Dalesmen play all the right notes
Ilkley RFC vs Sandal RUFC, 10th October 2026, Venue: Stacks Field, Ilkley, Ilkley 51pts, Sandal 21pts
Following a welcome wet week in drought stricken Yorkshire there was some doubt whether the firm ground of last week at Stacks Field would be affected. However Bobby Simms, Ilkley’s long serving groundsman, declared before the off that he couldn’t get a spade in and the going remained good to firm.
That set the scene for a stellar display by the home side with Charles Morgan winning his 100th cap and Ben Magee orchestrating what was a spectacular first half.
It was the percussion section that set the Ilkley try-fest going. A penalty produced a lineout close in to the Sandal line. The rumble, revitalised and deployed to good effect this term, was deployed for Ollie Ham to score wide out after 4 minutes. 5-0.
Photos courtesy of Peter & Cecile Clark at Ruggerpix. View the full album here.
There was almost a repeat performance but solid Sandal defence nullified Ilkley’s 4 phases and finally a penalty goal was scant reward. 8-0.
Alfie Henson replaced debutant Cameron Briggs after just 12 minutes.
But the orchestra played on with 2 penalties and a yellow card conceded by a shell-shocked Sandal side. From the second penalty the percussion section again drove over for Ham’s brace. 15-0.
The excellent Tom Reavey, dominant in the lineout and lightning quick across the park, made a great turnover to win the ball for Magee to weave a passage through a befuddled defence and put Louis Anderson in for the third try. 22-0.
Referee Mr Adam Robson then required the attention of the physios having taken a knock but thankfully he was able to resume his excellent officiating.
Ilkley had another penalty and another chance to drive over but once again Sandal’s defenders held firm and they cleared their line.
Ilkley responded with more slick rugby through 3 phases to put Billy Nicholls in for another try for the percussionists. 29-0 after only 25 minutes.
A brief moment of relief for Sandal came after the Dalesmen conceded two penalties in short succession but Sandal couldn’t control their lineout and gifted possession back to the seemingly unstoppable Magee. He broke down the left to give Toby Cole a clear sight of the line from 50 metres. 34-0.
The final sonata was a Magee special. Weaving his way through gaps that the mere mortal couldn’t see, he set Matty Sheard up for the sixth try of the half to make it 41-0.
Mr Robson saw fit to blow for half time as an outbreak of handbags threatened to detract some of the finesse from a near perfect concerto. It was surely one of the Dalesmens’ best displays of recent times.
The interval interrupted the ebb and flow of the game and Sandal had clearly made their minds up not to go down without a fight. And so it was.
Morgan added to the mood music with a delicate chip for Magee to score. 46-0.
Then with several changes during the half and the game surely in the violin case Ilkley seemed to take their eye off the ball and foot off the piano pedal.
A yellow card and subsequent penalty gave Sandal the try they dearly wanted. Lock Richard Carr going over from close range, Mihali Joannou converting.
Ilkley’s line came under increasing pressure and their excellent defence was put under some stress aided and abetted by Sandal dropping a surefire try on the line and then knocking on close in with their next sortie.
From the 5 metre scrum Ilkley were away again and from 15 metres out Sheard dinked the ball into the corner. Sandal failed to gather and Anderson swooped for his brace ( to add to 5 conversions and one penalty goal). 51 -7. 15 minutes to play.
Those fifteen minutes were all Sandal as the Dalesmen played all the right notes but mainly in the wrong order. A succession of poor passes, missed tackles, penalties and a held up under the posts gave Sandal just a sniff of a 4 try bonus point. They were allowed two more tries for Matthew Hallett and Harry Jukes both converted by Joannou and were probably relieved to get back in the changing room with 21 points on the board.
Ilkley (2 wins from 3, 12 points) move up to third in the table and are in good shape to take on the long trip to second placed Alnwick (3 wins from 3, 14 points) this week.
Both the Barbarians and the Centurions found themselves up against tough opposition 1st XV’s in this their first season in the league system. It was the first time Whitby had ever played at Stacks Field.
Barbarians lost to Beverley 1st XV 47-14 at Beverley.
(Who will forget the underdogs Ilkley beating Beverley in their pomp 11-10 at Stacks Field?)
Centurions lost 51-7 to Whitby 1st XV at Stacks Field
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