Old Centralians 0 Ilkley Town 1

ILKLEY travelled to Old Centralians, unbeaten at home this season and somewhat of a bogey side for the visitors when they meet at the West Park fields. A combination of these factors and recent results saw the management make some tactical changes which proved crucial on the day.

With the surface somewhat of an improvement on last season, Ilkley were able to play their football in the right areas with their more direct approach to the day's game. Whilst the match was never one for the purists, it did offer a great example of what had been missing in recent performances, a solid display of strength in character and physical presence, plus a clean sheet.

Early on Centralians were pinned back and turned toward their own goal, Daniel Henderson and James Barker proving a threat down the right with their runs behind onto the longer ball. The home side rarely threatened, the defence dealing well with their hopeful balls in behind, Darren Munday regularly winning his aerial challenges and youth team product JamesTurland proving more than capable at this level in silencing the pacey left winger, a performance which later saw him awarded with the man of the match.

Half-time saw both sides feeling they could go on to get something from the game. James Barker, making his first start of the season, had the clearest Ilkley chance of the half with a header which beat the keeper and rebounded off an upright.

The break saw the Ilkley management give instructions to find the feet of the front three more often now that the home side had begun to drop deeper.

Ilkley continued to create chances as well as competing strongly all over the field. On the hour mark a ball was pulled back to Luke Bott on the edge of the box, as much of the ground anticipated him unleashing from this distance, a clever through ball to his left found Matthew Dressey unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box allowing him to unleash into the roof of the net. Whilst the home side appealed for offside, the referee did well to spot the Centralians player on the goalline.

Centralians were now chasing the game and the visitors introduced Schofield to threaten the space in behind and keep their defence pinned back. His direct runs causing concern for the opposition fullback. Ilkley continued to defend resiliently, with the main threats to the Ilkley goal coming from set pieces.

The largely untested James Hirst made some important catches from crosses and came through a crowd of players to punch clear. A close-range header stung his palms as he made a superb reaction save to see off the last of the threats from the home side.

With Ilkley keeping the back door firmly shut they continued to press for a second goal. A Henderson square ball just evaded Dressey.

George Gomersall's replacement James Hannaford was next to have the touchline jumping after his long-range effort dipped and weaved only to be tipped wide by the outstretching Cents keeper.

Ilkley went on to take the three points after a fine team performance which has set the standard they need to meet week in week out in order to achieve their title ambitions.

Ilkley's next match is at home to Altofts on October 10.