Ilkley Under-10s in keen tussle with Maccabi

On a frosty morning Ilkley Under-10s A were unlucky in their opening encounter losing by the narrowest of margins.

Callum Bettison, captaining the team for the first time, had a solid game and was unlucky not to get a hand to Maccabi's only goal.

Joe Thompson did not let a bandaged knee slow him down as he worked tirelessly to get the ball to William Knox and Sam Needham in midfield and David Eastwood adapted well to a defensive role. Ilkley piled on the pressure in the second-half, taking advantage of the slight downhill slope of the small pitch.

Dominic Roebuck grew in confidence and produced a couple of strong forward runs and Anthony Mitchell showed quick feet on a number of breaks but still Ilkley failed to find the net.

Final flurries from Sam Needham, William Knox and Mitchell brought Ilkley closer and closer to the elusive equaliser but with Bettison preventing any further Maccabi success the whistle came too soon.

Despite the result the boys should once

again be pleased with fantastic team spirit and unselfish work for each other.

Man-of-the-Match was Callum Bettison.

MACCABI B.0 ILKLEY U-10s A..2

They did it again! Defeat in their opening contest merely filled the Ilkley boys with more determination and this display of great passing football, produced the points they so deserved.

Ilkley were full of running from the start, William Knox encouraging his team mates and Joe Thompson clearly focussed on getting on the score sheet. He was not to disappoint.Following tricky passing from Eastwood, Mitchell and Needham, Sam Needham enticed a free-kick from the Maccabi defence. With cool concentration Joe Thompson stepped up to take the kick and, as his team mates made themselves busy in the Maccabi area, Joe picked his spot and hit the ball into the top corner.

The second-half saw Ilkley build on their lead and grow in confidence. Dominic Roebuck was very solid in the defence with great support from David

Eastwood, who resisted any temptation to revert to his normal attacking role. Sam Needham continued to give Maccabi headaches with his forward running, linking up well with Anthony Mitchell with some quick one-twos. Meanwhile Callum Bettison produced another clean sheet in goal defying a number of one-on-one opportunities for the home team.

It looked certain that Ilkley's second was on the cards, Anthony Mitchell getting behind the defence on a corner, only to have William Knox's accurate cross glance off the back of his head and Sam Needham beating the defence but just pushing his final effort wide.

However, it was William Knox who had Ilkley's final word with yet another strong solo run, almost the full length of the pitch, hammering the ball home for 2-0.

A great reward for a real team performance with Joe Thompson picking up a well deserved Man-of-the-Match award for a great individual effort and team contribution.

Maccabi..1 Ilkley U-10s B...3

On a small pitch that ensured that the action moved from end to end, Ilkley ran out comfortable winners.

Ilkley applied the early pressure with Chris O'Connor unlucky not to convert Stephen Loy's cross but Chris soon made amends to put Ilkley 1-0 up after being played through by Paul Kehoe.

However, Ilkley were still celebrating when the home team replied to equalise.

At half-time, the lively Stephen Bunn came on for William Normington. Ilkley began the second-half where they left off at half-time, applying the pressure to the home goal, although Ilkley's second goal had some fortune to it as Bunn's cross shot went in off a defender as the Ilkley attack closed in.

Again Maccabi fought back well, and Ilkley had 'keeper Mike Lader to thank for two excellent saves to keep them in the game.

Ilkley's midfield of Stephen Loy, Michael Rathmell and Paul Kehoe gradually regained control and the home defence was put under constant pressure.

Stephen Bunn and man-of-the-match Chris O'Connor came close to adding to the score before Bunn latched on to a loose ball from a corner to score Ilkley's third.

Maccabi A.5 Ilkley U-10s B..2

Ilkley conceded too much possession in a match where they found themselves under almost continual pressure. Although only 1-0 down at half-time, Ilkley had rarely been in the opposition half, and 'keeper Mike Lader made more than one important save.

Despite conceding four in the second-half, Ilkley actually played with more aggression. Man-of-the-Match Michael Rathmell fought strongly in midfield, and set up Stephen Bunn whose shot went narrowly over the bar.

Maccabi replied quickly and, although Stephen Loy cleared off the line, Ilkley were too slow to recover and the rebound was netted by the home team.

Again 'keeper Mike Lader produced some good saves to keep the score down, but eventually the pressure told and Ilkley conceded another two goals in quick succession.

With the match rapidly drifting away from Ilkley they suddenly started to compete more strongly and, following a strong run out of defence by William Normington his shot could only be parried by the 'keeper and Chris O'Connor tapped in the rebound.

After conceding an unfortunate fifth, Ilkley continued their mini-revival, and, with time running out, Stephen Loy drove in a strong left foot shot to score and pull the final deficit back to 5-2.