Ilkley RUFC
Dalesmen dim Northern lights
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| Dan Wright whose work was both crucial and superb (Picture: John Waite Photography) |
Northern 24
Ilkley 28
This was the big one! The highest level encounter ever contested by Ilkley Rugby Club. A winner takes all match to decide who is promoted to North 2.
Northern had had three cracks at this coming off second best each time. It was uncharted waters for Ilkley.
A big Ilkley supporters contingent had made the journey up the A1 to Gosforth to cheer on the Dalesmen, substantially outnumbering Northern supporters.
The weather was set fair with a gusting wind blowing across the pitch giving a slight advantage to Ilkley for the first period. Mercifully the promised rain held off throughout.
There was an air of cautious confidence amongst the travelling support. It was soon to be tested to the full as Northern raced into an early lead courtesy of a stunning try from winger Dave O'Sullivan, converted by full-back Andy Sutherland.
The real test however was on the field. The Dalesmen had to dig deep to hang on in there and deeper still to regain the advantage.
This Northern outfit were clearly one of, if not the best sides the Dalesmen have encountered this long hard season.
Ilkley countered strongly with Anthony Cadman probing Northern defensive lines. A long pass found Liam Frost at blistering pace. Frost's pass to Terence Sibanda was inch perfect. Sibanda did the rest, outpacing the last line of defence to score in the corner.
Continuing the brief good spell for the Dalesmen, Cadman kicked a penalty from a difficult position to give them a short-lived lead, 8-7.
Ilkley again came under pressure and almost conceded again as O'Sullivan was held up on the line. From a short penalty Northern finally battered their way over under the posts to bag a converted try from flanker Ian Pearson to regain the lead at 14-8.
Ilkley had to dig deeper than they ever have before. They did precisely that.
Great Ilkley pressure saw Jack Shaylor, given a 'get involved anywhere' role by coach Robin Kay, combine well with Stuart Vincent first on the left then the right to go close twice.
From a line-out the excellent Dan Wright caught. Ilkley drove and released the ball wide where a high tackle produced a penalty goal for Cadman to stroke over. The arrears were down to three points, 11-14.
Botha returned to the heat of the battle. Ilkley had bagged the initiative getting a score in his absence.
Charlie Cudworth, playing the game of his life, forced Northern to hold on. A penalty goal from in front but 30 metres out was coolly slotted through the uprights by Cadman.
The Dalesmen were back on terms, 14-14.
Now the Ilkley forwards were just beginning to edge matters over a tiring Northern pack. The front row effort of Hutchinson, John Cooksey and Fred Matthews was massive and an important key to unlocking the deadlock.
Dan Wright's work at the front of the line-outs was crucial and superb. Botha, Stuart Brewer and McKenzie had the better of things on the long throws. The driving off line-outs won was immense and won many vital hard yards.
Northern were penalised for crossing from the kick-off. Cadman probed deep to the wing. Ilkley were up quickly, forcing a knock-on. Ilkley's scrum on the Northern ten metre line was well won and taken on by Cudworth.
Perfect re-cycled ball allowed Cadman to find Shaylor. The wily winger tricked and dummied his way past two defenders. As he spun out of the third attempt to tackle him he found that man Vincent with a yard or two of space.
Vincent only needs a couple of inches of space and he was through to score. The reliable boot of Cadman added the two to make it 21-14.
Northern replied with a penalty goal to bring it back to 21-17.
The Newcastle side looked to have found second wind. An attack was stopped short by a thumping Shaylor hit.
Tim Barley was sent on to replace Coughlan whose work for the day had been done, and done well.
Ilkley responded raising their game to even higher levels. Frost went close twice, once after a great recovery by Sibanda had switched play. The second Frost foray was stopped with a double hit. He hit both the ground and the man hard. It was a sad sight to see this prodigious talent led off the field and to hospital where a badly fractured shoulder was diagnosed.
Nick Herron was now called on to fill in on the wing, Shaylor moving in field to partner the hard tackling Jim McBirnie.
Now was the time for the coalface workers to boss the show and with 22 minutes they took control.
An Ilkley line-out was won and driven. A penalty came. Another line-out two metres out received the same treatment. The awesome Stuart Brewer claimed the try. The Dalesmen had a 28-17 cushion courtesy of another Cadman conversion.
It wasn't a comfortable cushion and with the clock ticking down the nerves inevitably set in.
Ilkley were forced on to the back foot, scrambling the ball clear from danger on numerous occasions. The rescue work was done by the forwards who maintained their dominance driving the ball upfield and winning their scrum put-ins. Cadman doing the business with some deft clearance kicks at critical moments.
Mr Tempest then began to find fault with the Dalesmen's scrummaging. Northern seemed to take heart. Ilkley debated and conceded ten metres at a penalty. The penalty was inside Northern's half but with the wind. It inexplicably was kicked dead. Was this the last chance saloon for Northern's courageous men?
It certainly wasn't! Ilkley continued to dominate up front but they just couldn't get back to the Northern line. A Cadman drop goal attempt with the clock approaching 40 minutes was just wide.
Then, just as hearts were beginning to beat a little slower, Ilkley drove another line-out back but knocked on on the Northern 22.
Seemingly inevitably, at the scrum, they conceded a penalty and another ten metres for a second debate on the thorny subject of scrum technique. Northern spun the ball wide and suddenly there was a hole in the Dalesmen's defence.
Clearly O'Sullivan needs no invitation to run through holes and his lines to the try line were superb. Sutherland's excellent kick reduced the arrears to 24-28.
Ilkley had to stonewall for another two minutes of added time before the arms went in the air as Mr Tempest blew for the end of a stunning game of rugby played under the tensest of circumstances. A fantastic victory for an Ilkley team of which the whole town should be proud.
This was team work at its best. All 19 players who pulled on the Ilkley jersey could proudly say they were part of Ilkley Rugby Club's finest hour in league rugby.
Ilkley will now seek further glory when they play the semi-final of the Yorkshire Shield at Old Brodleians on Sunday, kick-off 3.30pm.
10:35am Monday 28th April 2008
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