MATCH REPORT - Ilkley 2nd XV 43 - Wharfedale Development XV 0 There were no doubt a number of sore bodies and sore heads on Sunday following the Dev’s bus trip to table-topping Ilkley this weekend. With a near full-strength squad to choose from hopes were high that the Greens could sneak an away victory for the first time this season; unfortunately such optimism proved to be misplaced as Ilkley extended their unbeaten run to seven league games with a ruthlessly efficient performance. The Devs who were welcoming back both Sam Smith and David Wade to the starting line-up began strongly and in the first ten minutes really took the game to Ilkley. Both Connor Carver and Max Mountain carried the ball strongly, breaking the Ilkley defensive line, and with more support on hand a try could have easily resulted. Ilkley’s first try came very much against the run of play. With Wharfedale on the attack in the Ilkley half their winger chased after his own clearance, which was (somewhat fortuitously) judged to have remained in play, and scooped it up for the first score of the half. A second try followed soon after with the referee failing to spot an obvious knock-on in the build up and suddenly the Green’s were quite undeservedly two scores behind. The next score was going to be all-important and unfortunately it was Ilkley who, profiting from some weak tackling, saw their centre barge his way to the line. The final score of the half arose from some ‘ambitious’ Wharfedale off-loading deep in their own half, meaning Ilkley had a somewhat flattering 24 point lead at half time. The second half saw Ilkley stretch the eventual winning margin with three further tries and despite threatening the Ilkley line on more than one occasion the Greens were unable to force the score that their efforts undoubtedly deserved. To the team’s credit they kept on playing for one another for the full 80 minutes (plus extensive injury time) and left the field perhaps wondering what might have been had the luck gone their way early on. Importantly the day ended on a high with a very enjoyable bus trip back to Skipton with the senior players treating the newer members of the squad to a pint - something some of them seemed to enjoy more than others! Next weekend sees the Dev’s given a rest from league commitments but with three homes games to follow after the break against the Bees, Leodensians and West Park Leeds, it surely will not be long until the team gets back to winning ways.
Posted on: Sun, 03 Nov 2013 19:29:19 +0000
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