REVENGE was sweet for National Three North new boys Ilkley when they tamed champions Sheffield Tigers on Saturday.

Their 28-27 victory erased the bitter memory of their 65-0 thrashing on the opening day of the season which was their first defeat at Stacks Field for more than two years.

It was therefore fitting that Ilkley's triumph in the last match of the campaign ended the Tigers' unbeaten home record.

"You couldn't have scripted it better," said a delighted head of rugby Rhys Morgan. "It was a great performance by the lads and underlined the tremendous progress we have made this season.

"I must confess that I feared we were in for another beating when we went 12-0 down early in the game, but the team dug in and hit back to win with some fine rugby.

"What please me most was the generous warmth of the Sheffield Tigers players and officials. They were fulsome in their praise and even clapped us as the coach left the ground. That was real class."

Morgan's thoughts will soon be turning to next season but first he faces one of his toughest decisions of the season, choosing the player of the year.

"There are so many candidates in what has been a tremendous effort by everybody. It is going to be really tough narrowing it down to one for next Friday's dinner."

Two players who wont be at Stacks Field next season are captain Josh Kimber and second row James Spencer.

Kimber is going to Australia while Spencer is retiring. "They have both done tremendously well for the club and I have told them both that I hope to see them back here in the future.

"Perhaps we might be able to twist Spencer's arm to play the off game if we are short, while we hope Kimber will come back to us when he eventually returns to this country. We always work hard to keep

our old players in the fold."