By Ashley Houghton
Sean Cooke’s strike was enough for Nantwich Town to extend their unbeaten start to the Evo-Stik Premier Division campaign.
Ilkeston’s search for a first win continued as they were made to rue missed first-half chances at the Weaver Stadium.
It was the Dabbers who were quicker out of the blocks and after just 40 seconds should have taken the lead but Kyle Wilson prodded Lewis Short’s cross wide.
Matt Richards then went close for the visitors but his shot was well saved by Nantwich goalkeeper Jonny Brain.
Cooke was lively throughout and went close on the half-hour as he cut in from the right and smashed a left-footed effort wide.
Brain came to Nantwich’s rescue as half-time approached with two brave saves, first from Gary Ricketts as the two challenged for a loose ball and then from Jamie Clarke who wasted Ilkeston’s best chance of the half.
Nantwich started the second half brightly and after Fraser McLachlan and Mark Beesley had gone close, Cooke broke the deadlock.
The ex-Crewe Alex man weaved his way to the edge of the area and hammered into Chris Martin’s bottom right-hand corner, leaving the former Port Vale stopper with no chance.
The Robins never looked like finding a way back into the game until James Reid struck a powerful left-footed free-kick which was wonderfully saved by Brain to secure the three points in front of almost 400 fans.
Nantwich: Brain,Lowe (JJ Bailey, 79), Flynn, Hughes, M. Bailey ©, McDonald, Cooke, McLachlan, Beesley (Jones, 73), Wilson, Short (Lane, 80). Subs: Maguire, Smith.
Ilkeston: Martin,Wilcox, Pearson, Maguire, Partridge, Cooke ©, Watts, Richards, Ricketts, Clarke (Ford, 65), McCall (Reid, 65). Subs: Peel, Storey, Williams.
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