Ilkley officials insist they are in no rush to appoint an assistant coach.

The club advertised for one at the start of the season when Neil Spence departed.

But with no suitable candidates so far emerging, they are happy to bide their time.

With the Dalesmen currently third in Yorkshire One they are keen to make sure they get the best possible candidate to assist head coach Rhys Morgan.

Currently senior players like Iain McKenzie, Ollie Renton and skipper Stuart Vincent provide help with training.

The club’s rugby operations manager Tom Gillon said yesterday: “The important thing is making the right appointment at the right time.

“We don’t want to rush things and choose somebody for the sake of it.

“They have to have the right experience and Rhys Morgan has to be comfortable that the new man is one he can work with.”

He added: “The response so far has not been that great and so the search goes on.

“We are happy with how things are going and the results the team are achieving, but we know in the long term that it will beneficial for Rhys to have an assistant to share the workload.”

Ilkley will be looking to bounce back from the 32-27 defeat at Pontefract when they entertain York on Saturday.

They are hoping that the experienced back row duo of Renton and Nathan Bland will be available to return to the side.

Skipper Vincent is also nearing full fitness again after a hamstring injury.