Knottingley 17, Ilkley 19

It took a full house from Anthony Cadman to secure the two points in this tense tussle at Knottingley. A try, a drop goal, three penalties and one conversion made up the 19 points that maintained Ilkley's top four slot in Yorkshire Division Two.

With two minutes to go Cadman slotted over his third attempt in as many minutes to make it 19-17. Even then Ilkley allowed Knottingley kicking ace Rockett one last shot at goal. Thankfully he missed and Ilkley squeezed home.

It had been four full weeks since Ilkley had a competitive game and they were tested to the full by this rejuvenated Knottingley outfit.

One or two flashes of inspiration but mainly a dour, intense tussle which was probably enjoyed far more by the players than the spectators.

Referee Stuart Metcalfe played a large part in the outcome as he awarded penalties liberally throughout the game to both sides. Ilkley's front row dominance was curtailed early on as Mike Leeson was adjudged to be 'off limits' in two scrums. Having been warned, he could not exert his usual powerful and scrupulously fair scrummagiing technique to its full. On the other side of the scrum young Fred Matthews was finding it difficult to keep his footing.

Whether the pitch was narrow or just appeared to be because of the surroundings Ilkley seemed unable to get their back line into action as effectively as usual.

Ilkley took the lead after 15 minutes with a penalty but the scores were soon level after Ilkley were caught off-side at a ruck as Knottingley mounted their first real attack.

Ilkley were looking the more likely side with veteran Chris Pring sniping and the back row of Nick Brook, Charlie Cudworth and Ian Mackenzie taking the ball on close in. Dermott Foley and Matt Newberry were tying up good line ball, big John Hutchinson was putting in some powerful runs but the ball simply did not flow down the back line as it should.

Ilkley were again penalised for a very dubious off-side as the referee seemed to respond to crowd pressure and Rockett obliged from the ten metre line.

At 6-3 down Ilkley needed points and this time were on the receiving end of two penalties in eminently kickable positions. Both were turned down in favour of enterprise and the try.

Both were well defended by Knottingley whose clearances throughout were superb, Paul Sutcliffe having a great game at full back.

Then Ilkley's game came alight for a few minutes as Simon Smith burst through the whole Knottingley midfield to be tackled five metres out. Knottingley cleared to touch but Ilkley, unusually, lost the line. Knottingley went back into Ilkey territory only to concede another penalty.

The clearance kick missed touch and the blues attacked again. A scrum found both Ilkley back row men offside. Rockett stepped up to make it 9-3. With two minutes to half-time Ilkley had to score now.

A scrum following the kick-off was won. Pring found Cadman who missed one and found Smith, Smith kept the move going forward and found Brendan Kelley.

He cut inside to find Cadman in support and the long-awaited try was scored and converted. Cadman completed the repertoire with a beautifully taken drop goal on the stroke of half-time.

A score of 13-9 in Ilkley's favour at half time was a fair reflection but had those two kickable penalties been taken it would have been a different story.

Two minutes into the second period Knottingley had reduced the arrears to one point with another Rockett penalty and for a while the Ilkley game plan was in tatters. Nothing went right.

The referee was beginning to get to the forwards, although there was nothing one sided about his decision making.

After a Nulty foray Ilkley won a line-out and this time Knottingley were caught off-side. Skipper Nick Bell called Cadman forward for the kick and he duly obliged to edge his side four points clear at 16-12.

Then Knottingley came back with a bang. First Hutchinson was penalised for holding on. Nicky Howe was guilty of a missed touch clearance and Ilkley were really under the cosh.

Foley was penalised for collapsing a maul and still Knottingley came forward. Wade took the law into his own hands coming in at the side with an arm flaying and saw yellow.

Referee Metcalfe seemed to have made up his mind the South Yorkshiremen were going to score and sure enough he awarded a try as a pile of bodies went over though the ball could not possibly have been visible.

Rockett failed with his conversion but Knottingley were one precious point ahead at 17-16.

With 15 minutes still to go the tension built to unbearable levels. The rugby did not improve but the intensity did. Penalty after penalty followed.

Ilkley pressure built. With six minutes to go Cadman got his first opportunity to put Ilkley back in front, and again with four minutes remaining, before he finally succeeded making it 19-17 to Ilkley.

Cudworth fielded the kick off, was pulled down with a high tackle and referee Metcalfe's hand went up, not for the tackle but for a stamp by Ilkley. Rockett's kick was just wide and Ilkley came home with two precious points.

This leaves Ilkley fourthwith a match in hand and the race for second place hotting up. This week they entertain Heath at Stacks Field. Kick-off 2.15pm.