The Centurions extended their winning streak to four games after overcoming a staunch Selby 3rd XV 12-5 on home soil. Although depleted in numbers, Selby were far from depleted in ability or attitude.
Those taking a pleasant Saturday stroll along the River Wharfe may have mistaken Stacks Field for a battleground. With both the first XV and third XV playing at home, nearly 70 players were set to go into battle at 2:15. The majority of those were donning the new Centurions kit, with 28 men available for the Centurions' home clash against NorthYorkshire rivals Selby.
Selby, on the other hand, could barely muster a starting XV. Before even beginning their warm-up, a complaint had been lodged with the match officials, suggesting that Ilkley were flouting the rules by fielding nearly two full squads.
Unfortunately for Selby, Ilkley were well within their rights, as the game was a merit table fixture.
Ilkley must have thought they were in for an easy day at the office. They kicked off towards the Wharfe and moors, and although the initial kick-off failed to go 10 meters, the ensuing scrum more than made up for the error. Like tectonic plates colliding, the first scrum showed Ilkley's dominance in the pack. Dominating against the head, the ball popped out messily to the black-and-red shirts of Ilkley. Scrum-half James Matthews scooped it up, pirouetted like he belonged on Strictly Come Dancing, and found space. He passed to Hope-Robertson, who accelerated, fixed the winger, and sent Joe Ambler over from 30 meters out. Ambler carried strongly, and nothing could stop him on his way to the try-line, marking a standout performance that earned him Man of the Match.
Ilkley dominated much of the first half, though they would be the first to admit that it wasn't up to the high standards they've come to expect after a strong start to the season. The penalty count steadily crept up, largely due to high tackles, which this season are classified as "sternum and above." Recently, the Wharfedale chairman had remarked at a Leeds Tykes v Wharfedale fixture, "Back in my day, sex was safe, and rugby was dangerous; now it's the other way round." While player safety is paramount, it's hard to disagree that some of the fire and crunch that make this game we love is slowly disappearing.
Selby did manage to find themselves deep in Ilkley territory at times during the first half. Their youthful-looking backline was brimming with flair, speed, and skill. But the Ilkley defence held firm, with full-back Lee Brown leading the charge. Under pressure, Brown relieved the situation with a series of well-executed kicks. When Ilkley were camped on their line, their defence held strong. Tackle after tackle, the never-say-die attitude came to the fore once again.
Before the half-time whistle, Ilkley had one more opportunity to score. With the ball camped on Selby's try-line, pick-and-goes and strong forward carries from the scrum-half gave Ilkley a sniff of the white line. When No. 8 Ben Rawnsley had the ball in hand from just 5 meters out, not even a brick wall could stop him. He powered over the line close to the posts to make it 12-0.
Ilkley could have had another when Hope-Robertson delicately chipped the ball towards the Selby line. The Selby full-back was greeted by a ferocious kick chase led by skipper Callum Clayton, who closed in a meter from the touchline and a meter from the try-line. With no defensive support, it seemed certain that either a penalty or a turnover try would follow. But a dubious high-tackle call against Clayton saved Selby just before the half-time whistle.
As I wandered back to my own half, I overheard a Selby player exclaim, "We didn’t even want to be here, and we’ve held them to 12 points in the first half." No doubt, Selby were the happier side as the referee blew for the break. The question now was: could the half-time interval spark a charge, as it had done for Ilkley in Ripon just a few weeks ago?
With Ilkley making double-digit changes at the half, the spark never ignited in the second half. Instead, a scrappy game unfolded, with Selby dominating for large stretches.
The penalty count for high tackles was now into double figures, and the referee had no choice but to brandish his yellow card twice. Tom Morley and Connor Clegg were arguably unlucky recipients, as their cards weren’t for individual tackles, but for their side’s accumulating ill-discipline.
Early in the second half, Selby did manage to cross the line, and the game seemed set for a thrilling conclusion. Though Selby bundled over, similar to Rawnsley’s try in the first half, the Ilkley defence held firm for the remainder of the match.
It felt like time stood still on the Ilkley line. Wave after wave of Selby attack was met by men willing to put their bodies on the line. Ilkley themselves had a couple of opportunities on the wings, with both wingers showing great pace, only to be thwarted by last-ditch defence that either forced a turnover or won a penalty. Selby continued to battle hard at the breakdown, often arriving just a split second before Ilkley, leading the referee to penalise the hosts for holding on.
As the game neared its conclusion, with only two minutes remaining, Selby were camped in Ilkley’s 22, just seven points adrift. But a knock-on gave Ilkley the scrum, and with only a couple of minutes left to see out the game, the final moments weren’t without excitement. Despite being deep into injury time, Ilkley continued to push. After a strong run, Joe Ambler carried the ball to the halfway line. The ball was then moved wide, and Ilkley pushed towards the try-line. However, a knock-on ensued and thankfully Selby couldn’t capitalise so the referee blew for full time.
A scrappy encounter, but a testament to the commitment of both sides, who will no doubt go hammer and tongs when they meet again in Selby.
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