North West Counties League First Division North
Sam Dexter says Ilkley Town have to use last weekend’s dramatic and vital victory as a “launchpad” to push on from.
Third-bottom Ilkley came back from the dead to beat Ashton Town 4-3 to remain in touch with the teams above them.
“All it does is keep us in the group,” Dexter told Non League Yorkshire.
“If you look at the table it is unbelievably tight.
“You have Atherton who are a point in front, Ashton are two points in front.
“The win is just a building block and hopefully we can use it as a launchpad.
“I know we are good enough and since taking over we have been on the end of three difficult results.
“We went to Atherton and got beat 2-1 and I think we were good for a point.
“We were leading 2-1 at Daisy Hill with 15 minutes to go and we got beat 3-2.
“Cleator Moor is a really difficult place to go and three hours on the minibus and in difficult conditions as well.
“We got beat there as well but the performances have been alright.
“Still lots to improve on but we have been in there in games.
“Saturday was hopefully the turning point and it’ll give the players a lot of belief I’m sure.”
The win was Dexter’s first since taking over from Simon Armstrong.
But he showed ultimate magical powers in masterminding the victory as he was elsewhere!
He has seen the footage though and he says Ilkley deserved their three points.
“It was a fantastic result and one that was much-needed as well,” he said.
“I wasn’t even there, I was at Wedding.
“It is sods law.
“I was glued to my Twitter feed.
“One of the coaches was meant to be sending me updates but he was that enthralled in the game he didn’t bother in the end.
“It was a unbelievable wn but we needed that and I’m not going to lie, it has been coming because we haven’t been a million miles away.
“We video all our games and I got home from Birmingham on Sunday afternoon and the first thing I did was sit down and watch the game.
“We were really poor in the first half by our standards.
“By all accounts (coach) Dave Houlston was quite calm and positive at half-time and in the second half we were a different team.
“We were playing with much more purpose and a lot more courage and intent.
“We just went after them and when you look at the video we were banging on the door for a long time.”
An actual success story from Ilkley’s season is the emergence of youngsters from the club’s fabled player pathway – notably the match-winner against Ashton, Kevin Gonzalez.
“Where do I start, there’s quite a few,” Dexter said.
“You have got the likes of Kevin Gonzalez.
“He has played under 21s, under 23s, reserves, first team – he has played for all four teams.
“Tom Smith, George Gomersall, they have come through as well.
“Alfie Heaton is another one.
“The list goes on.”
Dexter and the club are very proud of their pathway and the Ilkley boss says it caters for everyone.
“We have an unbelievable and really good infrastructure,” he said.
“We have the junior section where players come in from the age of five to under 18s.
“From the under 18s the players transition to the senior section and that starts with the under 21s.
“Then from there the open age Saturday stuff starts where they can play with the reserves and as well with the under 23s.
“There’s a pathway where you don’t need to be under 21.
“You could be 25 and there’s something for you.
“You could start off with the reserves and there’s nothing to say you can’t get in the first team.
“It is a strong pathway and something we believe a lot in.”
Ilkley host Bacup Borough this weekend.