Ilkley AFC..........1

Pool AFC.............5

IN the second semi-final of the Wharfedale FA Airedale International Challenge Cup played at Otley Town last Monday, Pool, after turning round at the interval a goal down to Ilkley, scored twice in the opening three minutes of the second-half and went on to win the tie .

This win at Otley's Town's ground on Monday saw Pool book a place in the final against Horsforth St Margaret's on Thursday, April 27, at the Guiseley AFC ground.

After a day of rain the game was again in doubt but the hard-working committee members of Otley Town gave the go-ahead an hour before the scheduled kick-off time.

Pool had most of the early play but found the Ilkley goalkeeper in inspired form and Ilkley went ahead with a stunning goal by James Hannaford in the 28th minute as he outstripped the Pool defence from just over the halfway line and finished clinically.

In the second-half Pool equalised and then went ahead within three minutes, both goals coming from Carl Wilson.

Shaun Joyce then scored a cracker in the 55th minute to make it 3-1 to Pool.

Ilkley, though, were far from finished and strove very hard to pull a goal back and only sound defending by Ingle, Healey, Willoughby and Studds along with a confident performance from 'keeper Wilkinson kept them at bay.

But in the 76th minute the game was sealed when Shaun Joyce scored his second goal, and then in the last minute substitute Chris Tweedie, with about his first touch, scored with a thunderbolt strike from the right corner of the penalty area.

Ilkley had fought hard and the final score-line was no reflection on their performance.

Pool's match point was shared by Healey and Wilson.

Pool now have two cup finals to look forward to.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.