ILKLEY Town lost their third fixture of the NCEL season on Saturday in a surprise 3-1 defeat at home to Wakefield AFC.

After the interval the game burst into life, with all four goals coming after the break.

It would be the visitors who started the better out of the two sides, Wakefield’s forward letting Ilkley off the hook after he missed a one-against-one opportunity. Eventually the shot was dragged wide.

The Baht’atters’ first meaningful effort of the contest arrived in the 30th minute when Luke Baldwin’s powerful volley was saved expertly by the away side’s goalkeeper, but only into the path of the inform Kevin Gonzalez.

However, hit shot was well blocked on the follow up.

Unlike the first half, the second half was brought to life, and it didn’t take long for the visiting side to make their mark on the fixture.

Just two minutes after the interval, Wakefield were ahead.

The Baht’atters, in typical fashion, looked to play out from the back but it was their own worst enemy on this occasion as the ball was gifted to James Eyles to place into the empty net.

And things got worse for the hosts, Mason Rubie doubling his side’s advantage in the 58th minute.

The Wakefield man drilled a low shot into the bottom corner of Ilkley’s goal as a cleared corner fell kindly him, and he made no mistake in putting his side 2-0 in front.

Town then got a glimmer hope after they were gifted a penalty by the referee.

Baldwin was tripped over in the area, before laying the ball off to Marriot who was then wiped out by Wakefield’s goalkeeper and the referee had no option but to award the spot kick.

Marriot managed to return to his feet and steady himself ahead of dispatching the penalty superbly, sending the visiting keeper the wrong way in the process.

The Baht’atters pushed for a leveller, but their efforts were to be in vain, as Wakefield wrapped up the victory and three points in stoppage time.

Eyles added his second goal on the breakaway tapping into an empty net.

Ilkley’s Finlay Ellis was handed a red card in the aftermath of the goal, as the hosts fell to a 3-1 defeat.

The loss leaves Town in 5th place in the NCEL Division One, while Wakefield climb to 14th in the league table following the surprise victory.

Up next for the Baht’atters is a trip to Thackley next Tuesday in the NCEL League Cup, before returning to league action on September 14 at home to Worsbrough Bridge Athletic in a 3pm kick-off, where they'll be hoping to return to winning ways.