Trojans 0

Ilkley 1

The heady days of December were a distant memory as Trojans began the New Year with an abject performance against struggling neighbours Ilkley.

For Ilkley however it was a superb start to the New Year as their youthful team showed how little the differences are between Harrogate Premier League teams.

With three of the top five in County Cup action it was a chance for Trojans to steal a march on their rivals but it was the visitors whose determination and urgency gave the impression that they were the team chasing honours.

As ever in derby matches, the form book and the league table go out of the window and this was no exception as workmanlike Ilkley, not yet free from relegation worries at the wrong end of the Premier Division inflicted Trojans' first home defeat of the season.

The home side started brightly enough with both Phil Constantine and Chris Connolly spurning good early chances as the visitors showed hesitancy in defence.

Firstly Paul Chapman and Connolly combined to send Constantine clear and his fierce drive was turned behind by young 'keeper Peter Taylor and then Connolly took advantage of a slip by Andy Bloom and sent his cross shot wide when he might have expected to hit the target.

Critically Trojans failed to capitalise on their early domination and allowed the visitors to settle and find a rhythm.

As the game settled, it was Ilkley who maintained better possession and sought to move the ball into the grassier wide positions. With Giles and Trimnell shackling Hughes and Quaife in midfield, and Stockdale proving a handful for Burley defenders, Ilkley pushed forward and Wilson, Keith and Stockdale all had shots saved by Hargreaves.

It was a game that was always likely to be decided by either a piece of brilliance or a mistake and as it was, the only goal, midway through the first-half was a complete freak.

In probably Ilkley's first concerted attack Alan Stockdale posed problems for the home defence and the ball was only cleared to Jon Keith on the edge of the area.

His speculative shot hit a post and rebounded against the head of 'keeper Chris Hargreaves and into the net.

Ilkley stood back and braced themselves for the expected onslaught but strangely it never materialised. Connolly drilled in a free-kick which Taylor tipped over and then Nick Quaife was off target as he stretched to connect with a loose ball.

Ilkey almost doubled the lead when Stockdale rose to head David Taylor's cross inches over the bar, and the same player twisted past Dibb but sent his shot straight at Hargreaves.

A half-time roasting from the normally placid Chris Worts failed to inspire the home side and their second-half performance continued to frustrate the sizeable crowd.

Trojans looked heavy legged in midfield and punchless up front where Connolly, suffering from flu, was a shadow of his normal self.

The introduction of Hoyle for the tiring Trimnell coincided with the move of the game by Ilkley. Playing the ball across the back-line and into Stockdale's feet, it was his lay-off that allowed Keith to play Hoyle into space and his side-footed shot was brilliantly finger-tipped for a corner by Hargreaves.

l On Saturday, Ilkley face a stern test away to Pateley Bridge (kick-off 2pm).