Bradford Salem 14

Ilkley 43

On an afternoon better suited to cricket Ilkley got their new campaign off to a satisfying start. Old rivals Salem were now one league below Ilkley and as such Ilkley would have been disappointed with anything but a comprehensive victory.

That's precisely what they served up. Salem looked to have the size advantage but including the evergreens Andy Dalton and Neil Klenk plus one or two other veterans they were no match for Ilkley's superior fitness and skill levels. Credit is due to the coaching team of John Atkinson and Richard Midgeley for that. It was also noted that the touchline team was enhanced by new physio Louise Gentry.

The opening salvos were just about equal with Salem running hard at the Ilkley defence more than once, but this Ilkley defence is hard to break. Ian Moffatt was called on twice to make excellent tackles. Cadman, meantime was probing with gentle grubber kicks as well as sending the ball out wide. Wild passing was all that prevented an early Ilkley score.

Centre Nick Bell looked particularly sharp. However it was the renowned Ilkley rumble that was to break the deadlock. A great line-out take and drive set up Stuart Nesbit for the score. Cadman improved to make it 7-0.

The second try was not long in coming, this time young Ian Mackenzie showed the Salem defence a clean pair of heels only to be held up five metres out. Ian Moffatt worked the ball back to Cadman who put prop Martin Hemingway in for a rare try. Hemingway featured well in a number of second and third phases as did his front row colleague Mike Noble.

At 14-0 up Ilkley began to lose a bit of discipline conceding a number of penalties which stronger opposition would have exploited more effectively. At quarter time Ilkley looked comfortable and capable of better.

With 20 minute breaks both sides re-charged batteries. Immediately after the re-start Ilkley allowed the Salem number six the luxury of a ball delivered deep from a penalty on the Ilkley line. He ran through the desperate defence to score and put the Bradford side back in the match.

Then Ilkley regathered. Brendan Kelly made good ground with numerous tacklers hanging on to him. Then the ball was moved out right to wing Mackenzie.

Matt Newberry made a great take in the line, where he and Andrew Pell, making a welcome return to rugby following injury last term, had excellent games in the line-out area. The ball was whipped out to Cadman and Phillip Merkin made good ground before releasing Bell, who came round on the loop, to score.

At 19-7 they could begin to turn the screws. Moffatt showed great tenacity and strength to shake off six tacklers. With the Salem centre and Mackenzie.

This was an altogether satisfactory start for Ilkley but they will have to eliminate the basic errors and the unnecessary penalties in order to compete with their Yorkshire League Two opponents.

l The league season opens on Saturday with a visit to Ripon kick-off 3 pm.

Meanwhile the second XV beat an experienced Harrogate X 10-0. J Gilligan scorer the only try from a hack through and 60 metre chase. Phil Moffatt improved and added a penalty. The whole team performed well. New boy Mike Bryant featured well as did the front row of Boyd, Hutchinson and Matthews. There is plenty of talent in this side to challenge.