Ilkley 10

Scarborough 16

CONDITIONS were perfect for this Yorkshire Shield quarter-final. Ilkley were entertaining Scarborough from Yorkshire One, a league above Ilkley, so a tough encounter was anticipated and so proved.

The rumoured departure of Marcus Edwards to Sale RFC was unfounded. He has married the president's daughter,so there's commitment for you, and so was in the line-up to face Ilkley.

He is such a pivotal player that he can turn a game and he certainly had a big influence on this one.

Ilkley started very brightly, taking play to Scarborough and testing their defence but 'Boro repelled all attacks and took play back to Ilkley. So the pattern of the game was set, with both sides wanting to run the ball and the large crowd was entertained to a real end to ender.

Nick Bell opened the scoring for Ilkley with a well struck penalty, but Ilkley then seemed to lose the initiative and missed several penalties to touch, which 'Boro ran back, forcing Ilkley into a long period of defence. The home line was held with excellent tackling, scummaging and line-out play with Bell eventually clearing to half-way, but than an Ilkley infringement allowed Edwards to convert a penalty making it 3-3.

Ilkley then broke out from defence and attacked strongly with an excellent run from Ian Moffatt, carried on by Dave Bussell to within two metres of the 'Boro line.

The ball was re-cycled and run through the backs but unfortunately a knock-on brought the attack to an end.

Scarborough continued to probe through Edwards and their wings but Ilkley's tackling remained resolute and as a result there were no further scored before half-time.

Scarborough started the second period strongly and eventually Ilkley conceded a further penalty, which was converted by Edwards. Then came the turning point of the match - Matt Newbury was sin-binned for a line-out infringement and Scarborough exploited their player advantage with R Bell running in a try from half-way, which was converted by Edwards.

Scarborough were now on top and Ilkley had yet again to defend with determination. After 20 minutes they broke out from their own half as a result of good forward driving but they found it hard to break the Scarborough defence.

Then Nick Bell kicked speculatively into the Scarborough 22 and when the usually reliable P Barker missed the ball, Bell following up, took his opportunity and scored under the posts for a try, which he then converted.

From the re-start Ilkley failed to collect the ball and it was whipped out to Edwards who dropped a goal making it 16-10.

Ilkley then had their best period of attacking play, the forwards picking the driving with good ball retention they had Scarborough on the back foot and narrowly missed scoring.

In injury time Ilkley were over the 'Boro line but the ball was held up and a five-metre scrum was awarded to Ilkley but the referee decided not to bother and blew for the end of the match. Ilkley were denied the opportunity to win but had competed very well.

ILKLEY ( at York RI, meet at 12.15 pm): I Moffatt; D Nulty, A Hinchliffe, S Gilbert, B MacDonald; N Bell, C Pring; B Wade, A Merkin, A Johnson, M Newberry, J Widdup, E Jones, C Cudworth, D Bussell. Repl. C Hems, R Downs, B Kelly.

Seconds (for match to be arranged) from: P Moffatt, I MacKenzie, P Merkin, T Smith, C Cooper, B Rowlands, D Duxbury, O Coughlin, P Kavanagh, M Hemmingway, G Hutchinson, M Faulkner, M Noble, D Richardson, M Hargreaves, C MacLoughlin, P Kershaw, BJ Fowler, B Murgatroyd.