ILKLEY Town continued their perfect start to the season after mounting a spirited comeback over a competitive Whitkirk Wanderers side on a wet Saturday afternoon, eventually winning 4-2.

Hosts Ilkley began this West Yorkshire League Premier Division game brightly, dominating possession.

This saw a number of chances, including close range headers for Adam Davey and James Turland, a shot dragged just wide following great skill from Matt Whitehead, as well as a powerful long range effort from Will Giles.

Despite this, the Whitkirk defence remained strong, and Ilkley couldn’t convert any of these chances into goals.

The Baht’atters paid the price for their missed opportunities in the 35th minute, when goalkeeper Tim Edney failed to control an overhit through ball from the visitors, allowing Whitkirk striker Scott Jones to simply tap the ball into the empty net.

Against the run of play, Ilkley headed into half-time a goal behind.

In the 55th minute, Josh McLean doubled Whitkirk’s lead from a close range free kick. Instead of opting to shoot over the wall, he blasted his shot beneath the wall, nestling it into the bottom left corner.

Determined to maintain their winning streak, Ilkley began to pile on the pressure, and this paid dividends in the 60th minute.

Turland beat the defenders to the ball after he found himself on the receiving end of a George Gomersall cross, and he tapped home to give Ilkley a lifeline.

Barely five minutes later, the Baht’atters were on level terms.

Substitute Tom Dover, formerly of Blackburn Rovers' academy, played a perfectly-weighted low cross to Charlie Nixon, who made no mistake as he placed his shot into the bottom right corner.

Ilkley then added a third in quick succession to take the lead, thanks to a top corner strike from Gomersall.

Yet another low cross was played across goal, this time from Alfie Heaton, and Gomersall was in the right place at the right time to smash the ball into the top corner.

At the opposite end, Edney made a good save to prevent an equaliser from Whitkirk striker James Danby.

In the 90th minute, Nixon was brought down by the goalkeeper Paul Diamond inside the box, resulting in a penalty for the hosts.

Gomersall stepped up to take it, and sent the keeper the wrong way, as he tucked his penalty away into the bottom left corner.

With the last kick of the game, Ilkley came close to adding a fifth, when Whitehead almost scored with a flicked effort after receiving a through ball from Dover.

Ilkley remain second in the table on goal difference behind Field, who have also won all of their opening five league games.

BY MATTHEW LAMBE