llkley 11, Keighley 10

That Yorkshire League One is going to be a tight battle was truly emphasised in this match between local rivals Keighley.

The fixture doubled as a league and Yorkshire Shield tie so victory for the home side was especially satisfying.

It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t full of free-flowing rugby but what it lacked in finesse it had in commitment, aggression and ferocity in generous portions.

Add to that the unique sight of the grass bank opposite the grandstand full of spectators with the good-natured banter typical of local derbies and there was a recipe for a gripping game of rugby.

Both stand-offs exchanged penalty goals in the first ten minutes, Andy Brown putting the visitors ahead and Phil Howell replying for the Dalesmen.

Ilkley then went ahead when Howell fed a beautifully weighted pass to Simon Smith who cut through a flat-footed Keighley defence, apparently waiting for the whistle to blow.

Skipper Stuart Vincent came through on his inside and fed Christian Baines who crashed over for a well-deserved try. The conversion went wide but the Dalesmen had established an 8-3 lead.

Keighley replied with a ten minute onslaught on the Ilkley line which was repelled by magnificent defence. The visitors didn’t help their cause with a couple of handling errors at key moments.

Once again the Dalesmen’s scrum had the edge with the Keighley pack going backwards or round through 90 degrees.

Inexplicably however they managed to lose three strikes against the head. The Ilkley line-out too was working well with Hamish Pratt, Pete Small and Dan Wright setting up great driving opportunities. Equally inexplicable was the propensity to lose promising ball in attacking positions.

The Keighley tight five proved to be an efficient wrecking crew as they snuffed out the Dalesmen’s most potent form of attack, Dave Lister and Tom Lowther being exceptional at this dark art.

The next hour saw both sides slug it out with defences and their own frailties preventing any scoring opportunities being taken.

Mel Tate, the referee for this derby, clearly feared a potential powder keg which required him to take firm control.

He was onto every offence like a stinging bee. Whilst preventing any flare ups, it did make the game very stop start.

Yellow cards were issued to Simon Smith for the second of two hard but seemingly fair tackles. A swinging arm could have been a plausible interpretation. Slim Sinfield had received similar punishment a couple of minutes earlier for dropping the scrum.

Having missed a sitter, Howell put the Dalesmen eight points ahead when he slotted a good long-range penalty after Keighley had pulled down a promising Ilkley drive from a line-out.

He then went on to miss again after Ilkley were awarded a penalty on halfway then had it moved 20 metres forward for two doses of dissent from the visitors.

The penalties should really have put the Dalesmen out of sight but instead gave Keighley a renewed energy to fight back in the final 15 minutes.

They came at Ilkley with every last sinew. The Dalesmen were unsettled. Tackles began to be missed, penalties were conceded and possession surrendered. Ilkley must work on the last quarter of their game.

The seemingly inevitable try was scored to set up a tense, finish. It came from the irrepressible Tom Lowther and was beautifully converted by Brown.

There was now a solitary point in it with ten minutes to go.

The unfortunate Brown had three attempts at snatching the lead with penalty kicks all of which were on target but just out of his range.

Gratefully, the Dalesmen managed to get play back into Keighley half for the final phases of the match.

Kirk Arundel got a yellow card for a block on the Keighley winger but Ilkley held on by their finger tips to bag four league points and a place in the second round of the Shield