Ilkley Youth 3

Earby 0

THIS was a comfortable victory for the Guyson sponsored Ilkley Juniors Youth against an Earby side that has shown significant improvement this season.

Apart from brief periods towards the end of each half when some Ilkley players coasted allowing Earby to mount some attacks, the Youth players dominated possession and occasionally displayed some excellent passing moves.

At home for the first time in the new year, Ilkley pressed forward from the kick-off and crosses by Stewart, Horne and Tod caused some desperate defending.

Beaumont foraged well from full-back and after another surging run, Horne fired wide before Stewart saw his lob over the goalkeeper drift just over the bar.

Earby were confined to booted clearances as Ilkley dominated and the Youth side eventually took the lead when Horne's shot rebounded from the goalkeeper, Martin's follow-up shot was deflected onto the post before Stewart bundled the loose ball over the line.

Scrappy but well deserved, though a lazy appeal for off-side minutes later saw the ball poked wide of Taylor and the far post to remind the Ilkley team of the slenderness of a 1-0 scoreline and the need to concentrate.

The second-half mirrored the first with Ilkley quicker to the ball and better organised than Earby. Rishworth and Dadd picked up most of the loose balls in midfield and Houlston, Dixon and McTigue gave Earby attackers little time or space.

Goalkeeper Taylor's biggest task was to remain focused since he had so little to do in the first 20 minutes of the second-half, during which Martin turned neatly in the penalty area to fire in the second Ilkley goal.

With Horne leading the attack with increasing confidence, further goals seemed assured but Earby defended resolutely.

Rishworth fired just over, Houlston saw his free-kick beat the goalkeeper and the far post, and a series of corners placed pressure on a tiring Earby defence in which captain Harrison was outstanding.

However, after being in the ascendancy for so long without scoring more goals, Ilkley's play became both edgy and complacent.

The introduction of Wheeler and Bedford imposed some urgency but Taylor had to be alert to deal with two crosses as Earby made a last push to pull a goal back.

Fortunately, the edginess was eased when Andy Wheeler latched onto a through ball from Rishworth and after deftly side-stepping the goalkeeper slipped the ball into the net from an acute angle.

A well-taken first goal for Wheeler, who soon after combined well with McTigue and Martin before seeing his flighted cross just tipped away from Horne at the far-post.

Last week's match winner Campbell entered the fray with only minutes left but did not add to the tally.

Last season games such as these would have been drawn and the Youth players have now scored more goals and conceded less than at the same stage of the season last year. Antony Beaumont gained the man-of-the-match award for an adventurous display and is settling in well at full-back.

Joe McTigue competed well and Joe Horne proved again how well he is progressing as a striker.

Young referee Wayne Butterworth handled the game positively, being decisive and keeping up with play.

This was a pleasing if unspectacular victory for Ilkley Juniors Youth who remain second in the league with several games in hand on leaders Colne who provide the opposition on Saturday at the Grammar School fields (kick-off 2.00pm).

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