YORKSHIRE CUP: Ilkley 49, Huddersfield YMCA 13

WHETHER August is too soon to be playing competitive rugby or the Yorkshire Cup is debatable in a heavily-crowded league season.

What is not debatable is that this was a hotly-contested first-round tie with some initial twists and turns before it became an emphatic victory for a young, fit and clearly motivated Dalesmen 15.

What the hosts lacked in first-team experience, they had spirit in spades, imbued by a will to win by coaches Rhys Morgan and Stevie Graham.

Both sides had absentees from their regular squads, due to cricket, other alternative sports, family commitments, weddings and childbirth, but Ilkley had a point to make as fellow National League Three North YMCA had been the last team to inflict a defeat on them at Stacks Field at the end of the 2013-14 season.

The visitors started the stronger, opting three times to kick to the corner rather than have a shot at goal, but Ilkley held out for 20 minutes before lock Steve Burns succumbed to an ankle strain, although he had also twice been penalised and lectured by referee Nick Ramsden.

Then suddenly the siege was lifted, Ben Magee running well out of defence before skipper Josh Kimber was fouled, debutant scrum half Joe Rowntree being long but wide with the penalty attempt.

However, from the resulting 22 drop-out, Josh Cockerham set up the inspirational Kimber to float a wonderful pass out to Elliot Morgan, who shook off at least three tacklers to go under the posts, Rowntree's 22nd-minute conversion being a formality.

The tide had turned, and Paul Petchey was the next to cross after Magee again wove through the visitors' defence for Cockerham and, particularly, Kimber to set up the try, Rowntree again adding the extras.

Kimber set up Morgan from the kick-off, with the latter a combination of footwork and strength to get his second try, Rowntree making it 21-0 with the conversion.

However, Ilkley then lost their momentum a tad, YM eventually breaching the home line, although not before Magee was sin-binned for apparently illegal defensive efforts, and the visitors also added a penalty before half-time.

Heeding some well-chosen words by coach Morgan at the interval, Ilkley responded, with Petchey scoring after Kimber's big up-and-under was spilled and Morgan provided the link.

Rowntree converted for 28-8 and also improved the best try of the day from Petchey, the excellent Will Davies turning over YM possession.

Star centre Adam Ryder crossed for the visitors and Kimber was given a ten-minute break by the referee for entering into a debate.

Ilkley found some late impetus, however, when all seven of their replacements were introduced, Nathan Jones scoring a great try and Rowntree getting one from the halfway line, converting both to complete the scoring.

The result, and the displays of Davies, John Pickersgill and Ed Brownlee was a real boost for the Dalesmen, who are at home on Saturday to title aspirants Sheffield Tigers and need to heed the laws of the game.