ILKLEY secured consecutive victories with a gritty display at Doncaster Phoenix on Saturday, as the visitors eventually ran out 18-10 winners.

Notwithstanding the Dalesmen have a decent record in South Yorkshire and, with Phoenix needing to get their season back on track after topping the table for a two-week period, there was a bit of needle in the air.

The first ten minutes were indicative of the whole of the first half. Ilkley knocked on at a promising lineout and Phoenix did the same.

However, the visitors remained calm under pressure and from a scrum won inside their half, Charlie Morgan planted a superb 50/20 to 15 metres out. From the lineout Phoenix were penalised for pulling down and Morgan got the first points on the board. 3-0.

The unfortunate Ilkley skipper Joe Lowes succumbed to what looked like a nasty hand injury and Max Jones replaced him.

More assured Ilkley defence was required to keep Phoenix at bay, mainly by forcing them into mistakes.

From a defensive scrum, Ilkley forced a lineout inside the Phoenix half, but a misguided throw gave the initiative back to Phoenix. Remarkably ILKLEY won a scrum penalty. Morgan slotted the goal from distance. 6-0.

The Dalesmen’s tails were up, and chances began to open for the visitors; Jordan Cummins getting through a mountain of strong work on the right.

The hosts then scrambled clear with a kick to midfield. It was a gift to Ben Magee who gathered, made hard yards and chipped delicately over the defence. He regathered the ball and made more hard yards before passing to Keiran Wilyman to charge in under the posts. Morgan added the extras. 13-0 with six minutes left of the half.

After a series of home-side attacks, they eventually forced a scrum penalty and Sam Brooke gladly took the three points. 13-3 at the interval.

After the break, the first five minutes belonged to the visitors. Phoenix kicked long and dead. From a scrum won in the home half Ilkley were pressing on the 22 with a lineout. Through several phases across the park right and then left speedster Ben Walker was on the charge with just that square foot of space he needs. He was felled short but not held and recovered to barge over for a great try. Morgan was just offline with his conversion attempt. 18-3.

From the restart Phoenix came out of the blocks like demons at last paying heed to Kenworthy’s exhortations.

Ilkley were rattled. They escaped twice mainly through their opponents’ mistakes, but then Phoenix’s Brooke returned the 50/20 compliment of the first half with a beauty of their own to five metres out. From the drive off a well won lineout they rumbled over for replacement prop the mighty Quin Leggot to score. Brooke added the extras. 18-10 with just over a quarter to go.

Alex Powell who had taken a knock and Charlie Head were replaced by Peter Erskine and Rob Sigsworth returned. Ilkley deployed their chaos approach to the game exacerbated now by a scrum under severe pressure. Phoenix joined in the game of chaos but failed to take advantage of any opportunities it presented, actually churning up a scrum penalty to the grateful Dalesmen.

As the frustration grew in the home side, the visitors settled again winning a lineout on the Phoenix 22 and battering at their line through a good dozen phases.

Following that, all hell broke loose. Referee Tom Hurdley required all his experience and diplomacy to calm everyone down. Yellow cards were handed out to the offender Newall and Ilkley’s Max Jones.

Play resumed with an Ilkley penalty. Phoenix had one more look at the the visitors’ try line, but another fantastic Morgan 50/20 put the cap on proceedings. A final eminently kickable penalty was eschewed in favour of touch and ending this rather unspectacular encounter with a good away win for Ilkley.

The Dalesmen have a rest weekend this time around.