Ilkley Youth 5

Colne 1

Coming into the game, Colne were league leaders and keen to gain revenge for an early season defeat by the Guyson sponsored Ilkley Juniors Youth.

Having drawn with championship contenders Waddington last week and against a Youth side missing the world wandering Martin, Hammond and Paul McTigue,

Colne's hopes were high but subsequently blown away as Ilkley Youth cruised to an emphatic victory.

In blustery conditions, Ilkley settled first and in the fifth minute a surging 50 yard run from Antony Beaumont saw him release Andy Bedford who calmly stroked the ball past a stranded goalkeeper to record his first goal for Ilkley Youth.

A confidence building start against a Colne side that sought to use route-one tactics at every opportunity and who battled hard to gain possession throughout the game.

After a 20-minute period of scrappy play with both teams finding it difficult to manage the effect of the swirling wind, Ilkley Youth began to exert sustained pressure with Wheeler and Stewart prominent in wide positions.

Shots by Bedford, Dadd and Rishworth missed the target before an in-swinging corner by Wheeler caused pandemonium in the Colne penalty-area and ace sniffer Stewart was on hand to bundle the ball into goal. Untidy but effective, and followed shortly after by Stewart heading inches wide from a Wheeler cross.

A scare at the other end when Taylor and Dixon were hesitant reminded the Ilkley players of the need to avoid complacency.

Though Colne were combative it was the Youth team that produced better passing movements but a 2-0 half-time lead needed to be defended resiliently with the prospect of playing against a strong wind in the second-half.

Over the past two seasons, the youthful Ilkley defenders Beaumont, Dixon, Houlston and Joe McTigue formed the bedrock of the team's achievements and with the much-improved Peter Taylor behind them they did not allow Colne to create one goal-scoring opportunity in the second-half.

After the game, Colne's manager described the defence as terrific and the best in the league.

Having repelled the expected cavalry charge in the first few minutes of the second-half, Rishworth broke through midfield and his precise pass sent Bedford scampering towards goal before he swerved the ball around the advancing goalkeeper for it to nestle in the far corner of the net and make the score 3-0 to Ilkley.

A poacher's goal for a player who was a prolific scorer in junior football but who had drifted away from the game until resurrecting his interest this season.

Colne's play became more disjointed and robust as Rishworth and Dadd began to take control of midfield and a through ball by the latter sent

Horne through on goal and from a narrow angle he drove the ball low past the goalkeeper for number four.

Minutes later, a 40-yard pass by Houlston sent Stewart racing clear only for his shot to fly over the bar, and Bedford shot wide after Horne pressurised a defender into a mistake.

Tod and Crowther replaced the tiring Dadd and Wheeler, but it was Colne who scored a consolation goal when casual defending in the penalty area saw a

shot poked past Taylor from six yards. However, this minor irritation was

eradicated when substitute Campbell won possession and sent Horne racing into the penalty area and around the goalkeeper. Horne's composed

finish bisected two defenders and sealed a comprehensive victory for Ilkley Youth and increased his scoring tally to sixteen league goals.

This win puts Ilkley Youth back to the top of Craven League Division Three and the Man-of-the-Match was awarded to David Stewart. Goalkeeper Peter Taylor handled well and made many positive decisions in the second-half, and midfielders Rishworth and Dadd began to display better form as the game progressed.

Bedford and Wheeler showed they are learning to cope with senior football but the foundation for victory was set by the reliable and well-organised defence, in which Beaumont was outstanding.

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