Old Brodleians 17 Ilkley 13

lkley will be annoyed with themselves for losing this match.

Over the 80 minutes, they were marginally the better side, certainly in the backs, but like the first half against Selby the week before, they could not turn pressure into points.

Once again too many penalties were conceded – 13 against 6 – and too many unforced errors led to a 17-13 loss and whilst Ilkley outscored their opposition by two tries to one, Danny Wood’s four penalties for the home side ultimately made the difference.

His first two came after Ilkley strayed offside twice and the third when referee David Linsey penalised Ryan Cooper for feeding, then reacted to some Ilkley lip by marching the visitors back a further 10 metres and into Wood’s range. Ilkley had yet to score at that point.

Ilkley opened their account following a line-out 30 metres out.

Stand off Josh Kimber chipped the ball through, only for young Brods full-back Dominic Geogiou to misfield and knock the ball straight into the grateful arms of the onrushing JH Johnson, who touched down seemingly close enough to make the conversion a formality.

This was however not to be, Johnson slicing his kick left.

From the restart, Ilkley again went on the attack and when Kimber found touch deep into Brods’ 22, the home side were penalised under the posts for offside and this time, Johnson obliged, bringing the score to 9-8.

The lively Johnson nearly put Ilkley into the lead, when Stu Brewer’s pass found him in space, but a second or two were lost when he looked to give an inside pass to Cooper, who was then collared, allowing Brods to clear their line well into the Ilkley half.

Then from a line-out, Ilkley were penalised yet again and Wood kicked his fourth and last goal, making the score 12-8 at half-time. The first 15 minutes of the second half belonged to Ilkley. Paul Petchey went close after a great run, with Brods clearing to five metres and then from the line-out, Ilkley’s maul fell over the line, but were adjudged to have lost the ball in doing so.

Then it was the hosts’ turn to show a bit of sparkle for ten minutes and this passage of play did end in points when left-wing Matty Hoyle finished off a good sequence of play with a try in the corner to make it 17-8.

Brods kept up the pressure, with skipper Luke Grimshaw leading by example, but Ilkley were gradually getting back into the match and won a line-out three metres out.

Unfortunately the ball was knocked on and Brods cleared again.

Tom Collard replaced Cooper and Gus Ramsey took over from Charlie Davy, but some poor decision-making all round meant Ilkley failed to capitalise on their periods of supremacy.

Then Brods were penalised in the middle of the pitch for a scrummaging offence and Collard’s quick penalty caught Brods off guard.

A feed to Vincent at speed and then on to Brewer produced a try.

Johnson was unfortunately off target with the conversion attempt.

A serious-looking injury to Brods’ wing Kristian Sharples held the game up for a good ten minutes, but when it resumed Kimber made a beautiful break from an Ilkley scrum. Unfortunately the support was too late arriving.

A final penalty against Collard for feeding put an end to Ilkley’s hopes and from the scrum, the Brods forwards tucked the ball up their jumpers until the final whistle.

Brods won this match because they kicked their goals, taking every opportunity that Ilkley presented.

Perhaps Johnson, Petchey or Kimber might have scored if they had kept their individual charges on but losing three of their own line-outs in very threatening positions proved cata- strophic for Ilkley, as indeed was the penalty count against.

This week sees the visit of lowly Pontefract and if coach Rhys Morgan can instil just a bit more discipline in this side, form would indicate a home win.