Ilkley's 1st XV travelled away to Selby this weekend, who currently sit bottom of the league. Selby, with only one previous win, presented an opportunity for Ilkley to start the year with a victory.
The game began with a relatively even contest. Both teams displayed strong attacking and defensive phases, but neither side could find a way to cross the try line. After conceding a series of penalties, Selby capitalized on a lineout in Ilkley's half. A well-executed sequence of passes culminated in a try for Selby's top try scorer, the left winger, who, despite starting on the right wing, executed a famous goose step to outmaneuver the Ilkley defence and touch down in the corner. The subsequent conversion was successful, giving Selby a 7-0 lead after 11 minutes.
Ilkley immediately sought to respond, earning an attacking scrum on the Selby 22-metre line. The ball moved swiftly through the backs, reaching Will Martindale on the left wing. Martindale, attempting to score closer to the posts, unfortunately dropped the ball, denying Ilkley a potential try.
A penalty awarded to Ilkley was successfully converted by Charles Morgan, reducing the deficit to 7-3 after 14 minutes.
Ilkley began to gain momentum, displaying fluid rugby. The ball was moved effectively across the field, culminating in a try for Harry Harrison. A series of slick passes involving hooker Ollie Ham, Sheard, and Magee, allowed Harrison to break through four defenders and score a fantastic try on his 50th appearance for the club. Morgan's conversion attempt was unsuccessful, leaving the score at 7-8 after 20 minutes.
Selby quickly regained the lead. Their inside centre broke through the Ilkley line and offloaded to the Selby number nine, who scored under the posts. The conversion was successful, extending Selby's lead to 14-8 after 24 minutes.
Selby continued to dominate, with their backline breaching the Ilkley defence. Ilkley's narrow defensive line was exploited as a cut-out pass found the Selby fullback, who stepped inside and outside before touching down in the corner. The conversion was unsuccessful, bringing the score to 19-8 after 30 minutes.
Morgan reduced the deficit with another successful penalty kick, making the score 19-11 after 33 minutes.
Ilkley responded swiftly. Ben Magee's impressive sidestep disrupted the Selby defence, creating space for him to break through and offload to Harrison. A two-on-one situation ensued, allowing Ben Walker to score a try. The successful conversion narrowed the gap to 19-18 after 40 minutes.
The second half began with Ilkley on the front foot. A Selby penalty kick into touch failed to reach its target, allowing Ben Magee to exploit the space and break through multiple defenders. He offloaded to Harrison, who popped the ball up for Will Martindale to score in the left corner. Charles Morgan's successful conversion gave Ilkley a 19-22 lead after 45 minutes.
The following 15 minutes saw both teams struggle to gain an advantage. Selby's scrum-half broke through the line from a ruck and scored under the posts. The successful conversion extended Selby's lead to 26-22 after 60 minutes.
Selby capitalized on some Ilkley indiscipline, earning a lineout on the Ilkley five-metre line. A powerful driving maul proved too much for Ilkley to resist, with the Selby hooker grounding the ball. The conversion attempt struck the upright, leaving the score at 31-22 after 65 minutes.
Selby swiftly capitalized on an Ilkley handling error. The Selby number 10 kicked the ball through, and a foot race ensued between Ilkley's replacement hooker, Matt Tanner, and the Selby number 10. Unfortunately, Tanner was unable to recover, and Selby scored a try. The conversion was unsuccessful, leaving the final score at 36-22.
This defeat puts pressure on the Dalesmen to secure a result in their upcoming fixture against Sandal. Despite Sandal's strong start to the season, the Ilkley players will undoubtedly work hard in training to ensure a victory and put the Selby defeat behind them.
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