In a hectic start to the season which has seen Ilford play 14 games in just a two-month period, the word to best describe the Foxes start would be ‘inconsistent’. On their day Ilford can give anyone a game but finding the right balance to do this week in week out is proving to be the biggest challenge so far, this certainly wasn’t helped by the introduction of the second National Lockdown on the 31st of October, just hours after Ilford had beaten FC Clacton in the FA Vase.
Disappoint
The league so far will disappoint the Ilford players and management. The Foxes have managed just two wins from their opening 10 league games, leaving them down in 15th position. Those wins coming against Redbridge in a resounding 6-2 win very early in the season and a more recent 3-0 win against bottom of the league Woodford Town, a side that has managed just a single win in their opening 11 games.
Cup competitions have been more positive for the Foxes, who find themselves in the second-round proper of the FA Vase, something the club hasn’t achieved since the 1999-00 season, beating Long Melford, Benfleet and most recently Clacton along the way. Ilford fans will be hoping to see these cup performances replicated in the league soon to give Ilford a much-needed lift in the league table.
Stand out players
One man instantly grabs the attention when you watch Ilford, top scorer Yemi Adelani. Playing anywhere across the front line, Adelani has provided 12 goals in 14 appearances in all competitions so far this campaign with eight in 10 in the league so far. In a season where consistency has been an issue for Ilford, Adelani has shown at the very least the Foxes have a consistent goal-scorer and threat up top, who besides his brilliant goal scoring record is a constant nuisance for defenders with his pace and work rate.
Heartbeat
Elsewhere, Ilford have a number 10 in Dimi Christou who had really came into form pre-lockdown. Playing just behind the striker, Christou had become the heartbeat of the team. Everything positive Ilford were doing, the number 10 was involved in. With an eye for a pass and again another player with impressive work rate. The playmaker has been ever present for Ilford this season and after adding some goals to his game, most recently a brilliant strike from 25 yards against Woodford Town, will be hoping to pick up after lockdown where he left off.
Finally, goalkeeper, Joshua Blackburn. The teenager has grown in confidence since the start of the season. With some particularly tough results for a goalkeeper to take, such as a 5-2 defeat to Hoddesdon, the shot-stopper has never looked defeated in goal for the Foxes and has continued to impress making vital saves and showing a real maturity in goal for such a young man.
What’s to come after lockdown
Ilford will be hoping for a change in fortunes in the league after lockdown and will be hoping to find some consistency for the rest of the season.
Providing lockdown finishes when expected and there are no fixture changes, Ilford find themselves with possibly the hardest and biggest game back – top of the league and YouTube stars, Hashtag United. A daunting task for anyone in the league but this could be a real springboard for Ilford should they find themselves picking up a positive result.
Elsewhere of course, the second round of the FA Vase is one the Foxes will be excited for. Drawn at home to Colney Heath, with no date confirmed yet for this fixture, all eyes will be waiting for confirmation in the hopes to see the Foxes keep their cup run going.
With the second lockdown postponing multiple games, the season doesn’t look like slowing down for the Foxes who have been playing two games a week regularly since the start of the already delayed campaign and manager Adam Peek, along with his players will be itching to back out onto the pitch, and hopefully kick on up the league table.
