Harrogate Railway 2

Ilkley AFC 0

THIS was always going to be a tough fixture for Ilkley against a very organised side and a well established football club. A draw for Stuart Forrest and his Ilkley side would have been a fair result. However, a dubious penalty awarded by the linesman changed the whole complexion of this game 15 minutes from time.

Both sides made this an entertaining game. Good passing football was on show throughout. A couple of chances fell to Ilkley, Paul Chapman and Richard Giles seeing their shots well saved.

The contest was deadlocked until the 75th minute when David Taylor came in and made a tackle on the Railway striker. The toe of Taylor poked the ball away. However, it was the linesman who awarded a penalty that Railway converted.

Ilkley, forced to chase the game, were close through James Sayers, but it was not to be and Railway sealed victory close to time.

Ilkley AFC 3

Otley T Res 0

ILKLEY AFC took maximum points from Otley when they entertained them in a Harrogate Premier League encounter last Saturday. Skipper Richard Giles gave his side the lead while the in-form Alan Stockdale bagged a brace.

The first chance of the afternoon fell to Otley when in the 10th minute a searching cross beat the Ilkley defence only for the visitor's striker to head over the bar, with 'keeper Andy Williams rooted. It was a glorious opportunity spurned and a wake-up call for the Ilkley defenders.

They responded and knuckled down to their task, denying the visitors time and space. In midfield Jono Hughes returned to the side to partner Giles and the two were now ruling the roost. Both played intelligent football, spreading play and threading lovely balls behind the Otley defence that Paul Braithwaite, making his runs down the right, thrived on.

The breakthrough came on the half-hour mark when Richard Giles rose in a packed penalty area to flick on a Taylor cross delivered from down the right.

Otley looked a little taken aback by this and never really got back into the game. Apart from a brief spell in the second-half when they enjoyed the majority of possession, but without testing Ilkley 'keeper Andy Williams, Ilkley had by then taken a two-goal lead. Hughes fed Giles who in turn slotted a neat ball through for Braithwaite to latch on to. His cross was met at the back door by Stockdale and he made no mistake from close range.

The second-half was a closely fought affair. Otley were trying to improve on the first-half efforts while Ilkley sat back, at times content to sit on a two-goal advantage. An early half chance for Otley was not taken but had it been this game could easly have turned in their favour.

Otley forced a succession of corners that the Ilkley 'keeper Williams took well. A pleasing feeling for all defenders Marsh, Bloom, Taylor and Forrest being no exception. These four had reasonably good games.

Down the other end Hughes missed a sight of goal. His shot was a tired one, then Stockdale made a good piece of running to get into the Otley penalty area. The easiest of cut backs never came for Giles who was in a prime place to hammer the ball home.

Otley continued to battle right to the end, again forcing a couple of corners that Ilkley had to deal with before going down the other end and forcing a corner of their own. Braithwaite whipped it in and Stockdale dived to head the ball home.

l This Saturday Ilkley AFC entertain Bedale Town in a first round Premier Division Cup-tie. Players meet at Ilkley Cricket Club, 2.15pm, with a 3.00pm kick-off on Denton Road.

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