ILKLEY Town AFC may have to settle for a play-off spot in the North West Counties Football League First Division North this season.

They faced a huge game at title rivals Chadderton on Tuesday night, knowing a win would move them just a point behind their hosts.

But instead the gap is now at seven, after Chadderton claimed a 1-0 victory.

It looks as though the title race will now be between themselves and Pilkington, though Ilkley are still in the frame if they can go on a barnstorming run between now and the end of the season.

Only the league winners will be promoted automatically, with the four-team play-offs looking likely to be made up of any of the current top six, who are the three aforementioned sides, as well as Euxton Villa, Holker Old Boys and FC St Helens.

One of those sides will therefore miss out on a shot at promotion altogether, with Ilkley determined to ensure they are not the unlucky one in that group of half-a-dozen.

They were on the back foot early on on Tuesday night, with Charlie Bell producing a couple of good saves to keep his side level.

But Ilkley grew into the game, having a shot deflected just wide and then seeing a free-kick well saved by home stopper James Oldham.

Chadderton were the ones who took the lead after 33 minutes though, after a superb goal from James Purfield.

He controlled the ball brilliantly in the air, brought it down with his knee, before striking a volley beyond Bell into the bottom corner.

Bell saved well from a Jordan Schofield header just before the break as the score remained at 1-0 going into half-time.

The second half was tight, with few chances, but Ilkley had a bright spell heading into the final 20 minutes.

Oldham had to collect under pressure, while Matthew Swift just failed to test the Chadderton stopper with a long-range strike.

Ilkley then brought on Takuo Jitsukawa for his debut, but the former Eccleshill United man could not help his side to break through.

Chadderton finished strongest, with Kain Dean firing just wide when one-on-one with Bell and Schofield's volley going inches off target.

After the game, Ilkley manager Sam Dexter said: "Chadderton defended well and were clinical in a tight game.

"It was a decent performance from us, but we didn’t create enough chances with the amount of possession we had."