Ilkley Town 4 Brighouse Old Boys 1

ILKLEY Town overcame the handicap of having two players sent off as they reached the quarter-finals of the West Yorkshire League Cup for the first time.

Goalkeeper Matt Hawkes and Danny Bott received their marching orders but goals from Adam Fowler (2), Lee Spires and Adam Davey sealed a comfortable win.

Ilkley were gifted the lead after just eight minutes when a defensive error put Fowler one on one with the keeper. The striker made no mistake as he

curled the ball off the outside of his boot into the bottom corner.

Town doubled their lead after 20 minutes. Lee Spires' long-range free kick caught the wind and looped over George Clark in the Brighouse goal.

Brighouse quickly pulled one back from a corner, the ball bobbling through the six-yard box to Luke Hammond was there to tap the ball home.

Ilkley’s nerves were dealt a further blow in the 51st minute when keeper Matt Hawkes was sent off after clattering into Richard Heins on the edge of the penalty area. Harry Higgins was forced to take over in goal.

Just five minutes later Town restored their two-goal lead when Fowler got the final touch in a goalmouth scramble to force the ball over the line.

The game would then turn ugly as Ilkley’s Danny Bott saw red for a sliding tackle on Brighouse’s Danny Williams who retaliated and was also dismissed.

Ilkley continued to look dangerous with just nine men and grabbed a fourth goal in the 68th minute. Davey’s shot from long range caught on the wing and floated over a stranded Clark.

Joint first team manager Greg Beswick said: “It was a great game full of action, but it was a great performance from us. “When you have a game like that with things that come into it which you can’t prepare for like red cards and your keeper getting sent off it brings out the character in the players and I think today they showed they have good character.”

This is the first time in Ilkley’s history that they have reached the league cup quarter-finals.

Ilkley are at home to second-placed Leeds City at Ben Rhydding 2pm on Saturday (2pm).