ILKLEY Head of Rugby Rhys Morgan believes his side will be in a good place if they could pick up a win in one of their next two fixtures against Macclesfield or Blackburn.

The Dalesman gained their first win in nine league games by beating Carlisle 32-29 at Stacks Field, although they still remain at the bottom of the North Premier table.

Their second victory of the season should provide them with great motivation as they aim to start a winning run which would help them battle the drop.

Ilkley will need to be at their best if they are to beat fourth-placed Macclesfield this weekend though, despite only edging their first encounter 32-25, the North West side have recorded 10 wins in their 14 fixtures so far this campaign.

Morgan, whose team will also take on Blackburn the weekend after, is confident that a successful result in either game would place them in a great position to fight relegation.

He said: "We have got two tough games coming up Macclesfield and Blackburn, who smashed us in the first game (64-7), but if we can pick up a win, it would be brilliant.

"I am not getting carried away we have only won two games it is not like here comes the great escape we have got a long way to go.

"We are thin but if the boys come in with the same intensity we have got half a chance.

"Our problem is that we have five or six out of that starting pack who are not going to be available through injury (against Macclesfield).

"We do have some other guys who are going to help us though, Nathan Hyde and Ed King are going to be back.

"We may lose five but we are replacing them with players who are capable of getting a result.

"When we played Macclesfield at home we gave them a close run and a scare and I think we are stronger this time out."

Against Carlisle, Ilkley were not only playing for the valuable points but for former president Sir David Jones who passed away last month.

Both sets of players held a minute silence in memory of the club legend and Morgan thinks it was suitable that the result came in this match

He said: "Sir David has been there while I have and one of his favourite speeches was the one way to win an audience is to announce a free bar, he has always looked after the lads in that respect.

"He will be sadly missed, it was very fitting that the win came on this occasion."

ROWAN NEWMAN