Illy Open With Defeat

Injuries once again limited the options available to the visitors, though a plucky first half performance saw them within four points of the hosts at the break.

The Stags opened the scoring within a minute of the kick off when a last tackle kick over the defence gave Brandon Hunter the opportunity to score wide on the right. The try being awarded despite appeals for offside.

Illingworth levelled five minutes later, the Williams brothers combining for the touchdown, Darren setting Dean up to finish by the corner flag.

Wayne Wilson added a brace around the half’s mid-point, the first a close range effort, the second a neat angled run from twenty out. Two Ross Hayden conversions gave his side a 16-4 advantage.

Ben Harris and Darren Williams combined in a swift passing move to put Dean Williams over for his second. Kieran Nicholson tagged on the touchline conversion to pull his side to within six.

On forty minutes an astute Dale Taylor kick into the in goal area was pounced on for the try by Darren Williams for the try, Nicholson again adding a fine conversion to level the scores at sixteen.

However a second from Hunter in injury time gave his side a 20-16 lead at the break.

Illingworth’s luck failed to hold after the break as tiring legs on a heavy pitch lack of fit bodies on the bench saw the home side press there advantage, running in five tries without reply.

Darren Williams’ interception try from forty out with ten minutes remaining served little beyond consolation and with Nicholson’s conversion left the visitors licking considerable wounds.