WHITBY Town suffered a cup hangover on Saturday as they slipped to a 3-1 home defeat to Ilkeston – just as they were eyeing a rise towards the play-off places.

The result, which saw the Blues drop to 11th place in the Evo-Stik League premier division, came three days after a thrilling Doodson Sport League Cup win over Evo-Stik division one north big-guns Darlington 1883 – coming from three goals down to tie the match before winning on penalties thanks to Shane Bland’s goalkeeping heroics.

That was their first cup success of term and they were hoping to continue on their recent crest of a wave at the weekend, targeting a fourth win in five to cut the gap to the top five to one point.

However, Ashley Hunter scored twice in the second half to take the points to Ilkeston, his second sealing victory in the last minute.

Last midweek, big-spending Darlington, who top division one north as they eye a rise up the tiers, went 3-0 up with a 12-minute first-half salvo, netting through Matthew Pennal and Nathan Stephenson either side of an own goal by Whitby player-boss Darren Williams.

However, a Mark Robinson penalty five minutes before half-time gave Whitby hope, Dale Hopson pulled another back on the hour mark, and Ross Gardner netted an unlikely equaliser on 72 minutes.

Whitby went on to win the shoot-out 3-1, with Bland saving three Darlo penalties.

Hopson was also on the mark against Ilkeston, his excellent 20-yard free-kick cancelling out Joe Maguire’s opener for the sides to go into the break on level terms, but the visitors went on to win it.

Whitby’s home league game with Matlock Town scheduled for tonight has been postponed as the Derbyshire side had a rearranged Doodson Sport Cup tie last night.

The Blues face fellow mid-table side Barwell on Saturday (3pm), with Dave McTiernan expected back after his three-match suspension.

Scarborough Athletic got back to winning ways on Saturday - securing the first victory under new management duo Paul Foot and Bryan Hughes - when they won 3-0 at Radcliffe Borough to move back up to seventh in Evo-Stik League division one north.

Gary Bradshaw and Matthew Plummer put the Seadogs two up in the first half, with Ryan Blott completing the scoring midway through the second.

On Saturday, Boro face fifth-placed Bamber Bridge, and they meet Pickering Town in the North Riding Senior Cup first round next Tuesday (7.45pm).

Former Scarborough manager Rudy Funk’s reign at AFC Mansfield got off to a losing start as they fell 4-3 at high-riding Penistone Church in the Northern Counties East League first division.