National League Three North: Ilkley 31 Cleckheaton 17

ILKLEY continued their run of good form with their second five-point win at home to local rivals Cleckheaton, who the Dalesmen had never played in league rugby.

Without breaking any records, Ilkley always looked the better side and, even with a 15-minute snooze at the end of the second half, they prevailed 31-17.

The win means they stay in sixth place in a very crowded mid-table.

The Ilkley pack looked very strong from the first minute, and prop Tom Baxter had a particularly good game, ably supported by his seven colleagues, whose handling was exemplary throughout.

Ten minutes probing from each side didn’t trouble the scoreboard, but when Elliot Morgan hacked through, the ball went out on the full. Cleckheaton infringed and Ilkley opted for the scrum. The first assault was repelled and Cleckheaton cleared their lines only as far as J-H Johnson, whose bullocking run ended with turnover ball to the visitors.

An aimless Cleckheaton pass went over the head of Michael Piper, who hurriedly cleared into touch, and Ilkley’s pack pounced, a typical catch and drive trundling over the visitors’ line for an Iain Mackenzie try, duly converted by Joe Rowntree.

Further pressure from the Ilkley forwards led to a penalty award that Rowntree slotted from 30 metres to make it 10-0 to Ilkley.

A poor kick from Piper was returned with interest by Ilkley’s Ryan Cooper, but from the counter-attack, the Bradford side won a penalty and a resultant line-out in the Ilkley 22.

A poor throw by the visitors led to a mistimed tap from an Ilkley hand back to fresh air and the visitors’ man of the match, No 8 Richard Piper, made the most of it, touching down for his side’s first try.

Cousin Mike Piper’s kick was well off target, but Cleck were back in the game at 10-5.

Ten minutes of ping-pong saw no further score, but when Mackenzie was carded for sealing off at a ruck, the visitors attempted to capitalise, but to no avail.

A textbook flowing move got the ball to Johnson on the left wing and having made 20 metres, there was Morgan on hand to take the inside pass to touch down just before half-time. Rowntree’s kick made it 17-5 as the whistle blew.

The second half started with the visitors gaining the upper hand for the first five minutes.

There was nearly a try in the corner for visitor Josh Hall after a great pick-up off his toes, but referee Karl Gibson penalised the centre for a double movement.

With Mackenzie’s return, Ilkley got back into gear and the pressure told as Richard Piper was carded.

Josh Kimber’s kick took the Ilkley pack to the opposition ten-metre line and, from the driving maul, James Spencer was held up over the line. Ilkley duly won their scrum and just after Johnson went close, the ball was recycled well for Nick Carolan to go over, Rowntree adding the extras for 24-5.

With Johnson in rampaging form and with Ben Magee on at full back, the Ilkley faithful did not have long to wait for the bonus-point try that the team deserved.

Ilkley’s attack stretched the Cleckheaton defence and out sped the ball for centre Steve Nolson to accelerate through a very inviting gap. Rowntree’s fourth successful kick put the game out of reach for the visitors at 31-5.

Curiously though, this was to be Ilkley’s last score, and the last 20 minutes were not comfortable ones.

Skipper Kimber limped off with what looked like a dead leg, and Luke Spauls replaced Jon Hutchinson.

The disruption seemed to lead to lapses in concentration and the defensive game-plan broke down.

A pass in the centre was intercepted, though visiting full back Ronan Evans didn’t have the legs or confidence to capitalise and Magee cleared. The respite was brief though as Richard Piper led from the front and scored from a line-out, the conversion missing.

Ilkley didn’t help themselves by dropping the returned kick-off, allowing Cleckheaton back in the game with a line-out on halfway.

The home backs then strayed offside and Mike Piper rifled a touch kick deep into the home side’s 22.

With Spencer off the field by now, Ilkley’s line looked somewhat shakier and, from the resulting maul, scrum half Jack Bickerdike broke through some less than textbook tackling to score close enough for Mike Piper to slot the goal.

At 31-17 the scoring was over, but Ilkley still contrived to lose two of their own line-outs, one in a promising position. But then they retook control in the last five minutes and finished the match comfortably enough.

This in essence was a very good team performance – two tries from the forwards and two from the backs.

Ilkley can play a 15-man game, with the backs getting stuck in at rucks and mauls and the forwards handling well in the loose and tight.

A flawless kicking display from Rowntree helped the cause enormously too.

The win leaves the Dalesmen in a comfortable position in this very competitive league and the next challenge is in two weeks as the first of two long journeys to the Wirral arrives – against Wirral.

Coach Rhys Morgan can be confident that his side can and will play to his game-plan of the day.

So long as Ilkley weather the early storms of the contest and keep the opposition out, he can be sure that the team will grow into the game and produce the results they all work so hard for,