A Petrit Elbi strike in the 19th minute settled this largely poor contest at Cricklefield as the hosts booked an Errington Challenge Cup Quarter Final tie at Sawbridgeworth Town.
Both teams had met less than a week ago on Friday night and Lodge had run out surprise 2-0 winners in the league encounter at Kitchener Road in Walthamstow so The Foxes knew a tough test awaited them.
The opening fifteen minutes saw Elbi and Isaac Nkosi have chances for the hosts, Elbi a weak header and a miskick whilst Nkosi beared down on goal but saw Lodge keeper James Scammel save as the Foxes looked the likelier to open the scoring.
And in the 19th minute they did just that when Elbi picked the ball up about twenty yards out and curled a brilliant effort over Scammel, who was a fraction of his line, and into the net to give the hosts the advantage.
The following twenty or so minutes saw very little in the way of goalmouth action and the only moment of note was a ball flashed across the Lodge area by the hosts which saw keeper Scammel tip away from danger.
Lodge, who had offered pretty much zero in the way of a goal threat did manage a shot on goal but this was straight at Chris Clark who easily saved with about ten minutes of the half remaining.
And with five minutes of the half left Ilford went close to doubling their lead when Aaron Gayle whipped a shot just wide of the far post but that was the last action of what had been a rather abject forty five minutes.
Half Time Ilford 1 Wadham Lodge 0
The second period almost began with the Foxes stretching their lead three minutes into the half but Chris Lockwood saw his powerful near post header beaten away by Lodge keeper Scammel as the Foxes looked to give themselves some breathing space.
Elbi was looking Ilford’s main threat though, causing the Lodge defence problems all night, and as in the first period their attack was hardly threatening the Ilford net, the only moment they did have a sniff of an opening being when Foxes keeper Clark gave the ball away after a poor clearance however it was wasted.
As the half went on though Ilford began to make some sloppy mistakes as they looked like they were loosing concentration and were switching off so to speak, and with twenty minutes left sloppy play almost allowed Lodge sub Junior Ibweichu in on goal but he was thwarted eventually, but it was a warning to the hosts that they needed to keep their concentration.
However they continued in this vain into the final fifteen minutes and were in danger of letting Lodge back into the contest as the visitors looked like they were beginning to gain confidence.
The hosts though did manage to finish the game strongly although as in keeping with the majority of the contest goalmouth action was at a premium.
But Ilford didn’t care one jot as Elbi’s first half moment of brilliance was enough to send Fenny’s side into the Last Eight and a trip to Crofters to take on Sawbridgeworth Town.
Full Time Ilford 1 Wadham Lodge 0
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