National League Three North: Ilkley 6 Cleckheaton 12

CLECKHEATON enjoyed a happy start to the new year with a win at Ilkley and four very welcome league points.

Any Christmas excess wasn’t noticeable as both teams worked hard in defence, but Cleckheaton upped the work rate after half-time and dominated possession for most of the half.

The visitors welcomed back Matt Piper, unavailable for over six weeks with a broken wrist, and Ollie Depledge also returned for his first game since sustaining a knee injury in mid-November.

Ilkley got on the scoresheet first when Paul Turner, aggrieved after a push in the back, flew offside at the next maul and, on hearing the referee's whistle, booted the ball back towards 2016.

Cleckheaton were marched ten metres back and Joe Rowntree claimed three points for Ilkley with what was now a much-easier penalty goal.

The visitors responded with vigour, however, with Jack Bickerdike marshalling his troops well and Matt and Richard Piper rumbling the ball forward at every opportunity.

James Wilson was vociferously organising from full back, and man of the match Danny Vento was everywhere as Cleckheaton made steady headway upfield.

A penalty for the visitors gave them a line-out close to Ilkley’s whitewash, and this aspect of Cleckheaton’s play was on top form throughout, with Mark Chivers hitting his target every time and locks Ryan Piercy and Luke Pearson being safe as houses in pulling the ball from mid-air.

Richard Piper went close following the line-out, and Niall Jackson also almost made it over, but Ilkley’s defence held firm.

Bickerdike spread the ball to visiting fly half Neil Chivers, who sent it on its way down the backs, where slick handling put Ronan Evans in at the corner.

The same player teased the crowd by bouncing the ball off the post and the crossbar before it dropped over the sticks to give Cleckheaton a 7-3 lead.

Jack Seddon entered the fray for Brad Marsden and Ben Thrower came on for Jackson as Cleckheaton began to rotate their bench, which they chose to do to the full in this fixture, making good use of their interchange allowance.

Joey Carley also took the field soon afterwards but not long after Seddon came on he had to rest again when he was sin-binned for inadvertently tackling a player who had not quite taken possession of the ball in a dangerous position close to Cleckheaton’s line.

Rowntree added his second penalty and the game hung in the balance at 7-6 to Cleck as the half was brought to a close.

In the second period, Cleckheaton dominated possession, using their superior power to retain the ball for long periods.

Some measured grubber kicks towards the corner from Matt Piper, for Evans and Josh Hall to chase, meant that Ilkley got possession back but with very little option put to put the ball out of play.

This period of the game took place largely in Ilkley’s half but with an explosive full back and dynamic back line, the home side could potentially attack from anywhere.

One such breakout could have brought Ilkley the lead, but for a last-ditch tackle from Wilson.

With less than ten minutes remaining, Depledge refused to be denied and forced his way onto the whitewash for Cleckheaton’s second try.

The conversion was missed and, with only six points in it, the result was far from certain.

A high bomb in the last few seconds of the game from Cleckheaton was taken on the run by Ilkley, who kept the ball alive and took play to within a few metres of Cleck’s line.

The defence of the visitors had been solid all afternoon and remained so until eventually Ilkley knocked on and the final whistle sounded to end the game.