By Chris Evans

Full-back Lewis Workman scored an early try and Huddersfield RUFC never looked back winning 20-36 at Ilkley.

Field took advantage of an offside and built an attack down the middle of the field. From the resulting ruck Huddersfield fed the ball down their right and Workman sliced through the Ilkley defence to put the ball down 10 metres from the post. Will Milner hit the post with the conversion attempt.

Field soon made it 12-0 following a Workman penalty which saw the visitors’ pack drive over the line for prop Ethan Myers to tap down. Milner successfully added the conversion.

From the kick-off a knock-on by Huddersfield gave position back to Ilkley and a period of pressure. This led to a penalty given away by Huddersfield 30m out from their line which the Ilkley No10 Sheard slotted to make it 3-12.

A further series of hard runs down the middle from Ilkley led to an overload on the Huddersfield right and a clear run by the Ilkley winger Martingdale to score in the corner – the attempted conversion from touch hit the post, so it was 8-12.

From the Huddersfield kick-off the Ilkley No11 made another break from within his own 22 through the advancing Huddersfield defence, following a series of inter passing the Ilkley team made progression to 30 yards out and a penalty – with the Huddersfield defence penalised for not releasing the player in the tackle.

Fortunately the post came to Huddersfield’s rescue again, Briggs managed to get to the ball off the post and cleared to their defensive 22m line. Ilkley were penalised at their own lineout giving Huddersfield an opportunity to clear and the ball was put past the half way line.

From the lineout Huddersfield made progress down the midfield and quick possession gave a feed to the Huddersfield left with Kian Stewart leaving his man grasping fresh air and headed for the corner.

With the Ilkley full-back approaching he fed the ball inside to the supporting Fran Entressengle and a run in for the Huddersfield No7 and an easy conversion for Milner. The first half closed at 8-19.

The second half started with a period of dominance by Huddersfield especially down their right, firstly with a creation of an overlap on the right for Fin Stewart to go round the outside and scoring out wide – conversion missed 8-24.

Then a break by Workman on the right from their own 22 he fed Fin Stewart who was stopped a yard out for a quick pick up and try for scrum-half Briggs – conversion missed 8-29.

Soon after the restart a Huddersfield kick on the Huddersfield 10m line was charged down by the Ilkley defence but unfortunately for them the ball rebounded to Fin Stewart on the right wing who went through the Ilkley defence with a run from the half way line, with the try converted, 8-36.

Then came Ilkley’s turn. Their No9 took quick penalties and found the Huddersfield defence stretched. As they attacked on the Huddersfield left, Kian Stewart managed to stop the scrum-half who flicked the ball up to the Ilkley No14 Ben Walker who ran in the corner.

The referee decided that the scrum-half had not been given 10 metres and gave Kian Stewart a 10-minute break – the conversion from the touch line was missed, 13-36.

From the restart Ilkley continued to dominate putting pressure on the Huddersfield defence and Ben Walker used the absence of Kian Stewart to make a break from just outside the Huddersfield 22 on their left and came back inside and ran behind the posts, and with No10 Shear’s easy conversion to close the gap to 20-36.

With both defences on top, that’s how it finished. Huddersfield’s six tries gave them a bonus point win and fourth position in the table.

Workman, F Stewart, Barber, Horsfall, K Stewart, Milner, Briggs, Myers, Moore, Sanderson, Dalton, Barnard,  Christian, Entressengle, Parfitt, Neilly, Patterson, Haywood.

Image by: RAY MORRIS