The Oakworth Wasps were looking to follow up their stinging victory against league leaders Oxenhope last week with another tough fixture against second in the league Ilkley Cobras. It was certainly as slippery as a snake out there after a morning deluge had created a wet and muddy playing surface which threatened to potentially derail Oakworths usual fluent passing style.

However the hosts again started brightly, seeming to bely the conditions with some slick early play. Ilkley though looked like more stern opposition than their opponents last week and the first knockings of the game past without either keeper being unduly tested.

The first serious action of the game wasn't far away though and on ten minutes Snook received the ball on the right hand side of the Ilkley area and played the ball across into Wilkinson who continued his fine run of goal scoring form with a coolly slotted finish into the corner of the net from 12 yards out to give Oakworth an early lead.

The Wasps weren't having it all their own way though and on the quarter hour mark Ilkley were awarded a free kick 25 yards from goal. The shot was too hot to handle for keeper Haza who made the save but spilled it out for a corner.

Soon after striker Wilkinson was in the thick of the action not once but twice. Proving that the Dev-lin is in the detail, senior manager and master tactician Sean Devlins work on through balls in the previous days training session was reaping instant rewards. Wilkinson was put through one on one with the keeper and proving that watching Everton on a weekly basis is no good either for your health or for your football game, he conjured up the finishing of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and somehow put the chance wide of the goal. Two minutes later his much better second effort from 25 yards brought a brilliant diving finger tip save from the Cobras keeper who pushed it round the post for a corner.

Oakworth were now getting into their stride and a Capozio long ranger was comfortably held by the Ilkley shot stopper on the half hour mark.

A resolute Ilkley side however stuck to their task and were giving as good as they got and saw a couple of speculative efforts go just wide and were also looking to play their own brand of Dev-ball with some dangerous, probing through balls of their own. Warren-Firth, back in defence at centre back after his goal scoring exploits last week, always seemed to be there though with some great last ditch tackles to keep Ilkley at bay. He really is a little ankle bighter! The accomplished Hillman alongside him also ensured Haza wasn't unduly tested and he hit a great few long range passes from the back to turn defence into attack.

At 1-0 it was a fragile lead but on the stroke of half time star centre midfielder Devlin unleashed what looked to be an ambitious looking 30 yarder but the weather conditions proved too much for the Cobras stopper and the ball slipped under his finger tips and dribbled agonisingly over the line for a nerve settling 2-0 lead to Oakworth at half time.

The second half kicked off and the two goal advantage looked to have given the Oakworth players a boost of confidence. Soon a long ball was played over the top of the Ilkley defence and the Cobras keeper rushed out of his area to prevent Wilkinson from having a clear run through on goal. The two clashed and the ball was deflected to Smith 30 yards out and he hit an audacious first time looping shot over the keepers head only for an Ilkley defender to instinctively save the shot with his hands and the ref had no option but to point to the spot. The ice cool Smith had won the penalty and wasn't in the mood for seeing anyone else finish off his good work as he calmly slotted the resulting spot kick low and hard into the bottom corner of the net for a comfortable looking 3-0 lead to Oakworth.

The languid Smith now looked full of confidence and was dominating the centre of the park playing some dangerous looking balls down the line for his team mates. Freeman was the main beneficiary who now, moved up onto the right wing, and seemingly being remote controlled by his adjacent father's voice, had his man on toast and was beating him seemingly at will, putting across some great balls which frustratingly went unconverted.

Fifteen minutes into the second half and a brilliantly taken corner from Capozio was met with gusto by the indomitable Smith who rose above the Ilkley defence like a cow towering over a calf to power a header into the net for a surely unassailable 4-0 lead.

However just when the game looked won Oakworth seemed to take their foot off the gas and the team seemed to lose some of their earlier shape as gaps started to appear at the back. Ilkleys blonde centre back was looking classy and with just over ten minutes to go a ball was played up to the Ilkley forward line and with the defence now seemingly asleep, the ball bounced around on the edge of the Wasps box before falling to the Cobras striker who venomously rifled his shot past Hamza into the far corner of the net to make it 4-1.

Freeman was proving a constant menace to the Cobras back line and had several good efforts that rolled agonisingly wide and then a great effort tipped over and wide by the Ilkley keeper.

With five minutes to go an awkward Sunday dinner time moment was assured when referee Snook Senior awarded a spot kick to Ilkley after a handball in the area by Snook Junior. However with 'Safe Hands' Haza's miraculous penalty saving record a goal was far from guaranteed. Sure enough he heroically made the save but this time luck wasn't on his side as the Ikley striker was faster to the rebound than the Oakworth players and he snaffled up an easy tap in to make the score a much more respectable looking 4-2.

There wasn't long left but there was still time for a great reverse pass from Snook to Hillman who hit an instinctive shot which the keeper palmed onto the post. Referee Snook Senior surely needs a new waterproof watch adding to his Christmas list as it seemed his current time piece had seized up in the sodden conditions. The final throws of the game were tense as Ilkley piled on the pressure and it seemed the final whistle would never come, maybe he was just delaying that awkward Sunday dinner moment for as long as possible!? Finally to everyone's relief the final whistle blew and Oakworth, despite making heavier going of it than necessary, took the three points to move above their opponents up into second place in the table.

All eyes will now be on the Oxenhope result to see if the Wasps can get within touching distance before the preposterous league system of promoting and relegating teams mid season comes into effect.