Dalesmen rock Scarborough with late try (From Ilkley Gazette)

Dalesmen rock Scarborough with late try

12:14pm Thursday 4th October 2012 in Sport

Scarborough 18 Ilkley 20

Ilkley underlined their potential to be serious promotion contenders with a hard-earned win at wild and windy Silver Royd.

For the fifth time this season they scored four tries to collect a bonus point as they recorded their fourth-straight victory. Once again they achieved their win without playing at their best.

Key elements of their game did not function as they would like. Last week it was the scrum, this time it was their goal-kicking that caused the greatest alarm.

Stand off Mike Cachia missed all four conversion attempts. Scarborough are different proposition to Ilkley’s previous opponents Heath who relied heavily on their pack, the seasiders prefer to play with speed and attack wide.

Ilkley who were without skipper Stuart Vincent and Tongan Tuli Makaafi, weathered some early pressure.

Tom Ratcliffe was just off target with a 17th minute penalty for Scarborough. The first points didn’t arrive until the 32nd minute.

A good run by centre Craig Barker resulted in a five- metre scrum from which scrum-half Tom Collard sliced through the Scarbor- ough defence to score wide out. Ratcliffe reduced the lead shortly afterwards with a well-struck penalty.

With the game moving into injury time Ilkley scored again when winger Tom McLean scored in the corner following an incisive move by the backs. Scarborough moved Tom Harrison to fly-half at half-time with Graeme Jeffrey going to full-back and Paul White coming in on the right wing.

The changes paid off within five minutes as centre Ratcliffe burst away down the left wing to score. of would be tacklers behind him to score a fine try. The hosts then went ahead when Ratcliffe gave White a clear run the posts. Ratcliffe’s conversion gave Scarbor- ough a 15-10 lead.

Ilkley responded well to the setback and a fine move between the forwards and backs saw debut-making full back Steve Nolson score in the corner. Scarborough were miffed when Jeffrey had a try disallowed after a powerful run because the referee ruled he had not grounded the ball properly.

It looked like Scarborough might have taken the victory when Ratcliffe slotted over a penalty to put them 18-15 up, but this Ilkley side doesn’t lack character.

Scarborough’s Harrison was yellow carded for a high tackle and Ilkley kicked to the corner.

Their catch and drive was halted but from the following scrum the Ilkley pack drove over the line for stand-in captain Iain McKenzie to claim the winning try.

It put the seal on another satisfactory afternoon.