Cleckheaton selected an unchanged starting 15 for the game against Ilkley, Chris Piper was on the bench with James Wilson and Richard Noble.
On a day with frequent heavy showers, Ilkley kicked off towards the scoreboard end and were quickly on the attack, the backs showing considerable handling skills until a thunderous tackle from Richard Piper brought that passage of play to an end. Cleckheaton's defence was solid, both backs and forwards were driving the Dalesmen back regularly. Ilkley tried to chip over the top but Bailey Smith got a hand to the ball and was caught in two minds, kick ahead or pick up, he tried the latter and the ball squirted away from him and that chance was lost . On 11 minutes, Ilkley fed the scrum on their 22 and Cleckheaton drove them back , the penalty was conceded and Dale Breakwell slotted the kick, 3-0.
Ilkley tried a long kick out of defence and only found Dom Flanagan near the touchline, he returned the kick to the Ilkley in goal area , the clearance reached half way and with not many options available , Dale Breakwell lined up a drop goal from 45 metres which just about found the target, 6-0.
Ilkley got a penalty from the restart and centre John Henry Johnson converted from 35 metres to reduce the arrears to 6-3 on 14 minutes.
On 18 minutes, Dom Brambani had a kick ahead charged down and the rebound somehow ended up in Mike Hayward's hands, a quick exchange of passes with Jack Marshall and Hayward crossed for his 4th try of the season, converted by Breakwell 13-3. Ilkley were well in the game but the defensive qualities of Niall Jackson and Brad Marsden made sure they were denied . Andy Piper carried the ball well and Joe Flanagan and Josh Plunkett ensured that they controlled the breakdown. On 39 minutes , Ilkley launched a counter attack down the middle of the field, Bailey Smith was in position to make the tackle but referee Mr Robson deemed that it was too high and awarded the penalty some 40 metres out and Smith was Yellow Carded for his trouble, the kick was hooked to the right by Johnson and at half time Cleckheaton held the advantage at 13-3.
Into the second half, Ilkley had the lions share of possession but the defensive line refused to yield the only addition being a 40 metre penalty by Johnson on 50 minutes taking the score to 13-6.
The game was entering a dour defensive pattern rather like the weather, Breakwell added another penalty from 35 metres before Johnson slotted a third penalty on 62 minutes to reduced the lead to 7 points at 16-9.
Hayward made a clean break through and was halted 10 metres short of the line, Joe Flanagan drove the ball forward but play was halted due to and accidental clash of heads.
Ilkley kept probing for an opening but their handling was becoming a little bit ragged and when Depledge fed a scrum 20 metres and went blindside, Brambani and Breakwell combined to give a pass to Dom Flanagan and the big winger obliged by crashing over in the corner for his 7th try of the season, conversion was wide but 21-9 into added time. Ilkley won another penalty, this time kicking to the corner to set up a catch and drive from the line out, the maul rumbled forward and it looked as though the Cleckheaton line was about to be breached , the maul went to ground and the Referee awarded the scrum to Cleckheaton. They won the ball and played out the time remaining before the Referee brought the game to its conclusion. Final score 21-9, 4 wins on the trot and 4 league points secured, more importantly a top defensive performance keeping Ilkley away from the try line. Just one try conceded in the last 2 games is a supreme effort.
Cleckheaton man of the match for his elusive running was Mike Hayward.
Next week , Cleckheaton will be away at Paviors in Nottingham, kick off is at 2 .15.