Dalesmen squeeze victory out of Abbeydale mudbath

The forecast rain arrived just as the splendid roast beef and Yorkshire were being served up in the Abbeydale Sports clubhouse. It bounced down remorselessly for the duration of the match turning the lovingly maintained pitch, which has seen rugby at the highest level in its dim and distant memory, into a quagmire. Interestingly the floodlights were on from the start. Is this a first for Ilkley?

How the players and referee Mr Clayton managed to cobble anything resembling the great game of rugby together is unclear. Indeed the whole game was littered with the inevitable handling errors and other mistakes that there was little recognisable of the kind of rugby the Dalesmen have played for much of the rest of the season.

The Dalesmen came away with two league points courtesy of one of the more bizarre scores of the season. It was 11 points to 10 in favour of the home side when a long kick from Peter Shanks followed by some sustained pressure on the Sheffield defence forced the excellent Jamie Broadley to hurry a kick to touch. It was charged down by a clutch of Ilkley marauders and clipped a Sheffield leg before slithering clear to the waiting Reiner Botha, who would otherwise have been offside. All he had to was pick the ball up (no mean feat, in itself) and walk over the line to score. Mr Clayton’s arm went up, most people thought for a penalty to Sheffield, but no, it was to signal “try” to Ilkley. The relief was tangible amongst the bedraggled Ilkley support. It was greater still when Shanks’ reliable boot slotted the conversion from wide out to give the Dalesmen a 6 point lead.

Sheffield had clearly stated their intentions early on in the game. Those intentions were to knock Ilkley off their game with whatever means they could. Occasionally the boundaries were pushed, but never greatly exceeded. When you are second in the league playing third from bottom you have to expect this tactic. It certainly did the trick with the Dalesmen looking out of sorts throughout the first quarter.

The scoring was opened after only seven minutes when Sheffield’s flanker Martin Balshaw (no relation) burst out of a ruck with ball in the firm grip of his arms. He evaded two Ilkley defenders as he drifted out wide but made the line as he slid over in the mud from at least five metres out. Young Broadley missed the kick but his side were 5 points in front.

Ilkley’s lineout was not working well. The blustery wind, gusting galeforce at times, was playing havoc as were the Sheffield front five, all of whom had great games. The number of lost Ilkley lineouts was puzzling and disturbing.

It was Sheffield who came near to scoring again but this time they knocked on at the last.

They were however rewarded for that effort as Ilkley conceded a penalty on their 22. Broadley’s kick was good this time and the lead extended to 8 – 0.

From the kick-off Ilkley earned a penalty of their own. Shanks found a good touch to 15 metres out. The lineout worked well this time. They drove twice before the backs had their moment. Nick Bell, Liam Frost and Simon Smith all had a part to play before the ever alert Terence Sibanda came all the way off the opposite wing to pick up a lovely little pop pass to scramble over and score. Miraculously Shanks propelled another kick to glory, into the wind and over the bar. The single point deficit should have signalled a resurgence. It didn’t!

With five minutes remaining to half time Broadley added 3 points from another penalty, awarded for an offence in the lineout.

Sheffield went into half time 11 – 7 in the lead.

Coach Kay would need to find something better if this game was to be won. Surely with the wind at their backs the boot of Shanks could pin Sheffield back and force the inevitable mistakes.

The big boot did get the Dalesmen into the offensive, but the problems of retaining possession in the horrible conditions and the continued Sheffield “in yer face” aggression prevented a score.

Kay began to ring the changes. Botha replaced the splendid Richard Kemble.

Ilkley took the lead with a penalty after a lost lineout was followed by a Sheffield player holding on. Shanks’ reliable boot did the business. 11 – 10.

The game was then slugged out with Sheffield going close twice, both from terrible mistakes which Stuart Vincent and Sibanda mopped up. Both times Ilkley escaped with fortuitous penalties.

Mark Hibbs and Ollie Coughlan replaced Stuart Brewer and Nick Heron to try and break the stalemate. Sheffield were not for giving this one up though.

Then came the Botha try and Shanks’ golden boot to put the Dalesmen 6 points ahead.

Sheffield hit back forcing more last ditch tackling and fierce defending by the men in black.

They held on until the final play. A moment of madness conceded a penalty at a lineout on Ilkley’s 22. The kick went deep, almost too deep, but Sheffield had a lineout. They held it and drove. Mr Clayton’s arm went up as did a whole Sheffield team’s indicating just how much they wanted this win. They had the try. Now young Broadley, probably the pick of the players on the park, had the pressure kick – into the wind. The charge from Ilkley and the wind saw the ball sail haplessly into midfield. Mr Clayton had had enough. He blew for time. Ilkley had those precious league points.

Now there is an anxious wait for a week on Saturday when the Dalesmen visit third placed Selby for the vital league fixture that will surely determine who gets second place or even top if Sandal fail to beat Heath in a match abandoned as a result of the referee being injured.

Both Ilkley and Sandal now have 34 points. Sandal have the Heath game to play, probably this Saturday.

Ilkley’s rampant second fifteen racked up 72 points to 3 against Sheffield’s second string.

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