Photographs from Saturdays game Billingham vs Ilkley ( N2E ) have now been uploaded to www.ruggerpix.com

Enter the site click on photographs and then 2008-2009 Games. To see all photos click ‘all’ above right hand thumbnails and wait for photo’s to load. Ilkley Ladies vs Ripley ladies game photo’s to be uploaded tomorrow, Tues.

Another half time lead slips away as Dalesmens’ concentration flags in wind and rain

Ilkley coach Hamish Pratt left the playing arena muttering words like “failure to take advantage” and “field position” and “lapses of concentration” as his frustration at having let another match, which could easily have been won, slip from his side’s grasp.

This is a good Ilkley side, make no mistake. Despite losing the three players who had contributed 40 tries last season. The quality and efficiency of the rugby has been outstanding and would have coped easily in the league below. This higher level demands that extra edge to the game. The unforced error is severely punished. The unnecessary penalty is a continuous threat. The momentary lapse of concentration is almost always costly.

Also outstanding in this league has been the quality of refereeing.  Mr Mark Jackson from the London Society is no exception. He controlled a “full-on” game with clinical efficiency but let stuff go that in previous seasons would have punctuated the game. It was from two periods of play following knock-ons that the Dalesmen conceded scores when they might have expected play to be stopped. Both times they had advantage but turned the ball over to concede.

Billingham came to Stacks Field the “form horse” having won their opening three fixtures. They are a club with a long history, a newly built club facility, a clearly enthused and dynamic management team and, importantly, a team on high. Their selected side contained four sets of brothers including four Evans’. They played like a band of brothers and in the end deserved the two league points. But it was not an easy task and the Dalesmen will rue this defeat as one that got away as the season unfolds.

Autumn had arrived with a vengeance. That wind that gusts down the valley whipped up before the start of a match attended by the clubs’ many generous sponsors who were treated to a superb pre-match luncheon.

Match official, Mr Jackson was soon making his mark on the game as the home side turned on the pressure by winning a scrum and then a penalty on the Billingham 22. Peter Shanks slotted the kick. A precious 3 – 0 lead was secured.

Simon Smith then put some of his powerful running skills to good use. A scrum then a penalty, then a lineout 5 metres out secured a second penalty goal as Billingham stayed offside. 6 – 0, Shanks again successful with the kick.

The Dalesmen had their tails up and for fifteen minutes looked quite imperious, winning not only good ball, but playing some excellent rugby as well. Billingham were forced to feed off scraps and continued to offend the referee to Ilkley’s advantage.

Shanks had another apparently simple kick but it hit the upright and bounced clear. Whether through psychology or just by coincidence, Billingham took heart and the Dalesmens’ confidence seemed to falter.

A Billingham lineout on half way set up a superb break which almost produced a try. Somehow it was defended, defence remaining a real attribute in the Dalesmens’ locker. After several power packed phases, the strength of the Ilkley scrum disrupted the Billingham set piece sufficiently for Jimmy Lee to steal the ball and clear. From the subsequent set scrum Lee’s kick failed to find touch when the wind could have been expected to work its wonderful ways and help. It didn’t. The error was punished as Billingham’s Hyndman put the finishing touches to a charge which seemed to be waved through by a host of Ilkley defenders.

One of the Evans (P) added the two points to make it 6 – 7.

Immediately Shanks had a chance to add a penalty goal from wide out and his kick made amends for his earlier miscue and restore the lead, 9 – 7.

Spirits lifted. Phil Howell, now growing in confidence, and Shanks began to recognise the value of the elements and pegged the visitors back with deep telling touch finders. A deal of pressure with no addition to the scoreline saw a fast-flowing game played out in Billingham’s half. On the stroke of half time Shanks added another beauty from the touchline to give the Dalesmen a precious but tenuous interval lead, 12 – 7.

Coach Pratt now had to work the oracle and work out how the wind could be mastered and more so how Billingham could be prevented from employing it to their advantage.

With wind against it was Ilkley who began by incurring the wrath of Mr Jackson and penalties began accruing against them.

Stubborn defence too was the order of the half as Billingham began to show their skills in the backs with young Evans orchestrating some enterprising rugby.

They were rewarded with a penalty after 7 minutes to reduce arrears to 12 – 10.

The Dalesmen hit back and came close with some fantastic forward play through several phases only for the final effort to be ruled forward.

Then the rain came. Spectators scurried for the shelter of the grandstand and the game turned ever so slightly in the visitors’ favour. Turnovers were conceded. More penalties went against and it seemed inevitable that the superb defensive effort would crack.

It took some doing but eventually, with advantage from a Billingham knock-on the ball was spilled it ran loose to Billingham’s outstanding flanker Hutchinson and the try was conceded. Evans popped over the conversion to make it 12 – 17.

The final minutes were marred by some terrible untypical unforced errors that produced two more kickable penalties for the visitors. Evans made no mistake with those to make the final score 12 – 23.

Jonny Shanks, Gavin Petterd and Andy Matthews all made cameo appearances after the real damage had been inflicted and the spoils went to the side who managed the conditions better and took advantage of all the small but important elements of the execution of the game that so irked the Ilkley coach.

This week the opposition is Aspatria, in a backwater of Cumbria close to the controversial nuclear plant at Sellafield. The team must get its mentality geared to an 80 minute radio active effort with absolutely no let up in concentration if they are to achieve that elusive first league victory. There is no doubt they are capable.

The second fifteen had a hard fought league match against Old Brodleians also at Stacks Field.  After going 10 – 0 down they fought back magnificently to win 18 – 10. This week they visit old friends Beverley in a league fixture.

Related Links:
Carlisle 15 Ilkley 15
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