Sheffield 20 - 29 Ilkley

Sheffield RUFC 20 - 29 Ilkley RUFC

Team Selection for Saturday, 17th October 2015

15. Ben Shore
14. Rupert Broadley
13. Joe Cribley
12. Leigh Sanders
11. Joe McHale
10. Rob Conville
9. Josh Bird
1. Tommy Marples
2. Carl Mortimer
3. Dan Rylance
4. Ryan Seabright
5. Dom Parsons (Capt)
6. Alex Fawdry
7. Tom Womack
8. Jonny France
Replacements
16. Ben Whitney
17. Ali Womack
18. Connor Mitchell

After the disappointment of loosing away to Billingham last week, Sheffield were to take on Ilkley, the other team promoted from North One East at the end of last season. Sheffield saw themselves without the services of full back Andy Hodgson, with Ben Shore stepping up from the second XV to take on the role. Also missing from the squad was former captain and old head, Jimmy Pearson who was replaced on the bench by Ali Womack. However, Leigh Sanders returned at centre at the expense of Gareth Morley. Ben Whitney and Tommy Marples switched places at loose head prop and the bench.

Sheffield made a good start to the match, winning two quick penalties. Unfortunately, both were generally out of kicking range. However, Sheffield managed to keep up the pressure on the visitors dominating both territory and possession, but were without reward until the twentieth minute, when whilst on the attack in the Ilkley twenty two, Josh Bird saw a hole in the defence close to the posts and darted over to open the scoring just to right of the posts. Joe Cribley added the conversion and Sheffield led by 7 points to nil. Sheffield looked as if they may double that lead just a few minutes later as Joe McHale and Cribley linked to breakout of defence deep into Ilkley territory, but somehow Ilkley managed to get back and hold up the attack. Sheffield held the territory for a long period and were eventually rewarded with a penalty after 33 minutes. Cribley converted and Sheffield led by 10 points to nil. However, Ilkley have never been known for the lack of endeavour and their very lively back division started to make use of the limited possession they had been getting which with just a few minutes to go to the break were awarded a penalty, which was missed by their kicker, scrum half Joe Rowntree. However, Ilkley had demonstrated that they could and would somehow try to get back into the contest and with the half almost over, were awarded another penalty. On this occasion they kicked toward the corner and the pack secured the ball and drove for the try line to out muscle the Sheffield defence to score wide out. Rowntree added the conversion and Sheffield’s lead was a slender 10 points to 7. Just before the break, Sheffield had on more opportunity to add to their score when Ben Shore made a break before handing on the No. 8, Jonny France to break away, before the move came to an end with a knock on and the completion of the half.

Sheffield came out in the second half and made immediate inroads into the Ilkley defence leading to a second try through fly-half, Rob Conville. Joe Cribley added the conversion and score was out to 17 points to 7 after 3 minutes of the half. However, Ilkley’s back division always looked as if it could do damage given any opening by Sheffield and so it was to prove. With 52 minutes on the clock and following a number of handling errors from the home team, Ilkley were once again able to get over the Sheffield try line, but through their pack once again, who were benefiting from the work of their backs. Rowntree missed the conversion, but Ilkley were right back in the mix at 17 points to 12. Sheffield steadied the ship wit ha penalty on 59 minutes to take lead out to 20 points to 12, but a handling error at the restart gave Ilkley the ball and they were soon over for their third try. On this occasion, Rowntree did add the conversion and the lead was a very tentative one point at 20 points to 19 and the fourth quarter got under way. The pressure on the home side was more intense, but far from irresistible, but a few more errors crept into the game, from both sides, but Sheffield were to become the most telling. With barely 12 minutes left to play, Sheffield were deemed to have erred at a line out, Rowntree did the honours on behalf of Ilkley and the visitors had an unlikely lead of two points at 20 points to 22. Five minutes later Sheffield missed a speculative drop goal and with only two minutes left to play, Ilkley mounted a rare attack into the Sheffield 22, which resulted in a try close to the posts, converted by Rowntree to take the score out to 20 points to 29, leaving Sheffield without even a loosing bonus point. Unfortunately, our referee failed to see the block from an Ilkley forward, which took out two Sheffield defenders in front of the try scorer, and all was lost, with a four try bonus point to Ilkley and nothing for Sheffield to cheer about at all.

This was a fiercely contested and fine match, with both sides showing a great deal of skill, but also vulnerability under pressure which must be eradicated if either is to prosper at this level of the game.

Scoring:-