Ilkley lose to Leos

Leos................30

THIS Yorkshire One game was played in perfect conditions and Leos, who are second in the table, immediately pinned Ilkley in their own half. The defence was sound however and lkley started to exert some pressure through rolling mauls and good driving play.

Leos however looked the more dangerous with a strong back division but it was 25 minutes before they scored a converted try.

A further try was added after an infringeme t by Ilkley and by half-time Ilkley trailed 25-0.

Ilkley started the second-half well and drove Leos back for Andy Merkin to score. Leos stole the ball and progressed upfield to add to their tally but Ilkley again took the game to Leos and some fine driving play resulted in Chris Cooper scoring a try.

A resolute Ilkley defence then held Leos but when Leos took a clear forward pass the Ilkley players stopped and Leos went in under the posts.The score just about reflected the match but what a good second-half Ilkley had. The Ilkley players must take heart from this display and keep working hard to improve collective and individual skills.

Leodiensians..........55

Ilkley A....................3

Ilkley seconds with four changes from the side originally selected, took to the field against a strong Leos home side who from the kick off, gave notice of moving the ball at every opportunity and making full use of their mobility in the back division, and it was to Ilkley's great credit that attacking movements were stopped in their tracks with some excellent tackling and cover play by both backs and forwards, but unfortunately for Ilkley they were soon reduced to 14 men through injury and no replacement was to hand. Leos then went ahead with two breakaway ties and half time arrived with the visitors only managing a penalty goal by stand off Duncan Ogilvie.

As the second half wore on, the reduced Ilkley side, although sticking to their task of containment and moving play into their half were forced into conceding further points to their opponents who eventually ran out comfortable winners.

Moortown.............0

Ilkley Veterans....46

Ilkley Veterans although misfiring dominated the early stages with flankers Bernie Connor and Darrell Robinson charging forward and it was not long before they followed their opening try from No 8 Nigel Keighley with another when scrum-half Blair Nixon pounced on a stray pass and sent winger John Dixon over to make it 10-0.

Ilkley's play improved and their forwards continued to dominate with the front row of Steve and Paul Williams and debutant hooker Phil Little providing a solid platform. Ilkley's third try came from a great backs move. Fly-half Stuart Miller produced a scissor move with Bernie Burns and the powerful centre surged through to slip a pass to John Brown who swept over and again the conversion was missed making it 15-0 at the break.

Ilkley upped their effort in the second-half and produced a terrific display. The forwards, with second rows Chris Bryett and Tim Bowles, prominent, started to produce a quicker, higher quality loose ball for scrum-half Nixon . The backs, orchestrated by Miller, began to run and looked capable of scoring at every opportunity with Burns prominent.

A flowing move involving Bennett, Brown and Gill was finished off by Miller for his first try of the season. He was obviously giddy as he tried to take the penalty himself and this proved a mistake. The game was very much one-way traffic and only over elaboration delayed Ilkley's next try. The ball was moved sweetly along the line and although Gill had a two man overlap he was not in the mood for passing and smashed his way through four would-be tacklers to touch down. Nixon was at last successful with a conversion making it 27-0.

Five minutes later Ilkley scored again through Dixon for the try of the game and then others followed from Gill and Brown, set up by replacement Martin Roe. Nixon converted both to make the final score 46-0 to Ilkley. This was a superb all-round performance from Ilkley.

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