BOTH Sandal and Ilkley had got their league season off to a shaky start, with the latter only claiming one victory in their opening three games.

The two teams knew a victory at the weekend would be key to turning their early fortunes around.

Sandal kicked off down the slope and it would be a high tackle that resulted in the first score. Sandal went for touch and threw in offline. Two Ilkley scrums were won for Archie Elgood to clear to the 22. This time the lineout was good and prop Holland came at pace to touch down in the corner. Fullback Tom Hodson stroked it over. 7-0.

The Dalesmen hit back immediately. A tip tackle produced a penalty which Charlie Morgan put into the corner from deep. The lineout was secured and a series of phases concluded with Morgan setting up Floris van Oekel on the loop for a score under the posts. Morgan slotted the extras. 7-7.

Another promising Ilkley attack was frustrated as they conceded consecutive penalties, the latter for a high tackle and in front gave Hodson an easy three points. 10-7.

Again, from a promising position when a score looked likely, Ilkley knocked on. Sandal cleared and a cruel bounce of the ball which somehow evaded the attention of the retreating Ilkley defence was picked up by winger Fawcett. A superb counterattack proved unstoppable. A winger’s try in the corner. Ilkley were behind 15-7.

It took a period of gritty defence to keep Sandal out for the ten minutes to half time.

The second half started ominously. Ilkley were penalised for holding on on their 22. Hodson took the gift. 18-7.

Morgan kicked to the Sandal 22. The indomitable Luke Gamble charged down the clearance attempt and a penalty put the Ilkley lineout to 5 metres out. It was won cleanly and followed by three phases inspired and finished with a try by the brilliance of skipper Ben Magee. Morgan converted. 18-14.

Getting close in games like this can be an Achilles heel for the Dalesmen and sure enough, it was. A high tackle on a dipping player gave Sandal a penalty on the Ilkley 22.

The lineout was defended well but, sadly, van Oekel was injured as Sandal spun the free ball out wide. The subsequent lineout was driven, and, with another free ball, they rumbled over to complete their try scoring. With Hodson’s conversion it was 25-14 with twenty minutes to play.

The Dalesmen enjoyed their best period of the match piling the pressure on a Sandal side who ran out of ideas and steam in no little way due to the increased tempo and the visitors’ enterprise, skill level and fitness.

Ilkley went close before conceding for holding on but a Sandal forward pass gave possession back. Magee got to within a couple of metres. Will Marlow sniped and was stopped illegally. Some great rugby was repelled by the solid Sandal defence but again a high tackle penalty set up a fine try scored out wide by Bolland. Morgan was unsuccessful with his conversion attempt. 25-19.

The final quarter of an hour was all Ilkley’s. They pressed and came close but Sandal’s defenders stood strong. The final five minutes saw the Dalesmen camped in the Sandal 22. Gamble, Adam Booth and Jamie Slator battered the line and set up a maul under the posts. Surely a score was coming. But no. A little knock on at the back of the ruck coughed up a scrum.

Back came Ilkley via a lineout on the Sandal 22 followed by two penalties. A scrum was the option for both. Both were won. More pressure on the Sandal line, but the ball went wide and Rob Sigsworth was isolated. Mr Robson’s arm went up as Sandal won 25-19.

This week rejuvenated and strengthened Scunthorpe (36-31 winners over Heath) are the visitors with kick-off at 3 pm.