The newcomers to North One East return to West Yorkshire with the points, a good away win for them which will feel all the sweeter having denied us a losing bonus in the dying minutes. The visitors always looked lively in possession and fully deserved their victory, capitalising well on their scoring opportunities.
An entertaining first half saw the lead change hands six times as the two sides traded scores and appeared fairly evenly matched. Stu Waites thumped a penalty over from half way just 2 minutes in for the early lead but pacey winger Ben Magee put Ilkley ahead with a typical winger’s try, capitalising on an overlap on the left. Josh Kimber added the conversion.
We grabbed the lead back four minutes later when, having had some success with the rolling maul, one advanced up to the line and Dan Boatman dabbed down for the try. Waites slid the conversion wide before Kimber responded with an excellent long range penalty to once again put the visitors ahead, 10-8.
He couldn’t repeat the feat from an easier position on 32 minutes and we replied with a try from Liam Bailey. Good work from Adam Coates helped keep a move alive and some good flat passing eventually helped create space on the left wing where Bailey went over almost unopposed. The touchline conversion sailed through but our lead would only last two minutes as Magee once again burst away up his wing before feeding inside to skipper Alistair Monks who added his side’s second try. Another Kimber conversion sent the visitors in to half time with a two point advantage at 17-15.
The second half was a far scrappier affair with both sides making plenty of handling errors and scoring opportunities much more limited. Ilkley started the half far the brighter and added to their lead when the tall Kimber threw a dummy and burst through the defensive line before delivering a simple pass to Steve Nolson for the simplest of tries.
We couldn’t get much going, not helped by losing Adam Coates and Luke Mallinson to the sin-bin in quick succession for collapsing a maul and tackling a man in the air respectively. The lineout deserted us but still trailing by just one score there always seemed the possibility we could get back in the game.
Our chance came with ten minutes to go when Scott Butcher made a terrific break from inside his own half and burst clear into the Ilkey 22. He was hauled down 10 metres from the line but we were awarded a penalty for a high tackle which was taken quickly only for the ball to be dropped as it was moved wide. Referee Graeme Cooper waved away protests for defenders not being back 10 metres and eventually awarded a penalty to Ilkley when those protests continued allowing them to clear.
It seemed like a chance we had to take and so it proved as we were unable to get back within scoring range as time ticked away. The minor consolation of a losing bonus point was at least in the back of the mind but a silly infringement at a ruck gave Kimber the penalty chance and he made no mistake - the finishing touch on a disappointing afternoon.
West: Mallinson, Butcher, Bailey, Youll, Tyres, Waites, Painter, Pinchen, Rollins, Coates, Bennett, Rafferty, Atkins, Boatman, Miller.
Reps: Foreman, Angus, Chapman
Tries: Boatman, Bailey
Con: Waites
Pen: Waites
YC: Atkins, Coates, Mallinson
Ilkley: Henry, Magee, Monks, Nolson, Johnson, Kimber, Collard, Hutchinson, Graham, Baxter, Small, Spender, Coates, Davey. Garland.
Reps: Cockerham, Colclough, Petchey
Tries: Magee, Monks, Nolson
Cons: Kimber 2
Pens: Kimber 2
YC: Coates
Referee: Graeme Cooper