Norsemen get revenge as they weather late Ilkley storm

Two good field positions were turned over. Four passes within the sight of the line were knocked on, two were delivered forward.

Add to that a couple of Ilkley drives off good line-out ball that were thwarted at the last, two throws which were adjudged not straight and finally a determined Scarborough defence and you have a mix that gave the visitors the feeling that they could extend their recent run of five victories since they were beaten by the Dalesmen in February.

Two penalties enabled Scarbor-ough to force a line-out in the Ilkley 22.

It was half won by Ilkley but bobbled kindly for the visitors who managed to attack down the short side and scored a try in the corner. Mattie Jones saw his conversion attempt sail wide.

There was now more urgency to the Dalesmens’ play whikle the visitors were showing more fluency.

Ilkley skipper Stuart Vincent, looking far more at home in the full back position, was beginning to carve holes in the Scarborough defence from deep but his passes found men who were quickly halted by an increasingly effective defence.

Still Ilkley looked as though they could score on a number of occasions but failed to get to the try line.

Scarborough too looked more and more dangerous and a sign of their growing confidence was a penalty taken quickly from in front of goal when a kick would have had Ilkley chasing two scores.

The attack was repelled and a few minutes later Phil Howell stroked over a penalty goal ogoal at the other end to reduce the half-time deficit tio two points.

The penalty count at half-time was 10 to Ilkley and only three to Scarborough.

Additionally the Norsemen’s fly half had been yellow carded for repeated offending but Ilkley had failed to take advantage of their numerical advantage.

The second half was full of end to end stuff with the Dalesmen creating and wasting numerous good positions.

A drive to the Scarborough line from a line-out 15 metres out looked to have produced a try but the referee ruled that the ball was held up.

Makeshift second-row Phil Hammill, a prop by trade, was injured in the foray. Ryan Grange replaced him.

Scarborough responded well, pushing the Ilkley attacking scrum off the ball in a momentary lapse of concentration. The Dalesmen’s chance was gone.

Stewart began to use wide raking kicks down both wings forcing the home defenders onto the back foot Their terrier like back row were up quickly to force several good opportunities. Another drive from a line-out resulted in a second try and a seven-point lead for the visitors.

Ilkley picked up the tempo in doing so. Vincent again was prominent in attack but the defence was rock solid.

Finally, with ten minutes to go, Ilkley produced their play of the match to give young Grange, shortly to go tour to South Africa with the Yorkshire Terriers, his first try for the senior side.

Howell could not convert but there were now just two points in it with ten minutes to go and a genuine glimmer of hope.

The Dalesmen threw everything at Scarborough but couldn’t find a way through their solid defence.

Ilkley were awarded three penalties.

One was in a good position on the 22-metre line, but Howell’s attempt at a match-winning kick drifted wide.

Scarborough jump above Ilkley in the table as a result of their win but Ilkley overtake York courtesy of the losing bonus point picked up for finishing within seven points of the winning side.

Ilkley now have three games left, at home to probable league winners Malton and Norton on April 16, at home to strugglers Dinnington who currently fill the second relegation slot on April 23 and away at North Ribblesdale on April 30.

The nervous wait goes on for the Dalesmen supporters.

Ilkley’s problem is that they now don’t have a league game for three weeks and they still don’t know their Yorkshire Shield semi-final opponents.