Dalesmen lose their composure, discipline and the match

The Dalesmen appeared to be holding on comfortably to a 13-7 lead with just five minutes to play when new signing Neil Spence was yellow carded for an offence spotted by South Yorkshire referee Mr Lindsay.

The dismissal seemed to trigger a loss of discipline and concentration through the Ilkley ranks.

Penalty after penalty was conceded with Heath going for the try and goal to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Finally the Dalesmen’s resolve snapped and Heath’s Hetherington, innocuous for most the day, looped round the onrushing defence to score.

With their goal kicking game out of sorts Heath’s hearts were in their mouths for the kick but the conversion flew safely over to spark delirious celebrations for the home side and utter desolation for the visitors.

Ilkley definitely started as underdogs having lost 32-19 in the home fixture earlier in the season. But it didn’t look like that for much of a match, played wholly under Heath’s new and excellent floodlights.

An unforced error, an alarmingly easily won scrum and a break by Heath’s big centre Moana through a non-existent Ilkley defence put Heath 7-0 up in no time.

A few more hairy moments followed when Heath looked as though they could have a field day, but gradually the Dalesmen eased back into the game.

The scrummaging became altogether more solid and soon it was the Heath scrum that began to creak, being turned seemingly at will.

Ilkley’s front row of big Jon Hutchinson, John Oakes and the wily Leon Treco is a formidable unit.

Kris Stafford and Pete Small and Hamish Pratt were tying up most of their own line-out ball, the only weakness here was the odd throw off line.

The two flankers Iain MacKenzie and Spence were outstanding once again in the loose with the whole pack making hard yards with driving mauls.

Outside the pack Kirk Arundale and Phil Howell worked well. Howell’s kicking out of hand was exceptional playing both the wind, the touchline and some vast spaces on this remarkably good Heath pitch with aplomb.

Centres Simon Smith and skipper Stuart Vincent had a relatively quiet day in attack but were solid in defence, once the opening try had been exorcised.

Wingers Richard Greenfield and Tom Maclean were solid in both attack and defence, Maclean weaving a superb line to slip an inside ball to Pratt to secure the equalising try 25 minutes into the first half.

Peter Shanks at full back had a mixed day at the office bagging two superb second half penalties to edge his men into a thoroughly deserved 13-7 lead.

He had missed two long-range efforts by a whisker in the dying moments of the first half and another difficult one earlier. Heath had had just one attempt that also missed.

So the Dalesmen went into the second period looking to build on their excellent first half performance with the scores level at 7-7.

For 35 minutes they went about their business almost untroubled with Heath’s handling and loose play letting them down whenever the Dalesmen did cough up ball.

Shanks took full advantage of two penalties one from the ten metre line and one slightly easier on the 22 to establish a 13- 7 lead.

Inevitably Heath had to lift their game and, with six minutes to go a sliding kick forced Ilkley to touchdown for a 22 drop out.

Heath returned the long drop kick to touch on the left. Ilkley’s line-out was won but then the shrill whistle of Mr Lindsay pierced the night sky like a laser into the heart.

Spence saw yellow and the mist descended in the form of panic in the ranks. The Dalesmen held out, albeit conceding three penalties.

On the fourth Heath knocked on but again Mr Lindsay ruled offside. How? one wondered when they had been lined up correctly on their own try line.

Another short one. Hetherington looped round. The try was scored. Heath’s Hallett delivered the final indignity by coolly slotting the conversion.

Three valuable league points had slipped through the Dalesmen's fingers.

This week sees Dinnington visit Stacks Field for what will be a key battle between two teams in dersperate need of points near the foot of Yorkshire Division One.