Match Preview: Ilkley Town Reserves

It's a return to league action for our Reserves on Saturday.

Following their 4-0 trophy success over Marsden Reserves last weekend, our Reserves side return to Barr Field and league action against Ilkley Town Reserves this Saturday. Kick-off is 2pm and a look at the skies shows sunny intervals throughout the afternoon!

Making it through the early stages of the trophy has seen Rangers fall down the league due to lack of games, so Saturday’s match is both a much-needed opportunity to pick up points, but also as our opposition sit one place above us, it presents a great chance to try and beat one of our nearest rivals.

Ilkley have amassed 20 points from a grand total of 30 at present and as such find themselves in fifth position in the table. There is little to split between their form, as they have won three, drawn one and lost one both home and away, so they will present stern opposition! Goals wise, Ilkley certainly know where the net is having scored the highest amount of away goals in the league to date with 22 (avg. 4.4 goals per game). To slightly offset this however, they are the 9th highest conceding team on the road as well having shipped 11 (avg. 2.2 goals per game). Looking at the FA stats, we will have to keep a close eye on the pairing of Benji Claydon and Charles Fairbank, who have scored 15 and 7 times respectively!

Our record against teams in the top six is even at present, with a defeat against Boroughbridge Reserves being balanced out with a win over Otley Town Reserves. So, this match gives us the chance to put down a real marker for a promotion challenge. Player-Manager Kris Macdonald will be demanding that his side continue to show the same determination and intensity that they have in recent victories.

The referee for this game will be Mr Johnathon Spencer. Mr Spencer has been the man in the middle seven times already this season, with eight additional appearances as an Assistant Referee as well! In the matches that he taken charge of, he has issued nine yellow cards, but has yet to dismiss a player. We hope that Mr Spencer and all visiting fans and officials of Ilkley Town have a pleasant time whilst they are at Barr Field.

The gates to the ground will be open from around 12:30pm and you are more than welcome to come and join us for a drink in our clubhouse. We will be serving our matchday special for just £2.00 per bottle, and there will also be a great range of both alcoholic and soft drinks for you to buy before, at half-time and after the game.

Also, if you have any spare pennies and would like to donate them to a great cause, we will also have our prostate Cancer UK collection boxes around the clubhouse. You can also buy one of their great Men United Pin Badges for a pound (or two!) from these boxes as well.

League Form over the past five games:

Rangers W W W W D

Ilkley Town W L W W D

Leading League Goalscorers

Rangers Vito D'Avanzo 6 goals

Ilkley Town Benji Claydon 15 goals

Kirk Deighton Rangers Reserves are sponsored by: