Hall Green United 1 Ilkley Town 0

ILKLEY'S West Yorkshire League Premier Division title challenge took a huge blow as they suffered a narrow defeat at struggling Hall Green.

After a bright start, Ilkley thought they had taken the lead through Adam Davey but his goal was ruled out for offside. Danny Bott also sent a curling effort crashing against the bar.

Hall Green quickly made the visitors pay, when Danny Empsall picked out Ryan Barker in the box who turned and fired into the bottom corner.

One ahead, Hall Green sat deep to defend their lead, and the game suffered as a result.

Davey had another goal ruled out for offside in the second-half after latching on to Joe Garside's superb low cross. The unlucky Ilkley forward was denied by the bar in the closing stages.

Hall Green hung on for a vital win in their survival push.

Reflecting on the game, Ilkley manager Simon Armstrong said: "Hall Green were resilient, but you have to expect that coming to tough places like this.

"You have to do the basics right and unfortunately we didn't do that."

Ilkley came into this game off of a resounding 5-0 win over Leeds Medics and Dentists on their new 3G pitch, but Armstrong believed this was not an excuse for his side.

"At Ben Rhydding we also have a very good grass pitch, so for me there isn't a great deal of difference.

"We have to better if we want to dig out results. We had enough possession of the ball to deliver and quite frankly we were short in winning the ball in the air, defensively and in the final third."