Kris Macdonald's Post Match Reaction

On a wind swept and rain sodden day, but a beautiful 4G surface, Ilkley Town Res and Kirk Deighton Rangers Res had to be content with a point each, but for at least 75 minutes of the game and 3-1 up, it looked like Ilkley would leap frog us into second place!

The hosts opened the scoring only for Vito D'Avanzo to level in the 28th minute. Ilkley regained the lead before half-time and further increased it with 75 minutes on the clock. However, Rangers fought back and Danny Gore gave us a glimmer of hope with a smashing goal in the 85th minute and then in the second minute of added time, Captain John Large looped his slightly deflected shot over the keeper and into the net!

After the match, a very wet and cold Kris Macdonald had this to say.

On the match itself ...

We pride ourselves on being a very good footballing side and we turned up and played on what is probably the best surface we will ever play on and never passed to each other! I think we probably only managed to string together three or four passes maximum at a go. We seemed to panic a bit at times and forgot our game, but we battled and showed that sometimes you can’t play a great passing game but can still get a point! I think if we played more on the deck, then the wind, which was a factor for both teams, shouldn’t

effect the movement, but we chose to play a lot of football in the air which didn’t help.

However, three-one down against promotion rivals with fifteen minutes to go, playing on a surface that they are used to, and we weren’t, if you had given me a three all, I would have snapped your hands off!

I have to say that the guys keep on defying all the challenges that are put in front of them. To get a point when we didn’t play well just shows the character of this team and I’m very proud of them all!

The determination that the team showed at 3-2 …

Absolutely and Ben (Lawrence) who had come to watch also mentioned that their heads had gone, and we could nick the equaliser. That goal by Danny (Gore) gave us a massive lift and we got our heads up for the first time in the game. We thought that we could get something out of it at that point and that’s what they went on to do. The goal really did flatten them and give us a massive boost.

On Danny Gore …

I can’t take credit for the substitution. Vito had injured his ankle and Danny hasn’t had many opportunities this season but has been our leading goalscorer for many seasons and you always think he will get you a goal. He is a massive player to have at the club and gives you so much experience on the ball. I have to say that his goal was probably one of the best that we have scored this season, but that’s the kind of player he is and the kind of goal he can score.