Bradford Salem 13, Old Otliensians 0: It was the wrong sort of rain for journalists at Shay Lane on Saturday - the kind that meant it was pencils only from the kick-off, the kind that soaked coats, undercoats, and even shirts under that, the kind that reduced notebooks to tissue paper.

But Bradford Salem's first-team manager Paul Rae isn't complaining as they maintained their late burst on the rails for the second promotion berth in Yorkshire Division Three.

Rae admitted: "We wanted to play the match on the second-team pitch, which drains better than the first-team pitch, but Otliensians didn't, and the referee ruled that we stay on the main pitch.

"There was standing water there, and by the end it was a quagmire with very few bits of exposed grass, but the main thing was that we won."

Salem began the match without four regulars - hooker Simon Markey (ruptured hamstring), No 8 Mark Viner (broken thumb), prop Simon Davies (trapped nerve in his back) and second-rower Jason France (on holiday) - just a week before their Powergen Junior Vase semi-final in Dulwich against Old Alleynians.

But Rae said: "We were fielding our strongest available side as the league has always been our priority. And if we win our semi-final we will have a league match on March 29, the week before the final, and we will again field our strongest available side for that league match."

Of the four absentees, France will definitely figure, and it is hoped that Viner and France will too, but Markey has already been ruled out.

"It could be another two weeks before Simon is fit," admitted Rae. The only injury worries from Saturday's match were replacement back-row forward John Bradbury, who cut his cheek in the closing minutes, and left winger Chris Luxton, who tweaked his groin.

Rae said: "John had a steri-strip put on the wound, which was cleaned up at hospital, but they want to have another look at him early this week to see if he has damaged his eye socket or his cheekbone.

"It is harder protecting cheekbone injuries than something above the eye or on top of the head.

"As for Chris, it was more precautionary than anything. I said to him 'Give it five minutes and if it isn't any better then come off', and he did. He is hopeful of being OK for next weekend."

Rae had praise for full back Andy Dalton, not only for his place kicking, but also for his kicking from hand and his tackling.

The manager said of Dalton, who kicked a conversion and two penalties from seven attempts: "It was never easy kicking in those conditions, and there was also a crosswind to contend with, but Andy did well, particularly with his kicking from hand, where he penned Otliensians back.

"And he made one thumping tackle in the first half to knock one of their men back."

Salem's try came from fly half Jonathan jacobs following an incisive break from a scrum.