Dalesmen Lose Their Way At The Seaside
Scarborough RUFC vs Ilkley RFC, Saturday 26th September 2026, Venue Silver Royd, Scarborough, Scarborough 34pts, Ilkley 27pts
A beautiful day and warm welcome greeted the Dalesmen to this first game of the delayed season. It was Scarborough’s first ever match in Regional One North East having won promotion under the coaching of ex-England star Ben Foden. Having recruited well during the break and going into their centenary season, the wonderful Silver Royd complex was buzzing with excitement and expectation. Their players did not disappoint, though Ilkley ran them close and, if they are honest with themselves, could have had the game sewn up had they not got on the wrong side of referee Mr Matthew Atkinson rather too often in the final quarter.
With an hour on the clock, Ilkley had an eight-point advantage, a result of a wonderful run by Ben Magee and an offload to Tom Reavey, plus Louis Anderson’s extras. The Ilkley's Achilles heel of penalty after penalty infected their game and, after twice attempting to score via the lineout, the Danesmen finally opted for three points in front of goal. Scarborough scented a way back and Ilkley were on the back foot. It was time for calm heads and control. They didn’t materialise.
The first half was pretty much all square with the visitors taking a single point advantage into the changing rooms after a ding-dong forty minutes.
The Dalesmen started like demons. Two penalties were conceded by the Dalesmen and then a yellow card for Ilkley prop Jamie Slator for the third. From the resulting penalty number eight Sam Dawson scored off the back of the lineout and Jack Glansfield added the extras. 7-0. The crowd was in raptures.
The Dalesmen quickly regathered their composure and saw out the ten minutes with 14 men. A bout of handbags produced a penalty and Matty Sheard whipped the ball out from the lineout. Magee wove his way to the line to level the score. 7-7.
Scarborough knew they had to stop Magee and a penalty for a high tackle on him made it 10-7.
Scarborough responded immediately with a great break to put dynamic scrum-half Jordi Wakeham in for a converted try to regain the lead. 14-10.
Scarborough introduced their new recruits to the game and Ilkley responded with theirs, Jayden Masters and Jack Akiono took their places in second row and flanker.
It was Ilkley who prevailed with Harry Taylor going over after a scintillating period of play. 14-15.
Scarborough hit back from (yet another) penalty conceded on their 22, Wakeham going over from close range to make it 19-15.
Ed Finch replaced Slator and Ilkley regained the lead after a superb passage of play with Tom Reavey putting the finishing touches to score an unconverted try to make it 19-20 at the break.
The Morgan/Clithero half-time talk would have been worth a listen and sure enough it produced at least ten minutes of superiority with Toby Cole benefitting from another waspish break from Magee to score under the posts. 19-27.
The last 20 minutes were chaotic with the Dalesmen’s game spattered with enterprise with disastrous outcomes exacerbated by the outbreak of penalties just where and when penalties should not be conceded.
The Dalesmen narrowed the margin with a penalty goal after the second of two high tackles. 22-27.
The enterprise of Anderson with a grubber restart turned potential hero to zero as a dazzling move from the knock-on scrum put Jubilee Soloa for his first try for the club to regain the lead. 29-27.
The final denouement came when Magee broke down the right wing and chipped ahead for a classic Magee spectacular. The ball took an unkind bounce as if magnetised by the massed Scarborough support and, instead of Magee, it was gathered by full back Vytautas Mudingis who returned with interest to win a scrum off a knock-on as Ilkley failed to gather. Several fierce phases off the scrum produced a pick and go for Jake Lyons to put the icing on Scarborough’s centenary cake notwithstanding the conversion went wide. Final score 34-27. Ilkley can’t complain. They could have won it with a bit more discipline but two points on the east coast against a club who are determined to make their mark on this league is not a disaster.
Scunthorpe are the visitors to Stacks Field this Saturday. It could be a bit of a defining day for the season. Kick-off is 3pm.
The newly christened Ilkley Barbarians opened their account in league rugby with a fine win at home against Leeds Corinthians 1st XV. The score, 34-14.
Likewise the Centurions travelled to Wensleydale to play their inaugural league match coming out winners by 77-10.
Both sides bagged 5 league points.
League rugby for all three sides brings some extra jeopardy to Saturdays this season and for those unable to travel to cheer on the Dalesmen at away games, it makes afternoons at Stacks Field a much more interesting place to be, on and off the field.
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