Match report Sunday 6th December Friendly
This game was as close as the scoreline suggests with Rishworthian's surprising rivals Ilkley with a first win against them for a couple of seasons. Rishworthians U16s are coming into their own this season, playing powerful rugby in the forwards, not letting their opponents settle and, once the backs start to move the ball, they show that they can score tries out wide.

Rishworthian's won the forward battle on a wet, muddy day made for playing 10 man rugby. Ilkley showed real promise with the ball in hand early on as they moved it wide at every opportunity trying to get their stong, fast wingers away but Rishworthians and the weather got the better of them. Rish identified the threat early on and didn't allow Ikley to get into their stride putting in good tackles in the middle of the field and winning possession at every opportunity. Floyd at full-back made an excellent tap tackle to deny a try the one time Ilkley did make a break.

It was 30 minutes before the first points of the match were posted with Fowles slotting a penalty from 35 metres. Cowey and Ettenfield-Nann came close to surprising the visitors with a hack and chase but Ilkley touched down in goal and the whistle went for half time.

Half Time: Rishworthians 3 - 0 Ilkley

Ilkley came out with a determination to put Rish under pressure which they did for short spells - their backs continuing to threaten when they had ball in hand. Rish soaked up the pressure and once in Ilkely's half, the home forwards secured clean ball which the backs moved out to the wing allowing substitute Percival to go over for the first try of the match.

Ilkley certainly weren't beaten yet and sustained pressure created by good running from their backs pinned Rishworthian's in their own 22 for longer than was comfortable. Clean ball from a set piece saw Ilkley's No. 10 step round Rishworthian's defence for a try which was well converted from out wide.

With one point in it, the match went through a pulsating final ten minutes. More good play by the home forwards saw Pollard drive over from fourth phase play after Ledgard, on for the last fifteen, darted through and set up a ruck close to Ilkley's line.

The try went unconverted giving Ilkley a chance to get back into the game with a converted try but despite some heavy pressure from the visitors in the Rishworthians 22, the home team held on for a well deserved victory.

Final Score: Rishworthians 13 - 7 Ilkley

Man of the Match: The Back Row (Josh Hope-Collins, Vitaly Seleznev, Joel Broadbent, Milo Mansell

Click here to view Ilkley website

Team
	1. Fowles P	2. Illingworth	3. Pollard T
6. Hope-Collins				7. Broadbent
	4. Ettenfield-Nann		5. Collett
		8. Seleznev
9. Cowey
	10. Kelly
		12. Watkins
			13. Colvin
11. Mansell				14. Bottomley
		15. Floyd
Subs
	Percival T	T Hirst	Zientek	Ledgard