By Jamie Woodhouse
Goals from Micky Doherty, Tom Ponter and a James Wilson own goal gave Field a comfortable 3-1 victory over visitors Ilkley, who struggled to find their rhythm on a poor playing surface.
Ilkley took the lead just three minutes into the game as a goalmouth scramble caused the ball to drop to the feet of Richard Schofield, who slotted the ball past keeper Tom Metcalfe.
Field would need just nine minutes to find an equaliser. Andrew Benjaman’s ball into the box found Doherty at the far post, who guided his header past Matt Hawkes from a tight angle.
Joe Vickers almost gave the hosts the lead minutes later – finding himself in acres of space, Vickers attempted an audacious lob which looped over Hawkes, but was denied by the post.
Field found a second on the stroke of half time. Ponter’s original effort cannoned back off the crossbar straight back to the midfielder, who powered his follow-up header into the net.
Ilkley came out fighting in the second half and Jack Murray almost found an equaliser on the 58th minute. His effort from 25 yards whistled just past the top left corner.
Adam Fowler then had a great chance to level the match. One on one with Metcalfe, the striker had plenty of time to compose himself, but scuffed the ball straight into Metcalfe’s gloves.
Harry Higgins would be next to go agonisingly close for Ilkley, his powerful header from a corner crashing back off the crossbar.
The fightback would however, be brought to an abrupt hault, as Wilson turned the ball into his own net from a cross off the right flank, wrapping up the victory for Field.
Joint first team manager Greg Beswick said: “When we are at home we are always more confident than when we play away, and part of the challenges of us playing away and getting use to this league is coming to places like this.
“I actually think the lads have played really well today. We let ourselves down on a couple of set pieces but we’ve had a really good go.
“We could have come here and put 11 men behind the ball and frustrate them but, that’s not really our style.”