Strengthened Saracens overpower Yarnbury

SARACENS, with a week off from Merit Table games, arranged a pool fixture with Yarnbury firsts and produced a workmanlike performance in difficult conditions to run out comfortable winners.

After news had spread across Yorkshire of Yarnbury's sensational victory the previous Saturday Otley clearly feared the worse and fielded seven first team players, including several England Counties stars.

In the first action of the game the Yarnbury hooker Phil Wray was injured and was replaced by flanker Martin Rivett, the referee ruling uncontested scrums.

In appalling conditions Yarnbury competed superbly, holding out their National One opponents until the 15th minute. After continuous pressure Otley's impressive No 8 Ronnie Kelly crashed over the line to score the opening try, Dan Clappison converting.

Yarnbury fought back and started to panic their hosts, forcing penalty after penalty. But without the absent Wray Yarnbury's line-outs failed to function and give the backs a platform to attack from.

Both sides were making errors in the muddy conditions but Dan Clappison adding the conversions. Mike Allewell had to leave the field to have mud cleaned from his eye and Ed Thorpe slid into the advertising boards and injured his shoulder.

Yarnbury pride themselves on their defence and their fearsome tackling continued to frustrate their hosts, limiting Otley to just one more try in the half.

Right on half-time Mark Billington made a good run out of defence before linking with Richard Leighton who made ground before passing inside to Billington, who went over in the corner.

Substitutions were made at half-time but Otley soon gathered momentum again and when a back move was halted the forwards set up a driving maul and Ben Steele took the ball to dive over, Dan Clappison converting.

Yarnbury were playing with a lot of spirit and they held Otley with good defence for 20 minutes but they could do nothing when Saracens set up another close in line-out and the pack drove over, Ronnie Kelly claiming the try.

In the closing stages Otley managed to create an overlap for Leon Clark and he raced over from 40 metres, Dan Clappison again converting. Both sides contributed to an entertaining game played in continuous rain with a cold wind and slippery conditions, which produced a comedy of errors at times.

It was a good test for Yarnbury and they proved they could compete with players from five leagues above them. The Brownberrie Lane side must now focus on their relegation battle and their vital home clash with Dinnington next Saturday.

Otley Tongans 12, Old Otliensians 5

AS the score suggests this was a closely contested game which was in doubt up to the final whistle. On an appalling day for spectators and players alike, both sides attempted to play attractive rugby.

Otley had first use of the wind and camped in the Otliensians' half but they could not pierce a gritty and spirited defence which stopped them on the line on several occasions.

Good tackling from Jamie Pinguenet, John Fozzard, Aidie Crossfield and Simon Coates in particular, supported by the forwards prevented any score by Otley until 20 minutes when the home side exploited a defensive error.

Otley managed to get the ball to Tim Westlake-Bryant on the wing and he powered over for Will Foster to convert. The move was repeated shortly after but the conversions was missed, leaving it 12-0 at half-time.

Surprisingly Otliensians finished the half attacking the Otley line for the first time in the game.

With the wind behind them Otliensians piled on the pressure in the second-half and the experienced Simon Coates drove Otley back time and again, with great tactical kicking. Both Alan Harker and the PHGS Captain and No 8 Andrew Allman began to win line-out ball. Hard work by all the pack in which Dave Beardsley, Mark Copping and Roy Appleyard were prominent, saw them gain the upperhand in the rucks and mauls.

Crossfield was held up over the line by the resolute Otley defence and others came close to scoring as Otliensians kept Otley pinned in their own half. But with the conditions deteriorating rapidly Tongans were equal to everything thrown at them. With ten minutes to go Otliensians eventually scored when they drove over after considerable pressure on the Tongans' line.

Simon Coates kicked well for position and whilst three-quarter play became more difficult in the conditions, centre Pinguenet was able to run strongly in a blind side move to cross wide-out with 15 minutes remaining.

Despite strenuous efforts Otliensians were unable to level the scores and at the end of the game it was virtually impossible to tell the mud covered players apart! Tongans held out and the final whistle went leaving two very tired teams.

l On Saturday Otliensians A entertain Knottingley A at Chaffer's Fields - kick-off 3pm.

Otley Viscounts 5, Old Modernians A 10

BOTH sides tried to play constructive rugby but in the conditions it was a lottery at times. Viscounts got the first score when skipper Jamie Chappell picked up at a five-metre scrum and dived over but he could not add the conversion.

Towards half-time Mods reduced the arrears with a penalty. As the conditions worsened defences were on top and it looked as though there would be no further score but with minutes to go the Mods' right-winger picked up a loose ball and set off on a mazy run to outstrip the cover and score under the posts. A try worthy of winning any game. Viscounts tried to hit back but Mods held out.