West Park 21 Ilkley 13

This was a hugely disappointing result for Ilkley. With a bit of luck they could have shaded this re-match with local rivals West Park. The mauling at Stacks Field was still fresh in the memory and last week's poor showing against Leos even fresher.

Ilkley's team included Phil Moffatt at full-back and Fred Matthews starting at prop with Nick Brook at No 8.

Referee Tony Bird had travelled up from London to a dark, foggy and raw-cold West Yorkshire welcome. He must have wondered if The Sycamores was actually the dark side of the moon. However he had a generally flawless afternoon contributing well to what turned out to be an exciting game of rugby.

That Ilkley were near the bottom and Park at the top of the table was certainly not obvious. If anything set the two sides apart, it was the space and time that fly-half Ingram and centre Stevens engineered for themselves when they did eventually get some ball.

The Ilkley pack, who took the honours up front once again, starved Park of the ball for much of the first-half. They maintained possession well and drove at Park time and time again.

After a torrid start young Fred Matthews got to grips with his task and the front row held up well throughout the game. Tim Barley looked sharp and contributed well to the Ilkley forward effort with a number of breaks off the back both set and loose play. He also got his backs in action far more than Park did in the first-half.

Anthony Cadman was able to probe the Park defences with some excellent kicking and to get the ball away to his backs. Once again Ilkley centres Andy Hinchliffe and Nick Bell found space at a premium and were unable to punch holes in the solid Park defence. It was the miss moves which served Ilkley best, both Brendan Kelley and particularly Dan Nulty found themselves able to make good ground.

It was Nulty who got Ilkley's try in the first-half. He rounded his opposite wing and chipped over the full-back to race in and score deep into the goal area.

That try put the black and reds in front 7-5 cancelling a Park try scored after ten minutes by flanker Paul Minns.

Park had opened brightly and a surging run from Graham Chadwick saw the ball whipped across field for Richard Monkhouse to dive over but he was adjudged to have hit the flag first. Rob Wilyman and Craig Hardy had both been held short prior to this.

The referee remained stoically impartial and Ilkley were soon rewarded with a penalty for a high tackle on Hinchliffe which Cadman kicked to make it 10-5.

Right on the stroke of half-time came the killer blow for Park. From yet another Ilkley forward drive Park forced a knock on. The scrum was secured. Ingram cleared with a mighty boot over the heads of the Ilkley backs deep into their 22. Kelley was back to pick up.

A gentle tap into touch would have brought the half-time whistle. Kelley is not a safety first player, instinctively he ran back at the oncoming Park only to be swallowed up by the rampaging Park back row.

The ball fell loose and it was whipped out wide left through several pairs of hands with Mark Weston and Paul Minns driving in and they released Mark Storey who went serenely in for the try. Monkhouse made a great kick from out wide to give his side a barely deserved half-time lead at 12-10.

Park did have more of the ball and more of the game in the second period and whilst Ilkley could, and probably should, have had more to show for their solid forward performance one more penalty goal was their only reward. A couple more were just off target.

Park were more fortunate. Their pressure started to tell and three penalties were awarded which Monkhouse was successful in kicking.

In the gathering gloom Ilkley showed guts and determination and went close to scoring from some searching Cadman kicks. Unfortunately for Ilkley the bounce was against them and Park escaped with 22 drop outs.

Nulty had a couple of forays stopped short before he succumbed to a very hard tackle. He was replaced by Phil Merkin. Christopher Hems had replaced Craig McCloughlin and Ray Dennis was on for Fred Matthews.

In almost impossible visibility the game came to a ferocious end with Ilkley's forwards pressing yet again. Park were the victors by 21-13.

This was not to be Ilkley's day but it was a much better performance and, with a few games against the mid-table sides to come at Stacks Field in the New Year, they can look forward with a good degree of optimism.

The all-conquering Ilkley second fifteen march on, having given West Park's second string a 70 point thrashing. Justin Hewitt bagged 30 points on his own account.

l Ilkley's league fixture with Malton and Norton on Saturday is postponed because the East Yorkshire outfit have a cup fixture. A friendly is to be arranged.

On Saturday West Park visit local rivals Old Leos and will need to be at their best to continue their run at the top of Yorkshire Two.