THERE will be no dream FA Cup run for Ilkeston Town after they were beaten by Cambridge United.

For an hour of their first round tie at the Abbey Stadium, the Robins matched their Blue Square Premier hosts and looked like they could take the tie to a replay at the New Manor Ground with the score at 1-0.

But two spectacular shots in six second-half minutes effectively ended Ilkeston's interest in the competition for another year.

Although they had only three shots on target themselves, a fourth goal seemed a little harsh on the Robins, who worked hard for 90 minutes but lacked the end product – unlike Cambridge.

Ilkeston winger Sam Duncum, who is attracting interest from Brighton & Hove Albion, impressed down the left flank but strikers Amari-Morgan-Smith and new signing Junior Mendes, who replaced the injured David Graham – out for the rest of the season with a broken leg – could not connect with his telling crosses.

Cambridge's opening goal came after only four minutes and it was their leading goalscorer, Chris Holroyd, who took his tally for the season to 15 from a situation that the Ilkeston defence should have dealt with better.

The dangerous Courtney Pitt crossed the ball into the penalty area from the left and it was only partly cleared by Aaron Mitchell before falling kindly for Holroyd to shoot from just inside the area.

Ilkeston hearts sank but although Cambridge were initially looking the more dangerous side, the Robins forced themselves into the game and a looping header from Morgan-Smith, five minutes later, looked to be on target but keeper Danny Potter came out to gather comfortably.

Ilkeston kept pressing but, as they did, Cambridge carved them open on the counter-attack, with Brian Saah, Danny Crow and Pitt all having chances.

The visitors ended the half with a succession of three corners but, despite a thundering effort from Morgan-Smith that the keeper did well to punch away under pressure, the score remained unchanged up to the interval.

Cambridge were quickest out of the blocks at the start of the second half, with Dan Lowson having to be at full stretch to get a hand to a long-range effort from Crow after 50 minutes.

Ilkeston's best chance came two minutes later and it was the impressive Duncum who cut inside, skipping past three players before teeing up Jake Beecroft, whose effort was narrowly wide.

The Robins did not look like the underdogs and there was a measure of anxiety about Cambridge, who needed a second goal.

Indeed, their frustration started to bubble over and Jai Reason was booked after 58 minutes for holding back Duncum, while Holroyd was given a stern talking to by the referee after making a meal of a challenge in the area by Luke Waterfall only a minute later.

Just as Ilkeston were beginning to look the more likely to get the next goal, Cambridge scored a second out of nothing.

Pitt played the ball out to Reason, whose terrific drive from 20 yards flew past Lowson and into the top left corner.

Ilkeston's Neal Hooks had a speculative shot well saved by Potter after 68 minutes, following good work by Mendes and Morgan-Smith, but Cambridge made it 3-0 three minutes later.

Pitt did the damage with a fine free kick, bent around a four-man Ilkeston wall to beat Lowson.

Robbie Willmott delivered a great free kick from the right and the ball bobbled around before Lowson eventually smothered it to thwart the danger after 74 minutes.

Holroyd missed an open goal with 12 minutes to go, somehow putting the ball over the top from barely three yards out as the U's pressed for a fourth.

But Ilkeston still kept pushing and had a half-chance when Wayne Hatswell conceded a free-kick on the left, tripping Morgan-Smith.

Hooks took this from 20 yards but it hit the Cambridge wall before bouncing out to Beecroft, whose fierce effort was cleared and the U's broke down the other end.

Ilkeston substitute Josh Burge's first contribution was a long-range effort from 25 yards and he was in the thick of the action again after 85 minutes, setting up Morgan-Smith, but his tame shot was cleared.

Cambridge's fourth of the afternoon came with four minutes remaining, when Jon Challinor played the ball inside to Adam Marriott, on for Crow, and he turned well inside the penalty area before firing past Lowson.