Cleator Moor Celtic twice held the lead against Ilkley but eventually went down 4-2 in the North West Counties League.
Manager Brian Dawson said: “We were looking for a response after last week’s poor performance and to some extent we got it.
“We started brightly and went in front twice with both goals coming from Conor Hammell who put in his best performance to date for us.
“Unfortunately for us we came up against a decent Ilkley outfit who are flying high in the League.
“But we saw enough from the boys to suggest results will start to come. However, it doesn’t get any easier as next week we travel to top of the League Pilkington. That will mean we have played the top three in consecutive weeks.”
Hammell had given Celtic a great start with a goal on five minutes but Ilkley were soon level through Thomas Smith five minutes later.
Hammell added a second on 23 minutes but Smith’s second on 37 minutes sent Ilkley into the break on level terms.
The visitors made a flying start to the second-half when Kevin Gonzalez-Mele gave them the lead for the first time two minutes after the re-start and Smith wrapped up the points with his hat-trick goal on 78 minutes.
As they are away next Saturday ahead of Remembrance Sunday Celtic marked the occasion with a minute’s silence before the game.
Cleator Moor Brass Band took part with the Royal British Legion flag carried by David Farrell and the Last Post played by bugler Rebecca Pearl.
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