Sandal shade thriller to go three clear

Since early October this had been the match the Dalesmen had been savouring. A twenty point margin defeat had shocked Stacks Field followers and firmly established Sandal as favourites for the title. Reinvented this season under coach Jim Kilfoyle, this young side has emerged from a successful Colts side to be a major force once again in Yorkshire rugby. The Dalesmen’s only other defeat this season had been at Bradford Salem, where Sandal had also fallen victim to the postage stamp pitch and a resurgent Salem outfit.

The match lived up to its “Battle of the Titans” billing. A big crowd lured from the Six Nations by the most perfect of February afternoons saw two sides enter the field of conflict determined to prove a point. In the end the Wakefield outfit just shaded a bruising encounter by two tries, a goal and one penalty goal to a try and a goal, but what went on in the eighty minutes of battle was a credit to both sides and indeed both clubs.

Sandal had the benefit of the substantial slope in the first half. A defective kick-off gave the Dalesmen a scrum on half way. Alarm bells rang as it was lost but regained in the loose. Ian Moffatt hacked on to win Ilkley a lineout just 10 metres out. They drove well but somehow conceded a scrum and the home side were able to relieve the pressure.

Stuart Vincent soon showed his prodigious talent as he collected a probing kick and broke back evading numerous Sandal tacklers.

It was all very frenetic though.

Sandal had a scrum on half way and soon danger man Simon Frewin showed why he is the talk of Yorkshire rugby, skimming past Ilkley defenders only to be frustrated by two successive penalties conceded after two bone juddering Liam Frost tackles.

An Ilkley penalty gave the Dalesmen another chance to launch their drive from a lineout on the 22. This time a knock on spoiled the chance.

Fifteen minutes of fast and furious rugby with both sides making mistakes in the face of tremendous tackling and both sides conceding penalties produced an evenly balanced contest.

Sandal broke the deadlock. They were almost in with a well constructed backs move but tremendous tackling into touch looked to have saved the day. The lineout however was awarded Sandal’s way and from ten metres out they drove over perilously close to touch for a score. Number eight Sean Maguire claimed it. The Dalesmen were behind 5 – 0.

The contest continued at incredibly high tempo. Both sides probed but both sides defended as if there were no tomorrows.

Chris Reakes missed a kickable penalty shot and Ilkley spent time under pressure holding on with relentless determination. Two passes were ruled forward to help the Ilkley cause. The onslaught was relieved with a lovely double chip and chase from Vincent but, much to his chagrin, referee Mr McDonagh ruled a shirt pull as the full back felt his side should have had the penalty.

Sandal ended the half with another superb backs move that was just held up a couple of metres short. Reakes had a rush of blood as an irrational drop goal attempt had his coaches apoplectic.

The Dalesmen had withstood one of the best and most potent attacking forces seen in league one and had threatened to score up the hill. They went into half time only those 5 points adrift and had the slope in their favour to come.

Coach Kay brought on recent arrival Reiner Botha for Mark Hibbs who had had a great game deputising for injured skipper Iain McKenzie. The splendid Richard Kemble went to back row to allow the big IT specialist Botha into lock the scrum. The sizeable Ilkley crowd felt there was a chance to spring this one.

The kick off was not the best and a scrum back on half way gave Sandal a good start. They spilt ball and Ilkley had the scrum. More fierce exchanges saw the Dalesmen scrummaging inside their own half. A good ball won put Frost away. A great break to the Sandal 22 with Lee Gillbank on his shoulder should have been shipped to the flyer but Frost chose to chip and chase. On a flat pitch it would have stopped up nicely, but into the bottom corner of the slope it just dribbled over the dead ball line before he could touch it down. A rare golden chance was gone.

Dalesmen nerves set in. A dodgy ten minutes of missed line kicks, crooked feeds, penalties and conceded turnovers culminated in Sandal taking a long clearance kick off the touchline and recycling with style. First left then right, the ball moved effortlessly down the back line and despite desperate attempts to stop the charge, centre Danny Mitchell went in for a thoroughly deserved try.

Reakes added the two from wide out to make it 12 – 0. Still, with thirty minutes to go anything in this high intensity clash was possible.

The Dalesmen responded well. Vincent, in rampant form, opened things up again from deep releasing Lee Gillbank and Jack Shaylor to go into Sandal’s 22. Sandal repelled that one but conceded a penalty on half way. Charlie Cudworth, as ever anxious to get on with it, was hampered in getting the ball and took retribution into his own hands. A yellow card was the unfortunate result. Ten minutes with a man down in a game like this was a big ask.

Despite best Dalesmen efforts, Sandal gained the upper hand and were unlucky to be pulled up twice for forward passes, both of which were looking like tries. They were also over the line with a drive but Mr McDonagh ruled held up. Great Dalesmen defence under severe pressure kept the score within reach.

Flyer Frewin looked every part a scorer as he scorched towards the line wide out. From somewhere Frost cut him off with, possibly, the tackle of the season. Frewin clattered into the boundary posts and was taken off dazed. The try was saved.

Reakes then added a killer punch penalty goal to make it 15 – 0 after thirty five minutes.

Still the Dalesmen fought with every sinew to get back. Vincent combined well with Gillbank, then again with Shaylor to launch attacks but the line seemed elusive. One last onslaught saw Ilkley attack right then left. Finally Kemble bullocked over for what could now only be a consolation try. Shanks’ reliable boot added the two to make the final score 15 – 7.

Ilkley had given their all. Sandal deservedly (just) took the honours.

Jack Shaylor commented in the post match interview that he had never played in a harder fought game and felt that he had been in car crash at the end of it!

Next up is Halifax outfit Heath at Stacks Field this Saturday 16^th February. Kick off 2.15 p.m.

Ilkley were fortunate to hang on to win at Heath in September when they let a 14 – 0 lead slip to 14 – 10. Heath are now in the top grouping of the table from where all the Dalesmen’s remaining league opponents come. They have to play Scarborough (4^th) away on 1^st March, Bridlington (6^th) home on 8^th, Sheffield (8^th) away on 29^th, Selby (3^rd) away on 12^th April. The last match is Bradford Salem (5^th) home on 19^th April.

Meatime the rampant second fifteen travelled to Sandal for a midday kick-off. In another bruising encounter they came out winners 17 - 0 with tries from Andy Cromack and Chris Weatherby. Andy Rhodes added the goals to seal another great victory. They now have set their sights on a top four finish in the premier league for second fifteens in Yorkshire. Skipper Andrew Draper said he was confident the side would only get better and had learnt a lot form their early experiences playing the senior clubs in Yorkshire.

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