Pool 3 Ilkley Town 2

Pool’s improved form saw them snatch victory in a thrilling derby encounter. Ilkley, who have gone off the boil in recent weeks, were hoping to get their promotion challenge back on track.

But they suffered another setback as Pool scored twice late in the game to take the points. Ilkley started well with Adam Turner, dispossessing the Pool midfield, striding forward and blasting over the bar.

This set the tone as Ilkley put their opponents under pressure at every opportunity. Richard Schofield, who made a fine first-team debut the previous week, had to go off after only 20 minutes to be replaced by another debutant, Gareth Pickup, who looks like a player who will add real quality to the Ilkley squad.

The first half continued to be more focused on effort and application rather than quality, with neither side creating any chance of note. Two minutes after the break a scramble in the Ilkley penalty area wasn’t dealt with and Neil Ebdon tapped the ball into the net.

From here Ilkley increased the intensity but began to lose their shape as the game became stretched.

This played into Pool's hands as they now had more space to play and became more influential in the game.

It was becoming difficult to see how Ilkley would get back into the game, until the 69th minute when Damien Smith found himself one on one on the left-hand side.

He found half a yard of space and whipped the ball in where Adam Turner got across his man to rocket the ball into the roof of the net.

Within two minutes Ilkley were ahead, when Turner rolled the ball past the Pool goalkeeper after having a penalty appeal rejected.

With less than 20 minutes to go the question was could Ilkley see the game out and win a hard-fought three points. Unfortunately their lead only lasted five minutes.

They failed to press the Pool midfield who picked out a long diagonal pass to the right wing and the cross was turned into his own net by the unfortunate James Hanna.

Five minutes later things went from bad to worse as Ilkley fell behind after good work from the Pool front two, Matthew Doran applied the finishing touch.

Ilkley were punished for failing to be compact which would have made it difficult for their opponents. Instead, they allowed the game to become stretched giving Pool space and the opportunity.

As a result Ilkley were punished on a day they could and really should have closed the game out. This is a skill they need to learn if they are to win on difficult away days on a consistent basis.

Sam Dexter was Town’s man of the match and had an outstanding game while two-goal Turner performed well and debutant Gareth Pickup showed some great promise.