Pennine Division Four West: Silsden 4 Illingworth 32

SILSDEN got back to league action with a tough game against the leaders, who proved too good for them.

The Cobbydalers began by kicking the ball out on the full to allow the visitors an immediate spell of possession. The pressure was applied for some ten minutes, but Silsden held out and then came back with a typical dive over from acting half Jonny Crowther.

Illingworth then copied the home team and also kicked out on the full at the restart, and the same result followed, with Silsden unable to convert possession into points and Illingworth coming back to score, with a great cut-out pass to the left, and with the goal added from wide out.

They repeated the same move five minutes later, with Silsden once again being caught with insufficient numbers on the right.

The home team seemed intent on offering opportunities to their opponents as they continued to lose the ball and give away penalties, with the almost inevitable result of further scores against them.

Firstly a delightful short ball from Illingworth's half-back allowed a forward to crash over for a converted try under the posts, soon followed by another wide pass for a try in the corner.

Trailing 20-4 at half-time, Silsden needed to regroup and they responded with some determined defence for 15 minutes, but the sustained pressure eventually told and Illingworth touched down again following a neat kick through.

For a third time in the game the ball was kicked straight out, and the pressure was immediately reapplied to the Silsden line. This time the tackles came in and the score remained the same until the last few minutes when Illingworth tried another kick through and won the race to touch down, with the goal also being added.

Silsden were disappointed at their performance and will have to step up a gear if they are to challenge. Debutant scrum half Richard Whitehead was given man of the match by the visiting coach, while Jonny Crowther, James Bowdin and Lee Shaw all gave good accounts of themselves.

Silsden visit Division Three West high-fliers Brighouse Rangers in the Halifax ARL Joe Blackford Memorial Trophy semi-final on Saturday.