ILKLEY was clothed in glorious spring sunshine as their sponsors were entertained to a splendid pre-match lunch as a thank you for their generosity.

On this occasion the pre-match raffle takings in excess of £1,000, usually a welcome boost to club funds, were donated to the DEC Ukraine appeal.

As for the main event, the Dalesmen were anxious to make amends for their 32-20 loss at the seaside when the Seasiders produced what must have been their best display of the season to inflict the third defeat of the season on a much changed Ilkley side.

They were very quickly into their stride with Kristan Dobson making the break to create space for Ollie Pearson to score.

Then it was Dobson again breaking through four tacklers and leaving three chasing shadows as his searing pace took him over for a second Ilkley try.

Scarborough found some joy, however, the ultra reliable Peter Erskine secured yet another lineout and once again the seemingly untouchable Dobson took a great line and scythed through for his second try.

Scarborough lost their influential lock Will Rennard to a head injury. A big loss to an already struggling side.

Dobson and Brook then combined to win a penalty in front but with the bonus point try looming they went for the lineout and drive. Replacement front row Harry Wales clinching the score.

Jack Maplesden took play back into Scarborough’s 22. They infringed to give away a penalty further punished for backchat. A quick tap and out down the line. The ball went loose but Dobson recovered and shrugged of the bemused defenders to bag his hat trick.

A lineout to the back secured by big Tom Dickinson and fed nicely to Lowes who found the looming presence of Dobson to speed over for his fourth and the team’s sixth try.

A rare ILKLEY handling error saw Scarborough take play deep into Dalesmen territory and eventually, after scrum close in they forced their way over to score through scrum half Alex Rowley, Ilkley going in at half-time with a 36-7 lead

Scarborough’s thoughts of staging a revival were well and truly scuppered as they were shown two yellow cards in short succession. The seemingly endless try scoring then resumed.

Erskine made good ground to set up a try for Will Addyman.Wales made a proper winger’s burst to set up a score for Kodie Brook.

Harry Smith showed a great turn of foot to set up a stroll in try for Maplesden.

Scarborough had a couple more forays into Ilkley’s half one of which a chip kick was plucked out the air like a goalkeeper by Brook but there was no way the Dalesmen would let them near their line.

Finally, Dobson completed his outstanding afternoon by bursting through, ignoring his support players to grab his fifth try of the match, a feat only achieved once before in living memory by Paul Petchey some seven or eight years ago.

Final score 64-7, 10 tries and seven conversions from the mainly trusty boot of JH Johnson.

This was a great display against a gutsy but below par Scarborough outfit. Their young side will surely enjoy better experiences than was their lot today.

Ilkley remain stubbornly in second place in the league equal on 86 points with Driffield but, importantly, with a game in hand on the leaders. Next week’s visit to mid-table Malton & Norton is yet another big match as this thrilling season draws to its climax.

Restructure of league system “clarified” by RFU.

The draft proposals for the restructure of the league pyramid was announced by the RFU this week. The intention is to reduce the number of league games by reducing the size of leagues from 14 to 12 clubs and to regionalise the new leagues to reduce the amount of expensive travel involved.

The draft shows how the new leagues would be made up as it stood at the beginning of March. See on picture three.