Preston Grasshoppers 42 Ilkley 26

PRESTON secured the five-point win they needed to clinch the North Premier League title on an afternoon when Ilkley won plenty of admirers for their determined display.

The home side had secured an immediate return to National Two North by half-time, but the visiting Dalesmen built on their impressive attacking performance in the first half to secure a four-try bonus point after the break.

Only three sides have scored four tries against the runaway winners and Ilkley have done it twice, a credit to the astuteness of the coaching staff and the sheer guts of the team.

Hoppers scored in the first minute when their talisman, Matt Lamprey burst through a flat-footed defence to feed Alex Ward, who crossed the whitewash unscathed.

Jake Squirrel's conversion attempt was charged down by Tom Milner to save the two points and lay down a marker – Ilkley were not going to roll over.

Shaking off whatever malaise that had affected them so early on, Ilkley took the game to Hoppers and despite looking uncomfortable in the tight scrums, nevertheless won enough possession to put prop Dan Lawrence in for a well-worked try. Ben Magee added the extras.

Ilkley weren't ahead for long. They made a hash of the kick off, leading first to a scrum and then a penalty, which Ward despatched to the visitors’ five-metre line.

Ilkley defended this well, but after a Hoppers knock-on, a strike against the head allowed Lamprey to crash over and this time, Squirrel’s kick was good.

Hoppers took every opportunity to demonstrate their superiority in the scrums and when Ilkley conceded another against the head, a desperate attempt to slow their opponents’ progress resulted in a penalty that Squirrel slotted to make it 15-7.

Undeterred, Ilkley earned another scrum and thanks to the excellence of Jack Maplesden and JH Johnson, the Ilkley supporters were rewarded by a gem of a try, finished by the scrum-half himself. Magee’s kick meant that Hoppers led by a single point.

When Ilkley again failed to deal well with the kick-off and the loose ball found its way into the hands of centre Sam Stott, whose strong run ended with a fine solo try under the posts.

Ilkley again had no answer when another brutally powerful Hoppers’ scrum earned yet another penalty, kicked to within 10 metres of the Ilkley line.

The inevitable rolling maul was stoically defended for half a dozen phases, before hooker Paul Millea was able to secure his side’s bonus-point try, converted by Squirrel.

Will Davies made a welcome return to Ilkley colours, but alas was unable to prevent another score as Hoppers’ dominance in the tight was again demonstrated with a try by Lamprey to stretch the half-time lead to
34-12.

The first 20 minutes of the second half were scoreless, as Ilkley dug in and Hoppers got careless.

Hoppers’ former Wharfedale full back Scott Jordan received a yellow card for killing the ball in a ruck but Ilkley couldn't take advantage of their extra man during his ten-minute absence.

To be fair, the Hoppers’ defence was pretty sound over these ten minutes and with the

Squirrel extended the lead with a penalty before good handling and support play brought a try for flanker Ally Murray to make it 42-14.

Ilkley weren't throwing in the towel. They tapped a penalty on the Hoppers’ 22 and Tom Milner scampered over for a try which Charles Morgan converted.

Ilkley were battering away for that elusive fourth try and they got it when a dummy run from Ed Brown and a feed from Milner put Pat Power in.

It was the final score of an entertaining game. Hoppers are worthy champions but Ilkley's guts and charisma won a lot of thoroughly deserved praise from the hosts.