Cleckheaton lose gripping derby to Ilkley after late penalty

The clock on the far side of the ground had passed 80 minutes so everyone knew that this was the last action of a gripping Regional One North East derby. 

Morgan’s kick, from midway between the 10-metre line and halfway, sailed between the uprights to snatch a 30-28 victory, leaving opponents Cleckheaton devastated.

The Moorenders, who are second from bottom, understandably thought that they had won it when fly half Dale Breakwell had landed a snappy drop goal five minutes earlier to give them a one-point lead. 

Cleckheaton’s interim head coach Matty Piper, who has taken over from Gareth Lewis after the latter’s promotion to the head coach role at Rotherham Titans, said: “We have now lost the last two weeks with literally the last play of the game (they went down 15-14 to Heath the Saturday previously) so that is tough, especially with where we are in the league.” 

However, Cleck are not playing like a side in the relegation zone, having beaten Driffield 35-34 and Doncaster Phoenix 53-16 prior to the Heath match. 

“We could be sitting here with four wins from four if we had had a little bit more confidence and seen those games out,” admitted Piper.  

“The lads are digging in and working hard but we just need that little bit of luck. 

“It is so tight in the bottom half that Ilkley’s win has opened up a bit of a gap between them and us, whereas if we had won we would have been two points behind them.” 

Piper was delighted with his side’s initial comeback at Stacks Field, as they were 20-3 behind in as many minutes but just two points adrift 31 minutes later. 

He said: “We came back from a big deficit, and if we had cut down on the individual errors and come away with a few more points we could have won. 

“It was fine margins, as it was the previous week, but we are a tough bunch and we have come out of these situations before.” 

Cleckheaton lost their five first five matches this season, and Piper explained: “It took us a bit of adjusting to a new coach (from Thiu Barnard to Lewis) and we started playing a different style of rugby.

“But Gaz was a class coach and I wish we could have had him for all of this season and for the next few years. 

“However, he had an opportunity that he could not turn down at Rotherham and we wish him all the best. There are no hard feelings. 

“It was a shock when Gaz went but I have been player-coach before and assistant coach to Thiu and Gaz over the past few seasons. 

“It was a natural development to make me interim head coach. I don’t know what the long-term plan is, but in the short-term, hopefully we will start picking up some more wins this side of Christmas.” 

While Ilkley had a clear edge in the backs on Saturday, Cleckheaton were equally dominant in the scrums.

Cleckheaton's forwards gave them a real chance of getting something from the game at Ilkley. (Image: Gerry Christian.)

But it was the home side that went ahead in the third minute when the visitors were offside, with Morgan slotting a penalty. 

Dale Breakwell landed an equalising kick five minutes later, but the hosts got in front again in the 16th minute when centre Kristan Dobson was on the end of his own chip through to score the first try, with Morgan converting. 

Full back Ben Magee, always a lively presence, and Dobson put right winger Ben Walker away for a try two minutes later, Morgan adding the conversion.

It was 20-3 midway through the first half when Morgan landed a penalty after Breakwell was sin-binned by referee Andrew Shaw after a late tackle. 

Cleckheaton’s revival started in the 25th minute with a blind-side try by flanker Brad Marsden.

Lock Josh Plunkett then went over from a Joe Flanagan pass nine minutes later, with Breakwell adding the goal. 

Trailing only 20-15 at the interval, Cleckheaton hit the inside of a post with a Breakwell penalty in the 48th minute, but he made amends three minutes later. 

The match was very much up for grabs by now, and Magee’s try in the 59th minute, again from a chip ahead, was cancelled out by a try by visiting No.8 Richard Piper 11 minutes later, with Morgan and Breakwell improving both. 

It seemed as if the latter’s drop goal would give Cleckheaton the spoils, but they reckoned without dead-eye Morgan’s last-gasp effort. 

In Counties One Yorkshire, Bradford Salem overtook Leodiensian to go fifth, after winning there 24-13.

Keighley sit a point above their Bradford District rivals, jumping up to third by beating Pocklington 21-6 at home.

But after ending their four-year winless streak last time out, Bradford & Bingley were brought back down to earth with a 52-20 defeat at Hullensians.

Baildon are up to second, and just three points off the summit, in Counties Two Yorkshire after a superb performance saw them dismantle leaders Wath Upon Dearne 48-26 away from home.