Otley 27

Exeter Chiefs 7

The players may have flown back to Leeds-Bradford Airport, but the trip back from Exeter must have seemed a long one nine days ago.

"It isn't something that I have been able to say about us over the last two years, but we just didn't compete," said Otley coach Peter Clegg following their 41-15 defeat against the leaders.

"And we spent most of last week trying to ensure that we gave a performance this weekend."

Clegg isn't known for his unstinting praise, but he found it difficult to keep a smile off his face after his team gave him a performance and a half.

Fourth-placed Otley defeated the front-runners for promotion to the Premiership 27-7 and deserved the standing ovation they got at the end from the Cross Green faithful. As long as they weren't giving away penalties Otley had at least parity, and their discipline was also a factor in throwing open the battle for promotion.

Clegg added: "What a turnaround from the previous week, and our defence was superb.

"And, I haven't told the lads because it would be churlish, but we should have scored a couple more tries!"

One might have come as early as the sixth minute when fly half Simon Binns slid a grubber kick into the in-goal area, Exeter winger Josh Lewsey hacking it clear ahead of the onrushing home winger Waisale Sovatabua.

The respite only lasted a minute, however, scrum half Dave Scully getting on the end of a forward drive and Binns converting.

Five minutes later the warning cones had been well and truly hoisted for Otley, two penalties allowing Exeter to kick for touch near the Otley line and, after Exeter hooker Andy Blythe had been held up over the line, prop Richard Liddington got the try and fly half Anthony Yapp the equalising conversion.

Both sides were reduced to 14 men by Italian international referee Carlo Damarco after some pushing and shoving. Exeter flanker Mark Gabey and Otley second row Jason Oakes were the culprits given a breather in the 21st minute, but a minute later fine work by Scully helped flanker Nathan Bland score for Otley, Binns adding a fine conversion.

And just when it seemed as if Otley were running out of time, they added a third try before half-time.

Twice Binns had kicked penalties to touch near the Exeter line and twice his forwards had been foiled, but on the third occasion three minutes into injury-time prop Justin Wring got the try to make the interval score a healthy 19-7.

Within two minutes of the re-start, the Chiefs were down to 14 men when Gabey slotted Bland and received a second yellow card, and in the 65th minute scrum half Thomas Haydn was sin-binned for interference from an offside position.

In the 67th minute, Binns put Otley more than two scores ahead with a penalty, and replacement hooker Duncan Sayers capped things off with a bonus point try.