IT hasn’t been the best of starts to the new year for Ilkley with defeats against two teams they had beaten earlier in the season.

Saturday’s last-gasp 15-13 loss at Firwood Waterloo followed a 12-6 home reverse against Cleckheaton.

What has made the results all the harder to take has been the realisation among the Ilkley squad that they were games they should have won.

As his team head to Kendal for a re-arrange National League Three North clash, head of rugby Rhys Morgan has spoken of his frustration.

“They were two target wins,” he said. “We had opportunities to put both games to bed, but we lacked maturity.

“We have a young side and our inexperience has cost us.

“We are an exciting team but we haven’t had enough of the ball. We have been defending courageously, but that is extremely tiring and it has meant we have often tried to force the play on the limited occasions when we have had possession.”

Morgan wants his side to be smarter and play in the right areas. “I guess we need to mature a bit and be a little wiser in our game management,” he said.

Looking back at the Waterloo match which was lost to a last-minute converted try, he added: “We had chances which we didn’t take and were punished. It is no good pointing the finger at anybody else, we lost the game.”