A game of two halves, being dictated as to which team had the wind in their backs. Ilkley get off to a brisk start playing in the York 22m, winning the possession after the penalty is put in the corner by Charles Morgan, winning the line out and Harry Hamilton enters the line from deep dummies and over he goes under the posts, presenting a simple conversion for Charles Morgan, 8 minutes gone.

A swift reply comes from York, Ben Dent makes a clean line break, there is no support on his shoulder to finish off, a clear opportunity missed, from the ensuing scrum George Davies enters the line and opens up a gap and not a hand is laid upon him, he converts his own try.

Ben Dent is very much in the game, this time he falls foul of the Referee and is sent to the sin bin for the high tackle. From the restart penalty, Ilkley put the ball in the corner from the catch and drive Blake Morgan is at the back of the maul to score, Charles Morgan converts.
Ilkley showing off their silky skills in their back division as Harry Taylor jinks around a number of York defenders and under the posts for Charles Morgan to convert.

York keep in touch a high tackle from Ilkley followed by dissent a 10m March back and York go for the corner, Billy McGrath takes a clean line out and the drive, giving that go forward ball, as George Davies enters the line and breaks that line to score near the posts giving him the simple conversion. York are keeping their opponents in sight, the Referee then speaks to both Captains regarding the number of penalties, Ilkley go for the corner and York do not compete for the possession and a driven are over their try line for Jamie Slator to touch down.

On two occasions Ilkley with the wind at their backs kick the ball dead, this allows York to maintain the field position, but is not long before the visitors are on it again, Adam Quinn is down injured with the Physio on the field, the ball is played to his wing, a clever chip kick bounces well for the full back Freddie Brown who races fifty meters to score under the posts.

As half time approaches, Adam Quinn leaves the field with an ankle injury, it does not look good for York. Ilkley have the try bonus point and are leading York 14 – Ilkley 33. We think it will be an uphill task for the Boys in orange jerseys. But they have the wind behind them, is this the X Factor?

Ilkley get off to a cracking start, as Matt Tanner finds himself on the edge and with skills of an outside back in a 2v1 situation to race Twenty metres to the corner, and touch down, Charles Morgan unable to convert, some classy back play from the Visitors.

As the wind gets stronger so do York, dominant ball carriers going forward keeping possession and moving the ball skilfully to Cian Vaughan, a powerful runner who squeezes into the left hand corner, George Davies unable to convert this one. Then we are treated to a delightful score, a break out from Callum Wilson some 35 meters, only to find Billy McGrath on his shoulder who scores under the posts, securing a try bonus point for York, George Davies converting.

The score is now York 26 - Ilkley 38, a deliberate knock on sees Harry Taylor sent to the sin bin, this is to prove expensive to Ilkley, but before that happens and as York are pressing on their opponents line there is a desperate interception from Ilkley’s Freddie Brown he goes the full length of the field to score under the posts. Then a small piece of drama for the Ilkley skipper, about to convert and the ball falls off the kicking tee, a let off for York.

York are still 17 points in arrears, with only twelve minutes left, still a lot of work to do, looking for some magic and Will Fordy provides this jinking his way through, leaving George Davies with some work to do converts coolly, two more valuable points.

York are now camping in Ilkley 22m, from a line out a front peel sees Callum Wilson our hooker racing to the line in the corner a bit too wide to gain a successful conversion, even Keith Spital is showing the nervous tension almost fusing his new electric scoreboard, my pen is excited.

York are dominating the set scrum, keeping it all very tight, playing cool rugby, picking and going, gaining ground for Kodi Enoka to force his way over, then George Davies converts. At last York take the lead for the first time in the match. This scrum domination leads to another penalty against the visitors, as Cool Hand George strokes the ball over for another three points.

Final score York 48 Ilkley 43.

With regards to play offs - Middlesbrough managed to secure a win against Harrogate and so we have a relegation play off game at Middlesbrough on Saturday 25th April. The winner of that game will stay up. The loser will go into a further play off against the winner of the promotion play offs between R2N and R2NE. Details will be published once known.

This team has shown what they can do, congratulations to all the players and the Coaching Team.

A special mention to George Davies making his 250th appearance for the club making a huge impact securing 23 of the points in todays victory and cementing his place as a true Legend of the club. Well done George.

March report from Carter Croft.