Ilkley Too Hot to Handle

The teams came in to the game with contrasting results last weekend, with Ilkley have secured a season’s double against Lymm, whilst Kendal had subsided to defeat to lowly Birkenhead Park, who had also held Ilkley to a narrow victory the week before.

There were a number of changes to the Kendal team. Dini Noyo was out with a groin strain, so Jordan Johnson came in. Up front Ross McKay returned after illness last weekend, and replaced Garry Holmes who moved to hooker, with Robbie Collinson moving to the bench. In a late change Craig Wilson replaced Ben Leacock in the second row, partnering John Dervey. Dan Wilson came in on the bench.

Kendal started at pace with Chris Downham and Mike Fearon both punching holes in the Ilkley defence. They opened the scoring after four minutes. A Ilkely break down the right wing was halted when the referee spotted a forward pass. From the resulting scrum the ball was moved into mid-field where Mike Fearon broke through again, Chris Park tidied up poor ball, and Glen Weightman took the move on, before finding Kris Bratton, who went over on the right. Chris Park added the conversion from close to the touchline 7v0.

Ilkley were soon back in the game, levelling the scores after ten minutes. Good play in the Kendal twenty two stretched the Kendal defence, and in a move off the training ground, with the ball seemingly being moved on to the wing, instead another player popped up through a gap, to waltz through for an easy score. 7v7.

Three minutes later Ilkley had the lead. Kendal were on the attack, but lost the ball in the tackle and the ball was quickly moved to the right wing, who had a clear run to the line. 7v12

Kendal had a chance almost immediately to narrow the gap. Glen Weightman put in a hanging re-start kick which Craig Wilson chased, but his run was blocked by a Ilkley forward protecting the catcher, leading to the referee giving Kendal a penalty, but the kick at goal failed to find the target.

After twenty minutes, with Ilkley on the attack, Kendal were penalised, and John Dervey yellow
carded. The resultant Ilkley kick at goal was not successful.

Ilkley stayed on the attack and extended their lead. Some missed tackles on the left, plus more quick re-cycling, saw them break through for a third try, which was converted. 7v19.

Three minutes later the lead was extended again. A number of Kendal players put in try saving tackles near the line, but the ball kept coming back, with finally Ilkley going over under the posts, only for their kicker to miss the simple conversion. 7v24.

Restored to fifteen men, Kendal had the better of the last ten minutes of the half, but could find no way to break through, with some loose passing meaning momentum was often lost.

Despite their large lead, when awarded a penalty four minutes into the second half, Ilkley took the kick at goal to further extend their advantage. 7v27

After a quarter of an hour of play Kendal, made their first change with Jack Lashley coming on for Dom Musetti.

Shortly afterwards Kendal finally made a breakthrough. Good build up work in the Ilkley twenty two, saw the ball moved out to John Dervey on the right, and he did not need to use the man outside him, going over himself for the try. Again Chris Park put over a difficult kick from close to the touchline, despite inadvertently being distracted by the Ilkley water carrier. 14v27,

John Dervey had picked up an injury in scoring, and was temporarily force off for treatment, with Dom Musetti returning. When the substitution was reversed shortly afterwards, Dom stayed on with Glen Chesher making way. At the same time Kendal made a change in the back division, with Danny Barker who had worked hard for little reward, coming off and Dan Wilson coming on. He went onto the wing, with Kris Bratton moving into the centre.

After twenty five minutes Ilkley extended the lead again. Kendal had been forced into desperate defence on their line, but finally with the referee already playing advantage, the ball was moved to the right wing for the score. After missing a simple conversion of the last try, this time the kick was put over from the touchline.

With ten minutes to play John Dervey was forced off with Robbie Collinson coming on.

Kendal finished well but the Ilkley defence was too strong for a further score to be added.

This was a much improved display, with those who had come in playing well. The pack was fired up with Chris Downham leading the way, with good support from Craig Wilson and Ross McKay, which meant Ilkley never quite had things their own way at the breakdown. The lineout worked well, and apart from one penalty late on the scrum held its own, and even stole Ilkley ball on one occasion.

Ilkley looked more like a top four team than one in mid-table, and Kendal probably had bad fortune to have met them twice on dry sunny days, which suit their expensive play.

Next week another tough task with a visit to Billingham to bring the curtain down on the season.

Your KENDAL MAN OF THE MATCH : John Dervey
A run away winner this week, with twice as many votes as Garry Holmes in second place, and a third of the total votes.