Cleckheaton will rue their lapses in concentration and discipline that led to a game they appeared to be in control of slip away from them against Ilkley last Saturday.

Cleckheaton took a first half lead with an early try from flanker, Tom Austin, following a half break and 20 metre rumble from prop, Paul Turner. The conversion was missed but Cleckheaton were next to trouble the scoreboard 15 minutes later, with a well worked try that saw Josh Hall and Martin Woodhead combine to race a third of the length of the pitch before James Wilson collected the off-load for a long range effort. Once again the conversion attempt was no match for the cross-wind and the score remained 10-0.

Ilkley’s Joe Rowntree got his side on the board with a penalty goal but Ronan Evans reciprocated for the Moorenders to maintain the ten point margin. Ilkley had not really threatened Cleckheaton’s line at any point so far in the game but as the half drew to a close they mounted a rare surge. On the stroke of half time, with pressure mounting near the home team’s whitewash, try scorer Austin, was sin binned for not clearing the ruck and Rowntree added another penalty to bring the score to 13-6 to Cleckheaton at the break.

At the start of the second half Ilkley took advantage of their numerical superiority and benefitting from some lazy tackling from Cleckheaton, visitors’ fullback, Ben Magee, ran down the middle of the park for a well taken try. Rowntree converted from in front of the sticks to level the scores. Disaster then struck for Cleckheaton as James Wilson tackled his man and then joined the ruck when he got to his feet. The referee deemed that he had deliberately not moved backwards and joined the ruck through the gate and brandished the yellow card, much to the bemusement of the player. Rowntree took the opportunity to put his side in the lead for the first time and converted the penalty attempt. From the kick off Jack Seddon wrapped up the Ilkley catcher just before he had both feet on the ground and within the space of 1 minute the referee’s yellow card came out again.

Down to 13 men Cleck’s defences were stretched and Dion Hendrick crossed for Ilkely's 2nd try. Rowntree converted and a few minutes later added penalty number four. Cleckheaton were desperate to get something out of a game they could have been dominating and Matt Piper and Man of the Match, Ryan Piercy, ran the ball at the Ilkley defence at every opportunity. Ross Hayden eventually got the ball over the whitewash after the aforementioned Piper broke through the first line of defence but a controversially denied conversion attempt meant that Cleckheaton could not get within 7 points of their opposition to claim a bonus league point.

Cleckheaton will take many learning points from this game where they scored three tries to Ilkley’s two but leaked 12 points through conceding penalty kicks in front of their sticks. Next week’s opposition Rossendale scored 76 points at Morley’s Scatcherd Lane last Saturday and this provides a very clear indication of the defensive effort Cleckheaton will have to bring to the table when they travel over the Pennines to face the Rawtenstall side in their next fixture.

Whilst the 1st XV lost to Ilkley, the Kestrels ran out 30-20 winners against their 2nd string in the reverse fixture at Stacks Field. Tries from Ben Womersley (2), Cain Crotty, Craig Blackburn and Elliot Sheard earned the Kestrel’s the win, which kick starts this year’s Yorkshire RFU Premiership Merit League campaign.