FC United of Manchester at Shawe View, kick off 3 p.m.