Ilkley 24 Hudersfield YMCA 34

Ilkley’s league season finished as it had begun, with a loss to Yorkshire One’s second-placed team, having stormed to a 12 point lead.

However, their performance in losing 34-24 was memorable, with a magnificent team effort pushing the promotion hopefuls hard.

Each side scored four tries and it was only the visitors’ winger Gavin Stead’s boot that made the difference, converting all four of YMCA’s tries and adding a couple of penalties in a faultless kicking performance.

With Craig Barker dropping out and Alastair Monks being delayed on a flight home, the Ilkley faithful were surprised to see top try-scorer Iain Mckenzie starting at centre with Ollie Renton moving to No8.

Student Simon Haddard came in for his debut on the right wing.

Ilkley took the game to the YMCA right from the start and came close to a score when Mike Cacchia chipped ahead.

The referee missed the obstruction on Haddard’s chase by scrum-half Damien Clayton, but made amends a moment later for an offside indiscretion which enabled Cacchia to kick for position, five metres from the YMCA line.

A great catch and drive enabled Johnny Vale to emerge from the goalline ball in hand for the first try of the match, unconverted.

Ilkley were unlucky when the referee failed to play advantage, but YMCA’s luck ran out when the Ilkley backs scored a contender for the try of the season, when J-H Johnson and Paul Petchey combined in a great break-out, the latter’s sweet reverse pass allowing Steve Nolson a clear run under the posts. Cacchia’s conversion giving the hosts a 12-0 lead.

YMCA are an aggressive side and came back straight away, forcing Ilkley to concede two penalties. Opting for a scrum at the second, they wheeled it skilfully and scrum-half Clayton was on hand to dot down, Stead adding the extras to bring the score to 12-7.

Further pressure from YMCA’s stand off Ed Barber resulted in a penalty which Stead converted to bring the scores to 12-10.

Ilkley’s Johnson was unlucky to see his delicate chip ahead roll agonisingly over the dead-ball line and the scrum back proved costly, as Stead shrugged off two tackles to put Barber in under the posts. The conversion gave YMCA a 17-12 half-time lead.

Ilkley started the second half well and the Huddersfield pack were in trouble, the host’s rolling maul finally getting into gear. Another great catch and drive enabled Renton to score close enough for Cacchia to slot over the conversion.

Ten minutes later, flanker Nathan Bland, productive all afternoon rescued a loose line-out ball and possession was flashed out to Haddard, via Nolson and Johnson, for a score in the corner. The conversion attempt failed.

At 24-17 the Ilkley crowd had great expectations of a fine victory, but alas, this was not to be. Within minutes, YMCA forced their way over in an Ilkley-like catch and drive from a penalty and line-out. The try was scored by Tom Sharrock and duly converted by the ever-reliable Stead to level the scores.

An uncharacteristic ten minutes of scrappy play followed in this most enthralling of matches, before Ilkley ran the ball from behind their own line to well within the YM half. Unfortunately though, a loose ball was hacked pack into the Ilkley 22 and when Ilkley transgressed at the ruck, Stead calmly put his side 3 points ahead.

Ilkley were unlucky with five minutes remaining when Petchey’s 50 metre run came to nought and YM countered strongly, Barber putting the ever-present Stead in for a try, the conversion being the last play of the match.

So congratulations to Huddersfield YMCA, who finish second, but great credit must also go to Ilkley, who with nothing other than pride to play for, showed they had that pride and played accordingly.

A finish of third in this toughest of leagues is a great testament to the club’s policies of remaining amateur, but providing players with first-class facilities.

They can look forward with confidence.