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Sat 27 Dec 2008
Skipton 1st XVIlkley
Tries: W Green
38
17
Skipton back to winning ways
Robin Hargrave27 Dec 2008 - 21:27
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Both these local teams wanted to play some entertaining rugby on the Saturday after Christmas, with both clubs wanting a competitive friendly game to maintain match fitness between their hard-fought league fixtures.
And some wonderful flowing rugby was duly delivered by these rugby neighbours, despite the heavy conditions underfoot.
Led out by their young mascots, Skipton started the game well. Receiving the ball from an Ilkley kick-off, they took the ball back into the Ilkley half where referee Les Foulger penalised Ilkley for being offside. An excellent kick from Thomsen just inside the 10 metre line took Skipton 3 points ahead within as many minutes.
From the kick-off Skipton demonstrated some lovely passing moves in the backs, taking play within 5 metres of the Ilkley line, only to be penalised for holding on when finally tackled. A couple of minutes later, another Skipton attack was only halted when winger Dillon was forced to put a foot on the touch line as he raced for the corner. However the Skipton forwards then cleverly spoiled the Ilkley lineout possession and forced them to carry over the line for a 5-metre scrum. From here, Jantjes playing at no 8 powerfully forced his way over for a try. Skipton now ahead by 8 points.
Ilkley then came back with a wonderful move of their own, finally resulting in their no 12 storming down the right wing to score near the corner. This was converted and the score was 8-7. However Skipton refused to yield, and passed the ball down the line to left wing Ray, who used his serious pace to weave his way through half the Ilkley team and scored near the posts. An excellent try, duly converted by Thomsen.
Another couple of minutes later, centre Munro capitalised on an Ilkley error and kicked through to just in front of the posts. A knock on from Ilkley gave a scrum to Skipton. The forwards once again won good clean possession, and this time the ball was passed down the line to winger Dillon to score in the corner.
Skipton were now enjoying a wonderful period of play, and ran the ball back at Ilkley from a scrum after the kick-off. Once again the Skipton backs were firing on all cylinders and winger Dillon stormed down the right wing before passing back inside for Thomsen to score. He couldn’t convert, but the score ratcheted up to 25-7 ahead.
Skipton’s purple patch continued straight from the kick-off. Davison caught the ball, passed out to skipper Oldfield, then out to winger Dillon again. Sheer speed down the wing – and another try. Skipton ahead by 30-7 after only 25 minutes. The large home crowd were ecstatic!
Play then continued fairly evenly until the 39th minute, when Ilkley moved the ball down their backs and made ground down the right wing. A penalty was taken quickly enabling no 7 Jones to cross the line in the corner. The half time whistle went with Skipton ahead by 30 points to 12. The crowd was buzzing after such an exciting first half – looking forward to the second half.
As a friendly game, Skipton then brought on four of their replacements for the second half. The pace didn’t slacken, and was a credit to both teams. Successive attacks foundered on excellent defence, until halfway through the second half when Ilkley finally cracked the Skipton defence to score on the right wing. The score remained at 30-17 for another ten minutes, until Skipton were awarded a penalty after a storming break and 20 metre run from Jantjes. Despite being only a few yards from the touchline, this was superbly converted by skipper Oldfield – the score now 33-17.
Scrum-half Wibberley caught the ball from the subsequent kick-off, passed to Jantjes who then set off on another superb storming run – finally getting inside the Ilkley 22 before passing out to full-back Green who scored in the left-hand corner. This was not converted, and the score was 38-17.
This remained the final score, and demonstrated an excellent return to scoring ways from the Skipton team. Despite the Ilkley team being a Christmas mixture of both 1st and 2nd teams, the game was highly entertaining and a credit to both clubs. The Skipton squad must feel happy that they were able to assert their open running style of play, capitalising upon good clean possession won by their hard-working forwards. All in all, an excellent way to close an exciting 2008, with the promise for an even better 2009.
Led out by their young mascots, Skipton started the game well. Receiving the ball from an Ilkley kick-off, they took the ball back into the Ilkley half where referee Les Foulger penalised Ilkley for being offside. An excellent kick from Thomsen just inside the 10 metre line took Skipton 3 points ahead within as many minutes.
From the kick-off Skipton demonstrated some lovely passing moves in the backs, taking play within 5 metres of the Ilkley line, only to be penalised for holding on when finally tackled. A couple of minutes later, another Skipton attack was only halted when winger Dillon was forced to put a foot on the touch line as he raced for the corner. However the Skipton forwards then cleverly spoiled the Ilkley lineout possession and forced them to carry over the line for a 5-metre scrum. From here, Jantjes playing at no 8 powerfully forced his way over for a try. Skipton now ahead by 8 points.
Ilkley then came back with a wonderful move of their own, finally resulting in their no 12 storming down the right wing to score near the corner. This was converted and the score was 8-7. However Skipton refused to yield, and passed the ball down the line to left wing Ray, who used his serious pace to weave his way through half the Ilkley team and scored near the posts. An excellent try, duly converted by Thomsen.
Another couple of minutes later, centre Munro capitalised on an Ilkley error and kicked through to just in front of the posts. A knock on from Ilkley gave a scrum to Skipton. The forwards once again won good clean possession, and this time the ball was passed down the line to winger Dillon to score in the corner.
Skipton were now enjoying a wonderful period of play, and ran the ball back at Ilkley from a scrum after the kick-off. Once again the Skipton backs were firing on all cylinders and winger Dillon stormed down the right wing before passing back inside for Thomsen to score. He couldn’t convert, but the score ratcheted up to 25-7 ahead.
Skipton’s purple patch continued straight from the kick-off. Davison caught the ball, passed out to skipper Oldfield, then out to winger Dillon again. Sheer speed down the wing – and another try. Skipton ahead by 30-7 after only 25 minutes. The large home crowd were ecstatic!
Play then continued fairly evenly until the 39th minute, when Ilkley moved the ball down their backs and made ground down the right wing. A penalty was taken quickly enabling no 7 Jones to cross the line in the corner. The half time whistle went with Skipton ahead by 30 points to 12. The crowd was buzzing after such an exciting first half – looking forward to the second half.
As a friendly game, Skipton then brought on four of their replacements for the second half. The pace didn’t slacken, and was a credit to both teams. Successive attacks foundered on excellent defence, until halfway through the second half when Ilkley finally cracked the Skipton defence to score on the right wing. The score remained at 30-17 for another ten minutes, until Skipton were awarded a penalty after a storming break and 20 metre run from Jantjes. Despite being only a few yards from the touchline, this was superbly converted by skipper Oldfield – the score now 33-17.
Scrum-half Wibberley caught the ball from the subsequent kick-off, passed to Jantjes who then set off on another superb storming run – finally getting inside the Ilkley 22 before passing out to full-back Green who scored in the left-hand corner. This was not converted, and the score was 38-17.
This remained the final score, and demonstrated an excellent return to scoring ways from the Skipton team. Despite the Ilkley team being a Christmas mixture of both 1st and 2nd teams, the game was highly entertaining and a credit to both clubs. The Skipton squad must feel happy that they were able to assert their open running style of play, capitalising upon good clean possession won by their hard-working forwards. All in all, an excellent way to close an exciting 2008, with the promise for an even better 2009.
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