Bridlington 21

Ilkley 13

Ilkley had controlled this game until five minutes before half-time. A cool, calm and collected first-half display had given the Dalesmen a 10-6 half-time lead. More of the same was all that was required to pull off a win at high flyers Bridlington.

Unfortunately they emerged the other side of the interval a shadow of their first half selves and were soon in arrears to a try following a rumble at a line-out given away as a result of a penalty offence. That took the score to 13-10 and to make matters worse skipper and front row rock, Mike Leeson was forced to leave the field with a knee injury.

But credit where credit is due, they fought back and were unlucky to be stopped short in a final quarter revival.

Ilkley opened the game well. After a speculative attempt by Brid at a drop goal Ilkley drove on towards the Brid line with BJ Fowler setting the ball up for a Charlie Cudworth charge. He was felled with a high tackle and Leighton Parsons calmly slotted the penalty, 3-0 to the visitors.

Brid came back and were held up just short as Ilkley cleverly stole the ball in close. Ilkley again attacked but this time Brid stole turnover ball and Ilkley surrendered a penalty on their ten metre line. Jamie Muru slotted his first goal attempt to level matters. Again more determined Ilkley play followed from good line-out ball. Ilkley have really smartened up their line-out work this season.

Another penalty offence, this time for holding on allowed Muru to slot his second from almost the same place as his first to put his side 6-3 up.

Mid-way through the first-half the question was would Ilkley buckle? Not this Ilkley side.

The Dalesmen lifted their game and controlled the next 15 minutes with some great forward play and just the odd glimmer of enterprise in the backs.

Parsons had a penalty come back off the post before more Ilkley forward pressure allowed Fowler to set the ball for Barley to release Parsons. He had Nick Bell cutting inside and charging through three tacklers to touch down for a well-deserved try. Parsons improved to make it 10-6. Another penalty kick for a late tackle on Parsons was wide from an eminently kickable position.

Ilkley then had to survive a Brid onslaught for the remaining five minutes of the half. It was Ilkley nervousness that made mistakes happen and lead to penalties being conceded. Brid missed with a penalty shot and the Dalesmen managed to scramble three or four attacking possibilities away from the danger area.

Mike Noble replaced the gallant Fred Matthews up front for the d and from the whistle Brid looked as though they had really been fired up. Conversely Ilkley looked shell-shocked and uninspired. They were rolled over for a breathless ten minute period. The line held for six of those minutes but, after Tim Barley found himself in trouble on his 22, Brid stroked a penalty kick into touch five metres out, despite some debate about whether it actually went touch in goal.

The Brid rumble from the line-out proved irresistible and, despite the ball not being visible, referee Mr Truman gave the try. Muru added the conversion and Ilkley were on the back foot 13- 0 down.

Leeson left the field and Matthews was readmitted. Happily the scrum appeared to steady now and Ilkley held their own in this department for the rest of the game.

Ilkley went further behind after more big Brid pressure saw successive penalties conceded. Muru was within range with the second and made no mistake.

Again Ilkley's line came under pressure with full back Phil Moffatt having to pick up and go to ground with some loose ball. Another Brid rumble was stopped on the line.

Tony Greig, who had played a big game, was replaced for young Rhodri Jones to make his debut. Now it was Ilkley's turn to take the game back to Brid. First Parsons reduced the arrears to 13-16 with a penalty as Brid were caught off-side and just a tad heavy in the tackle on Bell, who took a while to recover.

Some more great forward play took the ball to within sniffing distance of Brid's line before a marginal knock forward frustrated the attack. It has to be said that good Ilkley possession was squandered with some fairly indifferent kicking which failed to take advantage of the strong crosswind.

Ilkley did not look like responding again as the final 15 minutes saw them defending well against increasing pressure from all departments of Brid's strike force. Centre Tinsley was held up five metres out and a knock-on saved the day but a couple of minutes later he was in possession again and this time found the inch of space he needed to squeeze through for a thoroughly deserved try. That was the final scoring act. Ian Moffatt replaced Parsons, but there was scant reward for gallant but vain attempts to run the ball from deep.

Coach Midgely must now restore spirits and morale, and physio Mike Bryant has some urgent repair work to do for this weeks' visit of Goole, who have yet to record their first win in the league, to Stacks Field. Kick-off is 3 pm.