It’s in the 70’s for Dalesmens’ trip to the coast

According to legend it was in the early 1970’s Ilkley last visited Mackinlay Park, named after the family of ex-Ilkley stalwart Nick Mackinlay. To return from there in 2008 with a score in the early 70’s was proof indeed that the team had bounced back from the setback just a week ago.

Redcar is a welcoming club, used to plying their trade in Northumberland and Durham league one. The competition in Yorkshire league one has come as something of a shock to the system. They have only won once this season and, having lost at Stacks field 62 – 10, they must have had a psychology issue with this encounter.

That psychology was soon to demonstrate itself, but not before they had troubled the Dalesmens’ line for fully ten minutes. They must have felt a little unfortunate not to come away with a score. But when the chips are down, they seem to stay down. That certainly applied to the following thirty minutes.

It took a penalty goal from Peter Shanks to break the deadlock. Ilkley had finally got away from their 22 but were having trouble in making the ball stick in hand. A 3 – 0 lead was probably just against the run of play.

Then came the deluge. Five tries in 30 minutes proved to the Dalesmen they had the pace, power and skills to which plucky Redcar simply had no answer.

Try number one came after Stuart Brewer set up a great ball deep in his half. It was moved slickly down the backs to leave Stuart Vincent and Liam Frost to combine over 50 metres for Frost to finish.

Number two came from that man Brewer himself after Frost had had made good ground and chipped into touch 5 metres out. A scrappy lineout ball was pounced on by the blond back rower for the score.

Number three came from a ruck ball on half way. Jack Shaylor, wearing the number 9 shirt today, sneaked the ball out on the short side. He beat off three tacklers like stepping through treacle to outpace the leadened footed defence and score.

Number four fell to the impish Shaylor again. This time it was his pack that laid on the score. A scrum on Ilkley’s ten metre line was won. A charge upfield headed by Mark Hibbs and the excellent Dan Wright (a Chris Jack lookalike?) had a choice of a pass left or right. He chose the inside route, and there was Shaylor to score.

Number five fell to the splendid Richard Kemble. A lineout on the Dalesmens’ 22 was won. Two phases saw play back into Redcar’s 22 and Brewer, in rampaging mood, kicking out for the line. There was one defender in his way and, again, choices of left or right. Kemble looked unstoppable, and so he was, as he crashed over to score.

The ever reliable Peter Shanks had improved all five scores to give the Dalesmen an unassailable lead, 38 – 0.

To their eternal credit Redcar did not give up with skipper Neil Young encouraging his men to “keep your heads up”. They ended the half pressing Ilkley’s line picking up a series of penalties in the process. Only one did they choose to kick – successfully. The rest they tried to recover ground by playing the touches, but their lineout was disrupted and their backs simply not quick enough to break through Ilkley’s solid defence.

The score at half time, 38 – 3. Coach Kay could only ask for more of the same.

He didn’t mean allowing the home side to continue to press his side’s line.

The half opened with Terence Sibanda, ball in hand for the first time in the game, carving out a high speed furrow to switch play to the right. He found Frost who cut up more ground before popping a well-timed pass to Vincent to glide through like a graceful seagull from 40 metres to stretch the lead to 45 – 3.

Then came a fightback of sorts. Ilkley’s attention wandered. Redcar showed fighting spirit as if there was a single score in it.

They pegged Ilkley back in their 22 for fully fifteen minutes during which that Dalesmen defence, which has become an important factor in their all-round game, was called upon to dig in deep.

They were lucky to hold out twice as Redcar came close. They succumbed to a penalty count which, in a tighter match, could have proved costly. However Redcar came away from this onslaught with only one try as fly half  Richie Young found a gap and scored under the posts. He converted his try it to make it 45 – 10.

Charlie Cudworth replaced Iain MacKenzie and Ian Moffatt, Brendan Kelley.

Redcars’ “revival” withered on the vine. Tired legs and battered minds finally had had enough.

Ilkley benefited from two penalties deep in Redcar’s half. A quick one found Kemble in position to take an inch perfect pass and crash over for his second try.

Number three of the half fell to Moffatt whose fresh legs were on hand to finish off a great move started from an outrageous dummy from Wright which fooled half the oncoming Redcar side and a number of his own men in the process!. Wright charged upfield to set up a bullocking run by Brewer. Brewer found Kemble on his shoulder and when he was tackled, there was the tiger Moffatt on hand to score.

Number four of the half was probably the pick of the day, if only for the blistering pace on show. Ilkley had escaped Redcar’s last hoorah with a 22 drop out. Frost pounced. He fed Sibanda. His pace defeated all but Cudworth who was on his shoulder to take a looped pass and another try.

The game finished with the Sibanda show in full swing. Frost made another tremendous break from inside his half to pick out Sibanda on a diagonal run from left to right. 50 metres through tacklers groping at fresh air saw the icing on the cake with a try.

The metronomic kicking boots of Shanks added the two points to four of the five tries and contributed to a final score of  71 – 10, probably a record for the Dalesmen in league rugby.

One highlight was the 1^st XV debut, as replacement for the mighty Mike Lammas, of young Josh Cockerham. He has learnt the trade at the coalface in the second fifteen. A product of Ilkley’s Youth team only the previous season, some considerable satisfaction can be derived by all those who have guided this prodigious talent to blossom in the senior game.

The top of the table is becoming a little clearer, but with visits to Sandal, Selby and Scarborough to come the three S’s could have a bearing on the outcome of this campaign.

This week sees Huddersfield YMCA guests at Stacks Field. The match will be preceded by a lunch to thank the many volunteers who make rugby happen at Stacks Field. Apart from honoured guests there will be committee, gatemen, volunteers who clean up the place when noone is watching, and, importantly, the many coaches who put time and effort into junior and youth rugby at Ilkley Rugby Club.

Kick-off is at 2.15 p.m.

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