Sorry no pics this week.

Dalesmen triumph in end of season sizzler

This final league match of the season was a thriller. It had pace, power and commitment in bucket loads.

Played out in front of top RFU officials and the Minister for Sport, Gerry Sutcliffe and near record crowd packed into the grandstand at Stacks Field this match had everything. These two old rivals never once let the tempo fall below full throttle. The initiative in the swung one way then the other, but once Ilkley had their noses in front they didn’t let Salem get ahead. Yes, they got close, uncomfortably so with still a quarter to go, but the day belonged to the Dalesmen. They can now set off on the journey to Tyneside and Northern Rugby Club next Saturday with probably the hardest won victory and certainly one of the best games of rugby seen this amazing season under their belts.

No match between Ilkley and Salem is ever without edge and, whilst both clubs could have treated it as a meaningless run around, this one turned out to be classic. What better way to advertise the Corinthian spirit of Rugby Union to the most senior man in British sport.

Both teams lined to meet the Minister prior to the game.

Salem came at the Dalesmen like there were no tomorrows and could have had two tries and a penalty goal were it not for a stud catching in the ground causing a stumble, a critical dropped pass and an upright in the way, before Ilkley began to put their game together.

Whist attacking flair has been a feature their solid defence has been their bedrock all this long season. The first quarter of this game was no exception.

Just as it looked as though Salem would surely grasp the initiative Ilkley were awarded a penalty. Anthony Cadman’s trusty boot pushed play up to the Salem ten metre line. The lineout was secured and recycled to be whipped down the line to Stuart Vincent. He chipped the Salem defence, Jack Shaylor chased, hacked on and outpaced the cover to score the opening try.

Cadman converted to give Ilkley a 7 – 0 lead.

The lead was extended, again from inside the Ilkley half when the mighty Stuart Brewer turned a Salem drive over and freed up the ball for Oliver Coughlan. He managed to pop the ball up for Liam Frost. With the Salem defence on the back foot Frost switched both engines to full thrust and burst through the middle. At first it looked as though he had gone the wrong way but his dazzling speed and no little power allowed him to shrug off two tacklers and dart for the line. 12 – 0 to Ilkley.

The try of the day came next. Ilkley had scrum deep inside Salem’s 22. the Ilkley powerhouse, once again relatively untroubled throughout, produced good ball. Coughlan fed Cadman. He missed out his centres to find Shaylor, off his wing. Shaylor put an inch perfect pass to Terence Sibanda who had come off the blocks at blistering pace. He was unstoppable and touched down wide out for a super score. 17 – 0 at half time was a flattering but well-earned scoreline. Salem must have wondered how it had all happened and moreso, what they could do to repair the damage.

With players of the calibre of Matt Booth in the side a 17 points advantage is no comfort level to their opposition. So it proved.

Salem once again started powerfully testing Ilkley’s stubborn defence repeatedly. They were assisted by a series of penalty offences given up by the Dalesmen.

A lineout had them only metres from the Ilkley line. Three phases of driving from the base of the ruck saw them dive over for a try in the corner.

Fifteen minutes later, a repeat performance saw the formidable boot of Booth slot his second conversion from wide out to reduce the margin to three solitary points. 17 -14.

Now it was anyone’s game. Coach Kay decided to ring the changes. Coughlan had done his work, Tim Barley replaced him at scrum half. There were still 15 agonising minutes to go.

The Dalesmen then summoned up a second wind. Suddenly the balance changed in favour of the home side. Some Ilkley trademark play had Ilkley back in Salem’s 22. Three phases of textbook rugby saw the ball whipped out wide right across the backs to find that man Brewer as the extra man. He positively flew over to score a great try. The home side had an eight point (two scores) advantage. 22 – 14.

Brewer had given his all and Jonny Shanks made a welcome return to first team duty in his place.

Still Salem pressed and with the balance once again swinging in their favour they spurned a golden chance to reduce arrears by three, going for the lineout instead.

A knock-on close to the Ilkley line was effectively the end of siege.

Ilkley had a drop out from the 22. They then turned over Salem ball on half way. Two more great phases were recycled for the wily Cadman to pick out Frost on a run and on an angle which took him like a missile through the Salem defence to seal the match. Cadman’s kick made the final score 29 -14.

The Ilkley crowd have had great value this season and this match will leave them licking their lips in anticipation of next week’s showdown at Northern. Places on the coach are filling up fast but there are still seats available.

Meanwhile the pre-match lunch hosted by members of the Thursday cleaning gang, was attended by Minister for Sport, Gerry Sutcliffe MP, Senior vice President Brian Williams from the RFU, Carole Thelwall-Jones, Head of Volunteering at the RFU, John Spencer of Club England, the YRFU and Wharfedale RFC, David Macinnes and Matt Carter of YRFU as well as many members of the Junior and Youth section who had played such a big part in fund-raising for the development project. The three co-hosts must have wondered what all the fuss was about cleaning the changing rooms and grandstand on Thursday mornings!

Brian Williams presented Richard Scargill, the club Chairman with the RFU President’s award for Fundraising Club of the Year 2008. He added some very complimentary words about the whole club attitude and the originality of many of the fundraising schemes.

Then the Minister for Sport presented the award for Seal of Approval Club of the Year Northern region and the year 4 certificate for Seal of Approval to Junior and Youth section Chairman Tom Gillon. The Minister added his praise for efforts of grassroots clubs like Ilkley for their work in promoting physical well-being in the community and said that it was essential that these efforts are properly recognised in government, especially as the nation approaches 2012 and the Olympic games.