Curzon Ashton exited from their third cup competition in the space of 14 days as the UniBond Premier side, Ilkeston Town, overcame their UniBond North opponents, but the result could have been so much different had the local outfit taken their chances.
There was little to choose between the two club's in the opening period but a neat move three man move provided Chris Worsley with a shot on goal which the visiting keeper Paul Pettinger saved, but it proved an unlucky 13th minute for Curzon. With the home defence looking for an offside flag it left Neil Ross through on goal and with the easy task of lifting the ball over the head of the advancing David Carnell and into the net.
Pettinger proved he was not going to be beaten easily as somehow got his right hand to a Mike Norton header from six yards out to turn it over the top, then Norton was through again but once more the right hand of Pettinger intervened, reaching up high to knock the ball away from goal.
The scores should have been levelled on 33 minutes when Rhodri Giggs was clear and round Pettinger, and with the goal at his mercy, he didn't put enough on his shot and Dan White got back to clear the ball off the line, colliding with an upright in the process.
Ilkeston doubled their lead in the first minute of stoppage time when White left his defensive duties to power home a header at the far post from a Colin Hunter corner, with no defender putting in a challenge.
It only took the visitors five minutes into the second period to almost put the result beyond any reasonable doubt when Nathan Winder was allowed to power home a free header inside the 6 yard area, once again from a dead ball situation.
Luck was with the visitors again on 61 minutes when a defender cleared the ball off the line from a Paul Riley effort but two minutes later Curzon gave themselves a lifeline when substitute Josh Mitten reduced the arrears when, like the opening goal, he lifted the ball over the head of the advancing keeper and into the net.
An attempted clearance on 80 minutes almost brought about a fluke goal, and with it a possible grandstand finish, with the ball striking Chris Worsley but somehow, Pettinger back pedalled to tip the ball over the top.
Despite their best efforts, and five minutes stoppage time, much of which was for blatant time wasting and which referee Mr Edwards failed to adequately deal with, Curzon were left to wonder what may have been.

Curzon Ashton return to League action at the weekend with a re-arranged fixture against Lancaster City and 48 hours later they entertain Bradford Park Ave (KO 7.45).
The Yorkshire outfit currently occupy fifth place in the league, eight points behind Curzon but with two games in hand.