ALFRETON Town's last hopes of silverware this season disappeared in a keenly contested local derby game of two halves on Tuesday evening.
The Reds ultimately paid the price for conceding three goals in a 15 minute spell early in the first half, the result of which left them with far too much to do.
They did dominate the second period and put the visitors on the rack, but could only produce one reply goal for all their possession and waves of attacks.
It was the second season in succession and a third time in four seasons that Alfreton have been edged out of the competition by Ilkeston.
Having had the luxury of being able to field an unchanged side recently, Reds manager Gary Mills was without Tommy Hannigan and Danny Mayman, both ineligible, and he also rested to the bench Mark Rawle, Andy Tiday and Ashley Burbeary.
Mark Turner, Matt Glass and David Reeves were handed rare starts whilst Anton Brown was restored to the team and youngsters Callum Flanagan and Michael Harcourt were drafted onto the bench.
The visitors had two former Reds in their line-up and they combined to prise open the home defence on seven minutes.
Lee Featherstone's ball down the left set Sam Litchfield free and his deep cross was superbly headed in by GARETH HOLMES in Ilkeston's first serious attack.
Alfreton's early attempts were from long range with Reeves and Tristram Whitman seeing shots from distance fail to trouble Ben Scott in the visiting goal.
In reply the busy Dougie Wade flashed an angled drive from the right hand angle of the penalty area inches over the far angle of post and bar.
Robert Gill then created a yard of space for a shot deep in the penalty area but Emeka Nwadike produced a superb block.
After David Reeves had bundled a difficult chance from a Nwadike pull back past the far post the Reds were hit by two goals in three minutes which killed the game.
The second one was a total gift for the visitors with MARK TURNER slicing an attempted clearance from Wade's right wing cross past a stranded Dale Roberts in the home net for an own goal on 19 minutes and it was 3-0 to Ilkeston on 21 minutes when Ryan Clarke missed a header, and Gill had time to square for DOUGIE WADE to steer a shot into the far corner from the edge of the penalty area.
As the Reds struggled to hold on against some well constructed attacks from the confident visitors Reeves was fortunate to escape a booking after a late challenge on Robinson.
Fortunately for Alfreton Matt Glass got in front of a 20-yarder from Justin Walker before the Reds almost reduced the arrears when Reeves saw a header from a Mark Barnard free kick clip the top of the angle of post and bar with Scott beaten.
All Alfreton's best efforts after that carried a homing device straight to keeper Scott who was not troubled.
Nwadike was booked for a series of minor fouls as he fought manfully to get the Reds a foothold and a minute before the break Wilson was booked for Ilkeston after a foul on Ebdon.
The Reds were read the riot act at the break with Rawle and Tiday introduced for Reeves and Brown respectively.
The substitutions galvanised the Reds to such an effect that they looked a completely different side in the second period.
Wade did have the first shot in anger for the visitors but after that it was virtually one way traffic for a good half an hour as Alfreton laid siege.
Ilkeston's defence stood up well under growing pressure and Featherstone got the better of his former team mate Glass who was muscled out of a shooting chance after getting onto a superb through ball from Rawle.
Ashley Burbeary replaced Marcus Ebdon on 55 minutes and another dose of urgency was added with the youngster quickly in the thick of things.
Nathan Winder's first touch onto a Tiday pull back took a shooting chance away from him before the Reds reduced the arrears on 60 minutes. Tiday's left flank cross was stabbed through by Nwadike for RAWLE who steered an eight yard left footed shot across Scott and into the far corner for 3-1.
Whitman headed over from a Glass corner five minutes later then Glass scuffed wide when well placed.
The lively Tiday burst past three defenders, played a neat one-two with Rawle before unluckily seeing his fizzing shot arrow straight at a relieved Scott.
Holmes was booked for the visitors after a 'hands on' skirmish with Burbeary then Muller replaced Litchfield up front for the Robins who desperately tried to vacate their own half.
Scott ensured the victory went Ilkeston's way with two saves from Andy Tiday on 78 minutes. Glass pulled the ball back for Tiday whose 18-yard shot was turned one handed around a post by the diving Scott who then did well to hold onto another firm Tiday shot from the resultant corner.
And the visiting keeper hadn't finished as he produced a reaction block with his legs to keep out a close range flick from Rawle.
The visitors finally emerged from heavy pressure and Featherstone took the wrong option of going further and losing out at the end of a 50-yard run with three players in support against an outnumbered home defence.
Burbeary went into the book for a foul on Wade before the visitors had one more let off when Whitman's close range shot was blocked on the line.
In the end Ilkeston's efforts over the 90 minutes deservedly took them through to the semi finals and leaves the Reds to concentrate solely on cementing their Conference North place for another season.

MATCH STATS
Alfreton Town: Dale Roberts, Ryan Clarke, Mark Barnard, Mark Turner, Nathan Winder, Emeka Nwadike, Matt Glass, Marcus Ebdon (Ashley Burbeary 55), David Reeves (Mark Rawle, h/t), Tristram Whitman, Anton Brown (Andy Tiday, h/t). Subs not used: Callum Flanagan, Michael Harcourt.
Ilkeston Town: Ben Scott, Alistair Asher, Lee Featherstone, Gareth Holmes, Matt Daley (Rick Brewer, h/t), Paul Robinson, Dougie Wade, Justin Walker (Martin Carruthers 60), Sam Litchfield (Adam Muller 77), Robert Gill, Chris Wilson. Subs not used: Billy Nugent, Wayne Smith.
Referee: Mr M Edwards (Swadlincote).
Attendance: 160.
Reds man of the match: Andy Tiday.
Best Robin: Ben Scott.
Cautions: Alfreton Town - Emeka Nwadike (38, persistent infringements), Ashley Burbeary (86, foul on Dougie Wade). Ilkeston Town - Chris Wilson (44, foul on Marcus Ebdon), Gareth Holmes (72, retaliation against Ashley Burbeary).