Ilkley were second best

ILKLEY were second best in this Yorkshire Division One clash as Salem notched their sixth win in seven games.

Ilkley took an early lead after Salem had been caught cold from an illegal kick-off. Ilkley should have taken a place kick to start the game but the ball was blown over in the wind and Ilkley drop kicked it into the Salem half. Salem's players allowed the ball to go into touch and Ilkley won the line-out scoring from the resultant scrum through winger Ben McDonald.

Salem's lack of discipline gifted Ilkley a penalty but after that Salem's big pack woke up. Joe Simpson cut the deficit with a penalty and then their first try came from Robbie Flynn after an up and under bounced into his hands. He raced through a shocked defence to score and Simpson converted.

Flynn scored agin after Ilkley had hacked the ball from their own 22. Ben Scarborough gathered and set up the ball for Simon Fox. It was spun out and Flynn raced in at an angle. Simpson again converted.

Salem continued to bombard the Ilkley line and Scarborough made the extra man before the ball was spun wide for winger Chris Luxton to score giving Simpson an easy conversion.

Salem led 24-8 at the break and the second-half was more even but scrappy as Ilkley battled hard to try and get back in the game.

No 8 Scarborough made a great break running on to a pass by Fox and he ghosted past three defenders to run 70 yards before bouncing off the full-back and being stopped just short of the line.

Excellent defence kept Ilkley out in a torrid last 15 minutes but the final blow was dealt by Luxton as he intercepted and ran 70 yards.

As he was caught by Nick Bell he threw a pass inside which was hacked on by Tony Fella for Simpson to score under the posts and then convert.

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