Exeter 41

Otley 15

HAVING successfully completed two long distance sorties Otley embarked on another difficult 750 miles round trip to league leaders Exeter to complete a fixture postponed in October because of the wet conditions, so not a lot of improvement was expected.

However, the notoriously muddy County Ground was playable and an extremely big pack, assembled to suit the prevailing state of the ground, awaited them.

The Chiefs are confident of finishing at the top of League One and also sure that until their new ground is completed, at an estimated cost of £15 million, a temporary move to the ailing soccer club will meet the requirements of Premier One. We shall see.

They have certainly gone for size in their recruitment. Their latest acquisition being a 19-stone second row from Scotland, who was 66th minute replacement, and their tactics are suitably based on this strength.

Three of their tries came from line-outs following penalties kicked into the corner and two more following forward drives.

Otley are no strangers to this strategy, creating two for themselves in similar fashion but after Exeter's fast start they were forced into taking risks which, as ever, produce mistakes.

In fact, their first error was unforced. Fly half Tony Yapp's kick-off was directed to the opposite side to the forwards line-up and Otley were caught napping, the ball fumbled and scrambled into touch, the Exeter pack able to put their plan into action.

The ball was driven forward before releasing and full back Graydon Staniforth came into the line to slice through. Yapp converting, and Otley were facing an uphill battle.

To add to their woes Simon Binns caught a knock on an ankle and although staying on he could neither kick from hand, which was an extreme tactical hindrance, nor take the place kicks. He has a capable substitute in Ian Shuttleworth who successfully converted the only penalty chance offered on nine minutes.

Sticking to the plot the Exeter forwards ground out tries in the 12th and 30th minutes. Penalties into the Otley 22 had them rolling forward, prop Dick Liddington and second row Chris Bentley making the touch-downs.

Just before the break they scored their only try from any distance, centre Stephen Ward escaping the cover to open up the Otley defence to give Yapp a stroll in and two more conversions from the fly half had them in a strong position with a bonus point secured.

Having lost Kyle Dench after 22 minutes with an injury Paul Mooney failed to come out after the break, Chris Hall and Robert Whatmuff respectively taking their places.

Within four minutes Otley showed that they are no laggards at the power game, a penalty setting up a powerful drive which disrupted the home defence and when the ball was released Binns found the gap to slip through, Shuttleworth converting.

Failing to secure the restart Otley conceded a penalty and Jarvis chose to go for goal. The best build-up of the match saw Hall cross wide out, Shuttleworth striking the upright with his kick, but Exeter, sticking to their strength, scored twice in the last quarter, driving prop George Davis over from a line-out and it was Yapp's turn to hit the post.

Then, after fully three minutes of effective recycling without breaking through the forwards, allowed Yapp a look at the ball and he finished off to give himself an easier conversion.

Dench and Mooney hope to be fit for Saturday's return, which will be a mighty encounter, with Otley seeking revenge on home territory.

Exeter Chiefs: G Staniforth, E Lewsey, A Fatialofa (S Kepu 40), S Ward, A Murdoch, T Yapp, H Thomas, R Liddington, S Blythe, G Davis, C Bentley, Rob Baxter (capt), M Gabey, G Willis, Richard Baxter

Otley: I Shuttleworth, K Dench (C Hall 20), N Taylor, P Mooney (R Whatmuff 40), W Sovatabua, S Binns, D Scully (capt) (A Brown 60), J Wring, D Sayers (M Luffman 55), K Fullman, J Oakes, S Connor, J Tiffany (R Pike 60), N Bland, M Stockdale.