Ilkley 13 Sandal 18

IT was slim pickings again for Ilkley at Stacks Field as they ended up with a losing bonus-point in a game they might well have won.

So it now seven National Three North defeats on the trot and the consensus of the many former players who attended the pre-match lunch was that this was a game they could and should have won.

Results elsewhere meant that the Dalesmen retain their somewhat precarious position in the league, but there’s no doubt that a couple of good, solid wins would do wonders for morale, but of the remaining six games, four are away.

No matter – Ilkley are as good away as they are at home and must surely be targeting Lymm and Stockport, to say nothing of entertaining struggling Doncaster Phoenix and Kendal at home.

Both sides started brightly enough, but it was Ilkley who scored first, when Charles Morgan put over a penalty after Sandal had held on after the tackle.

The young stand-off then pulled another attempt wide when the visitors offended again at the tackle.

Against the run of play at this stage, Sandal scored. Ilkley having pinched a Sandal line-out, kicked the priceless possession away. Sandal’s scrum was disrupted though and the resulting knock-on gave Ilkley the put-in. But then disaster as the ball was spilled and a penalty conceded 30 metre out.

A good Sandal maul led to another penalty and a kick to just ten metres out. The Sandal pack made no mistake and mauled their way over for a try for flanker James Stewart and Greg Wood’s wobbly conversion made it 7-3.

On the ascendency now, Sandal’s pressure led to several Ilkley errors, forced and unforced.

New boy Harry Adams saw yellow after an offence at the breakdown and Wood’s not particularly trusty boot increased his side’s lead to seven points.

Ilkley swarmed back and were looking good with ball in hand, earning a penalty. Referee Ben Chadwick waved on the advantage, but then judged that the Ilkley backs had crossed, giving Morgan the chance to reduce the deficit. The kick drifted agonisingly wide.

Both sides now were making a lot of mistakes, partially down to the stickiness of Stacks Field, but poor passing being the chief culprit.

This was not the case when JH Johnson started a lovely move involving Nathan Smith and Ben Magee, the latter being hauled down close to the line before the supporting Jack Maplesden was on hand to score on the left wing. Morgan’s kick levelled the scores at 10-10.

Sandal’s Wood rifled over another penalty minutes later after a high tackle, but Ilkley responded well, only two poor final passes denying potential scoring opportunities.

As the players retired to the supposed comfort of their dressing rooms at half-time, a modernity not meeting entirely with the many Ilkley ex-players’ approval, there was no doubt that Sandal were eminently beatable.

A great take by Johnson from the kick off promised much, as the winger turned No.8 made 50 metres, but the final pass did not go to hand.

Undeterred, Johnson set up a great position with a deft pass to the onrushing Magee and with Joe Rowntree on for Josh Thorneycroft, the inevitable penalty was stroked over to level the scores at 13-13.

Ilkley were looking good going into the last quarter, which started with the highly unusual award of a penalty for feeding at the scrum against Maplesden, a risible decision by any stretch of the imagination, given the modern interpretation of what is straight.

Both sides then put on a horror show of poor kicking and passing that had both sets of supporters weeping into their beer and with the game heading for a draw, Ilkley were awarded a scrum just inside their own 22.

Having been pretty comfortable all afternoon, the Ilkley pack lost it against the head and after a couple of well-played phases, Sandal full back Tom Coad crashed over in the corner, aided by some flaky defence. Wood finally missed, but his side were ahead at 18-13.

Ilkley’s disappointing season was encapsulated in the final ten minutes when two penalty opportunities were squandered due to a lack of precision.

The Sandal pack then did the proverbial sticking the ball up their jumpers, eating into the time remaining.

A tangible sigh greeted the final whistle and once again, the Dalesmen were left contemplating what might have been. There is no doubt that there is the making of a good side here. Man of the match for Ilkley Johnson had his best game at No8 and there is great promise in young locks Adams and Adam Newman.

A week off now before the daunting trip to Wirral, but a close score earlier in the season means the Dalesmen have nothing to fear accept for a possible lack of self-belief.

They can and should play with confidence and bring back the points.