Gutsy Ilkley Effort Falls Short Against Heath

A gutsy performance by a much depleted Ilkley squad unfortunately wasn’t enough to prevent league leaders Heath notching yet another win, making it ten out of ten in this season’s campaign.

Furthermore, the West Vale side has added finesse to its attack, so it’s not just grunt and shunt any more, the side is strong from 1 to 15.

Ilkley started well and were 3 nil up after 10 minutes, courtesy of a Harry Smith penalty, but the lead was short-lived as the Heath pack started to exert control. Looking dangerous with every move, the Ilkley defence was stretched to the limit and unsurprisingly, three tries were conceded in the next ten minutes via right-wing Joe Morrison, hooker Alex McFadden and left wing Jake Haynes. The evergreen Chris Johnson kicked two conversions.

With conditions deteriorating by the minute, Ilkley did a great job in preventing the home side from scoring again, even managing  a score of their own when Harry Taylor intercepted on the half-way line. Being chased every yard of the way by his opposite man, the touchdown in the corner made the conversion attempt difficult, but Matty Sheard judged his kick to perfection and it was 19-10.

With fifteen minutes of the half still to go, Ilkley did a sterling job in preventing any further score and as the whistle went, there was just a glimmer of hope as the teams retired to dry out and warm up.

Heath had other ideas though and when Ilkley knocked on from the kick off, Number Eight Tom Clough picked up at the base of the scrum and battered his way over, Johnson kicking the extras. Five minutes later, replacement forward Olly Cook scored another, again converted and Ilkley were on the ropes.

The weather had turned from bad to filthy now and on came the floodlights. The Heath pack were winning penalty after penalty and when a delicate chip from scrum-half Sam Cox was caught on the full by Haynes, over he went for his second in the corner.

Handling had become even more difficult and a stray pass in the Ilkley backs was hacked through by centre Ezra Hinchcliffe to touch down for Heath’s seventh try. Johnson’s conversion made it 45-10 with ten minutes to go.

Showing great spirit, Ilkley didn’t lie down. Indeed, those last ten minutes belonged to the visitors and although they were not able to add to their score, neither did their hosts.

All credit then to those players who stepped up for this most difficult of fixtures. The Heath crowd and players were generous in their praise of the effort put in and J-H Johnson was judged to be Ilkley’s man of the match.

Next Saturday sees the half-way stage of the season with third placed Alnwick visiting Stack’s Field. A win then will move the Dalesmen up at least one place, but it’s going to be tough.

Image Courtesy of Bev Clough Photography