Stockport host Ilkley but the visitors secure victory

Stockport hosted close rivals Ilkely with the expectation of a close game, the two clubs were on the same 34 points but Ilkley had a points difference of of1less to put them ahead in the table.
After a good start, Stockport, playing with a very strong wind in their favour built a lead of 19-8 with three tries to one but Ilkley scored on the stroke of half time to make it 19-15. Despite the Stockport forwards producing some good driving play in the loose the Ilkley scrum dominated the set piece and it proved their most potent weapon, winning two penalty tries and two pushover tries, which helped them to a total of 5 tries to the 4 scored by Stockport and a victory of 39-19, giving the home side just a try bonus point for their efforts.
After a period of early pressure by Stockport fly half Jonny Edwards kicked ahead and the bounce beat the Ilkley fullback, allowing centre Scott Redfern to touch down. Despite the tricky wind Ashley Platt-Hughes converted. It was only 5 minutes later when a well organised drive of 20 metres from a line out gave flanker Callum Baldwin a try for a 12-0 lead. Ilkely won a penalty from the kick off and converted it, they were soon on the board again with a pushover try scored by their dominant scrum to make it 12-8. Stockport scrum half Sean Street made a telling break into the Ilkley 22 and won a penalty, from the line out the forwards again got the drive going and there was a try for Kieran Hibbs, which Platt-Hughes converted to give a 19-8 lead. A kick ahead on half way by the Ilkley full back was followed by a late tackle from Stockport and so Ilkley had a scrum 10 metres out, they were held up over the line but Stockport conceded a penalty try at the ensuing scrum and so Ilkley were within 4 points at the break.
Ilkley started the second half strongly and were soon ahead as their scrum pushed over for a try, which was converted for a 22-19 lead. Stockport missed a penalty before their scrum was weakened by the loss of Craig Anthony. Ilkley opted for a scrum when awarded a penalty near the Stockport line and the referee ruled another penalty try to put the visitors 10 points clear. The referee missed a knock on in the line out and good inter-passing by the Ilkley backs created space for a converted try to be scored to give them a 36-19 lead. The Ilkley defence was putting real pressure on all the Stockport possession and the home side were finding it difficult to get across the gain line. But a good run by Myles Hall from a planned move, allowed Lewis Bowman and George Smith to continue the attack and the ball was moved left to give Platt-Hughes a try to secure a bonus point for Stockport. The game ended with Ilkley piling on the pressure and winning a penalty in front of the posts, which they converted to make the final score 39-24 to the visitors.

There is no game next week so the next fixture is away at Huddersfield YMCA in a must win fixture for Stockport.