ILKLEY Rugby Club produced one of their best performances of the season against Regional One North East leader Billingham and were unlucky not to get a try bonus point, eventually losing 39-23 in an entertaining match, writes Sean Crannigan.

Ilkley had seen little of the ball before their hosts gave notice of their intentions, left-wing Martin Hopley completing a fine move in the corner. Kobe Robby’s conversion attempt fell short, but his side were ahead after just five minutes.

Ilkley’s Harry Harrison fielded a kick ahead well, but the support was a little slow in arriving and the ball was snaffled by the marauding Billingham back-row, but a knock-on gave Ilkley the put in at the first scrum of the afternoon. This was won comfortably and Ilkley were able to demonstrate that they were not there merely to make up the numbers with a promising attack.

Ilkley Gazette: A scrum during Ilkley's (grey and red shirts) defeat at Billingham A scrum during Ilkley's (grey and red shirts) defeat at Billingham (Image: Billingham Rugby Club)

A second foray into the Billingham 22 yielded a penalty, which Chuckie Ramsay stroked over to reduce the arrears.

The home side then elected not to go for goal when they were awarded a penalty of their own, but Ilkley’s defence held, but not for long. A defensive line was won, but then the ball appeared to go loose and was snapped up by lock Mike Walton, who crashed over close to the posts. Roxby slotted the extras and it was 12-3 after 20 minutes.

A raking penalty kick by Kodie Brook, following some good running from Ben Walker, took Ilkley to 15m out and a line to win. Max Jones obliged and after more good work by Walker, another Ramsay penalty brought the score to 12-6.

Billingham didn’t take long to get perilously close to the Ilkley line and when Luke Gamble was adjudged to have slowed play down, earning a yellow card, another excellent handling move resulted in a try for the hosts’ right-wing, Matt Kirby who touched down under the posts. Roxby’s kick made it 19-6.

Ilkley came straight back, with Kristan Dobson breaking out of defence. Billingham were forced to concede a five-metre scrum and in a flash, quick hands saw Dobson slice through the defence to score a well-deserved try, converted by Ramsay to make it 19-13 at half-time.

The first 10 minutes of the second half saw Billingham at their best. Quick thinking at two free kicks, with impressive support and offloading allowed scrum-half Conner Foley to score and while the conversion was missed, five minutes later, a mesmerising passage of play saw Hopley go over for his second. Roxby’s kick was good and in what seemed an instant, Ilkley were 20 points behind at 31-13.

The deficit was reduced when Dobson showed some quick thinking of his own, taking a quick tap and scoring his second, the conversion missing - 31-18.

A Billingham penalty hit the post and the ball stayed live for Ilkley to clear. On their next attack, Billingham’s stand-off Peter Evans calmly kicked a rare drop-goal to make up for the penalty miss.

A yellow card was flashed at the home side’s Joe Evans for obstruction and the resulting penalty took Ilkley to the 5m line. The line was lost.

However, in trying to run out of defence Billingham held on too long in the tackle and Ilkley had another line. This time, the throw-in and tap back were perfect and scrum-half Archie Elgood spotted the gap and darted over for a try, unconverted.

At 34-23, Ilkley were desperate for another try and with it, a possible two bonus points, but it was the home side who finished with a flourish, a textbook rolling maul killing the game off, as Dan Dixon claimed the spoils, but the conversion was missed.