PROMOTION-chasing Ilkley are taking a well earned break from North One East action.

Coach Rhys Morgan and his players have the chance to recharge their batteries and reflect on their achievement on climbing to second in the table.

Their 31-7 win at Alnwick closed the gap on leaders Sheffield to just point, but the South Yorkshire side have the chance to extend their advantage when they face Wheatley Hills in a rearranged game on Saturday.

Ilkley will be keeping a close eye on that match because Wheatley Hills are their opponents at Stacks Field on Saturday week.

Morgan believes the break from league action is timely. He said: "The pressure has been intense and I know we are feeling it.

"Everybody has put in a tremendous amount of hard work to get us where we are, and it is good to be having a breather before the final push.

"We have some tough games coming up and cannot afford to ease up if we want to win promotion to National League Three North for the first time.

"Every time I look at the forthcoming games I can see more and more tough clashes. It is going to be important that we continue to rise to the challenge."

Morgan is planning to watch Ilkley's second team in action on Saturday. There are a number of players knocking on the first team door who the coach wants to watch.

"The second team have played a huge part in our success this season. They have supplied a constant stream of players to the first team and after a poor start, are now getting good results.

"Players like James Crossley and Will Marlow have been turning in good performances and there are others like Ed Brown and Ricky Palacio who have the ability to step in and do a job for us.

"This is an opportunity for me to take a look at those players. We have had the likes of James Colclough, James Pickersgill and Will Coates come into the first team and impress and it is a sign of the strength in depth that we now have that that reflects the strength of depth we now have, something we only hoped for in the past."