Brighouse Old Boys 3 Ilkley Town 0

ILKLEY travelled to Brighouse Old Boys from the West Yorkshire League Premier Division in the second round of the West Riding County Cup.

Both teams were competitive from the start with Ilkley trying to play flowing football and their opposition happy to play diagonal balls to their speedy winger.

For the first 40 minutes there was no visible difference between the two sides and you would have been hard pressed to pick out the premier team.

At this point that little bit of quality and quick decision making demonstrated the difference as the Brighouse left back hit a perfect diagonal switch to the right winger.

Before Ilkley could adjust, the winger had brought the ball down, beaten Dave Hancock on his inside and curled the ball into the far corner beyond James Hirst.

It was at this stage that Ilkley began to panic slightly and lose their shape. Just before half-time Brighouse doubled their lead.

The Brighouse right winger was given too much time and space to deliver to the back post, fortunately the cross was overhit and the left winger picked it up. He tried to go past Ben Dexter before firing low past James Hirst.

Ilkley felt that Dexter had been held back but the referee disagreed with their claims.

Half time provided the opportunity for Ilkley to re-group and re-organise and attempt to find a way back into the game.

For the first ten minutes Ilkley once again competed and then a poor pass, a mis-control and Brighouse regained the ball.

The Brighouse midfielder drove forward and lobbed Hirst.

At this point it would have been easy for Ilkley to implode and concede more but they demonstrated resolve and kept working and trying to play for the remainder of the match.

Ilkley are home on Saturday to in-form Stanley.