Bronte....................2

Ilkley Youth........1

A disappointing performance and result for the Guyson sponsored league leaders Ilkley Juniors Youth against second-placed Bronte. Over the past three weeks, Ilkley have played four games against teams that were in contention for the championship and this was the first defeat.

The previous performances have shown commitment, resolve and good team play but some measure of these ingredients was sadly missing against Bronte.

Throughout the 90 minutes neither side fashioned a goal-scoring opportunity and neither goalkeeper had to make a significant save. Both sides showed tension in their play and it was Ilkley Youth who held territorial dominance in the first half, with Stewart, Beaumont and Martin combining well on the right side. Houlston and Joe McTigue defended well against battling forwards but the dependable Dixon was unusually subdued and Tim McTigue found it hard to adjust to the pace of the game in the first-half.

Stewart fired wide from a narrow angle, and Martin and Rishworth just failed to force the ball home in a goalmouth scramble before Ilkley Youth gifted Bronte the lead. Receiving the ball from Rishworth in a deep central position, Dixon inexplicably delayed passing and was caught in possession by Maude who rounded 'keeper Taylor to push the ball into an empty goal.

A harsh lesson for a young defender who has had an outstanding season and earned several man-of-the-match-awards, and a lesson in finishing for the Ilkley forwards. Slightly against the run of play, this goal galvanised a belligerent yet increasingly argumentative Bronte team.

The second-half followed the pattern of the first with both teams struggling to gain control and consequently cancelling each other out. Stewart remained a constant danger for Ilkley as did Maude for Bronte but the final ball was often misguided or supporting players not in position.

Martin foraged well for Ilkley, but Wheeler and Bedford were unable to offer much support, having one of those days when the game was passing them by.

However, Tim McTigue was becoming more involved alongside the hard-working Rishworth, and it was McTigue who equalised for Ilkley on the hour. A Wheeler corner was headed clear only for McTigue to volley the ball in Scholes-style past the despairing dive of the goalkeeper from 25 yards. A stunning goal, which raised the Ilkley spirit and seemed to push the game towards the almost inevitable draw.

Almost but not quite, for two minutes later Ilkley gifted Bronte yet another goal (the fourth in two matches between the clubs), when a Bronte free-kick from within the centre-circle drifted with more hope than judgement towards the penalty-area and was destined for the arms of goalkeeper Taylor.

However, hesitation by the 'keeper resulted in the merest of headed deflections looping over him and into the empty goal as he was stranded in no-man's -land. Clearly disappointed, the young goalkeeper must learn the value of wanting to make things happen rather than hoping they will.

Spurred on by captain Rishworth, who saw a left-foot strike drift wide, and with substitutes McMahon and Dadd replacing Bedford and McTigue for tactical reasons, Ilkley searched for the equaliser. Stewart saw two crosses elude Ilkley forwards before his point-blank header from McTigue's cross was directed straight at the Bronte goalkeeper.

This was to prove Ilkley's last chance and the five-point lead at the top of the table was reduced to three, with six games to play

. David Stewart gained the man-of-the-match award for a typically adventurous display, and Mark Houlston, Richard Martin and Joe McTigue produced creditable performances.

l On Saturday, Ilkley Youth travel to play Waddington (KO 2.30pm).

Bradley....................1

Ilkley Youth..............1

A battling performance against a robust team on a postage-stamp pitch produced a valuable away point for the Guyson sponsored Ilkley Youth team on Wednesday evening.

Lying fourth in the league and having inflicted Ilkley'sbiggest defeat of the season in a recent cup game, Bradley were destined to provide difficult opposition for a Youth side missing the influential Keith and Beaumont.

Nik Stone made his first start of the season and the Youth team reverted to a 4-3-3 formation to combat the minuscule pitch dimensions. With Bedford, Campbell and Martin foraging well, Ilkley Youth had chances to take the lead but were thwarted by goalkeeper Cox. After parrying Wheeler's free-kick he saved at the feet of Martin, then turned away another shot by Bedford but could only watch as a McTigue cross-shot hit the inside of the post and bounced to safety.

Tragedy struck midway through the first-half as Campbell became the second Ilkley Youth player to suffer a dislocated knee after a rugged tackle from behind. McMahon substituted for the unfortunate Campbell, whose season is now over just as earlier victim Simon Selvon is returning to the fray.

With Campbell hobbling to the dressing room, a Wheeler corner evaded Dixon and found its way to Stewart at the far-post and he tapped it in to give Ilkley a deserved half-time lead.

The score remained the same until the final ten-minutes of the game when yet another long-throw to the front post was unfortunately palmed into goal by goalkeeper Taylor in his attempt to capture the ball amidst a bevy of players at the front-post.

Ilkley Youth still fashioned three more chances to score with a Bedford free-kick being tipped over by Cox, before both McMahon and Martin missed one-on-one chances after avoiding the offside trap. Houlston and Rishworth epitomised Ilkley Youth's resolve with strong and composed displays, and Martin gained the man-of-the-match award ahead of Bedford who showed an improved willingness to engage in physical challenges.

A positive result against a team not averse to playing first-teamers and who have proved a bogey-side over the past two seasons. Nine points out of a possible ten has given Ilkley Youth a late season boost in the race to the Division 3 championship.

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