Dalesmen let half time lead slip again.

Another important league match slipped away from the Dalesmen, this time against Morpeth. They had established a 13 – 3 lead as the first half lapped over into injury time. A momentary lapse of concentration allowed Morpeth to pull a converted try to reduce a well deserved lead to 13 – 10.

In fact the home side had looked the better side for much of the half and, but for a smattering of mistakes with the try line sight, they could have been further ahead.

This is the sixth time Ilkley have held the advantage at half time. It is the fifth time they have squandered that lead and ended up getting beaten.

This was a competent and, importantly, confident Morpeth side who had the ability to get the ball wide and at pace. Mathew Jinks at fly half seemed to have twice the time of Ilkley’s Phil Howell. His second half distribution was exemplary and was, in fact, the undoing of the Dalesmens’ effort.

The match had been preceded by a splendid lunch given by the large band of loyal supporters who have reached a certain age. They were reminded by the club President Duncan Feather that in Ilkley inaugural season in Yorkshire league one they languished at the base of the table going into November and finally finished fourth.

This campaign looks to be just that bit more of a challenge but the enthusiasm of coach Hamish Pratt and the desire of the players to do well may just pull them through. Certainly the forwards have matched and even outplayed their opposition on most occasions. The problem has been getting forward momentum in the backs and to release the potent Terence Sibanda who can outpace his opposite number given the space. The injury to Stewart Brewer hasn’t helped but injuries are part and parcel of this game.

A pleasant Autumnal afternoon greeted the large crowd and the ominous black cloud hovering over the moor mercifully did not deposit its contents. Conditions were perfect.

Ilkley opened strongly and were awarded a penalty on half way, only for referee Andy Baker to reverse it and to add insult to injury show the yellow card to Reiner Botha for stamping. The splendid Jinks stoked over the goal to put the visitors 3 – 0 in the lead.

Now the Dalesmen had to limit damage with 14 men for 10 minutes. This they did with relatively consummate ease and, after Botha returned, they turned on the style for a good spell. They swooped onto a loose ball following a lineout on the Morpeth 22 and shipped the ball slickly out left to Sibanda. He was almost in but laid it back well for big Jon Hutchinson to pick up and score.

Peter Shanks made no mistake with the conversion. Ilkley had a slender but useful lead with a quarter of the game gone.

More good Ilkley play took the game to Morpeth and Shanks was able to slot a penalty goal from the ten metre line. 10 – 3.

Now it was all Ilkley. They pressurised the scrum close in forcing an error behind the line. It produced a 5 metre scrum, then a couple of Morpeth lineouts. From the second, on the 22, they strayed offside and Shanks slotted the goal to give the Dalesmen a healthy 13 – 3 lead. Then, in injury time came the try the big crowd had been dreading. Morpeth had a penalty to take them out of their 22. The lineout earned them a free kick, then a scrum 5 metres out. From the scrum flanker James Slater battled his way over the line. The Dalesmen went in at the half with that slender 3 point lead.

The sucker punch followed in the first play of the second half. Ilkley were attacking well and were no more than a metre from scoring when the ball was set back in a rumble but somehow there was only a Morpeth player to pick it out. They skilfully broke out of defence and with Ilkley’s defence pushing up for the score they had the legs to round off a great move with a try for winger Liam Alan. Jinks converted to make it 13 – 17.

Shanks missed a chance to grab 3 points back with a difficult kick from just outside the 22.

Duncan Sayers came on for Gavin Petterd and almost immediately they were pressing the Morpeth line again. A turnover on the line saved that effort. Then a lineout 5 metres out was followed by a penalty, then another lineout but no reward came. Morpeth escaped. Another kickable penalty chance was spurned in favour the lineout which again had them pressing the Morpeth line. This time a penalty against saved the visitors conceding. Finally from yet another penalty it seemed Dan Wright had got the touchdown but Mr Baker ruled the ball had gone forward. Still the Morpeth line was under pressure but via two scrums they finally eased themselves towards safety.

From a scrum 15 metres out that man Jinks engineered another slick move down the line and, despite some debate with the touch judge Alan grabbed his second try wide out to make it 13 – 22.

Shanks pulled a penalty back to narrow the lead to 6 points, but almost immediately this was nullified by Jinks’ goal.

Fred Matthews entered the fray for Hutchinson.

Then a couple of Ilkley mistakes put the game out reach. First a missed touch kick was punished as Morpeth ran the ball back to score in the corner.

Ian Moffatt replaced Tom Hebditch.

Morpeth put the icing on their cake as a scrum set Jiinks up for a beautifully executed loop ball which he returned to full back Alan Rogers coming in the burst to score under the posts and make their tally 39 points.

Ilkley did come back strongly but it was now too late. After a series of penalties Fred Matthews bagged a try in the corner to reduce the deficit to 39 – 21.

This week the Dalesmen make another trip up the A1, this time to Gateshead. Kick-off is at 2.15 p.m.

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