Otliensians lose by a solitary point to Wharfedale XV

IN good conditions but with a strongish wind to help the home side in the first-half Otliensians lost this hard-fought match by a solitary point. They scored a try and a goal to a goal and two penalties.

They were deservedly in the lead for threequarters of the game but were pipped on the post by a penalty five minutes from the end.

Wharfedale opened strongly but Otliensians soon had them on the back foot and following some good driving by the home pack, some fine tight scrummaging led to an excellent blind side move with right winger Rob Wilks coming up from deep to score well close to the corner. The conversion attempt just failed.

Otliensians were exerting all the pressure in the Wharfedale half and after 20 minutes on one of their few sorties into Otliensian territory Wharfedale scored via their lively scrum-half following up a loose ball.

The home side's defence left it to each other to tidy up. The touch down behind the posts led to an easy conversion.

Wharfedale's lead was shortlived and within five minutes Otliensians had recovered their lead when Dave Roberts got his just rewards for some hard graft following a good run by Rob Wilks and excellent mauling by the Otliensian pack as a whole driving up to and over the line. Chaplin made no mistake with the conversion.

The Otliensian forwards were consistently on top but neither they nor the backs could penetrate further. Scrum-half John James had one particularly good run when he evaded the Wharfedale back row but was brought down just short of the line. The score remained at 12-7 to Otliensians at the break.

Within five minutes of the re-start Otliensians were unlucky to lose Ady Fawell with a hamstring injury, the winger having done some good work in the first-half. He was replaced by Brett Tenniswood with Dave Smith moving out of the back row to full-back and Matt Tenniswood onto the wing.

Within minutes they also lost John James with a severe and bloody bang over the eye, the scrum-half having provided some good service to Chaplin. Andy Rockett once again took over the scrum-half duties.

Whilst the replacements soon settled in the changes did cause some disruption and although the forwards continued to exert pressure and keep play mainly in the Wharfedale half with the help of some good kicking by Chaplin they nor the backs could penetrate an efficient Wharfedale defence.

Otliensians were awarded kickable penalties and one in particular in front of the posts which would have given them an eight point lead if converted, with the necessity for the visitors to score twice to win.

Instead the goal was rejected and Wharfedale went on to convert their only two kickable penalties to win by one point.

It was not all bad for the home side. There was some fine line-out possession by Richard Smith and Dave Roberts in the first-half and Brett Tenniswood in the second. The latter also covered back well while the forwards generally produced some good mauling and driving.

They were a little quicker to the breakdown than of late and supported the player with the ball more closely. Added to this the tackling was strong throughout.

l On Saturday Otliensians visit Moortown in a a re-arranged league fixture, kick-off 2.15 pm. All supporters will be appreciated

Old Otliensians A 5, Hemsworth A 19

Having lost by 53-10 earlier in the season, Otliensians Seconds were keen to be more competitive in the return fixture. With no first XV league fixture Hemsworth included some first team players who were to have a marked influence on the game.

The home side competed well from the outset against some forceful drives from the Hemsworth pack. Chris Myers, Roger Copeland, Mark Copping, Robert Grey and Paul Daley in the back row supported the good defensive work of the backs.

The visitors produced some fine back play but Otliensians matched this on the occasions the ball was moved wide. At half-time Otliensians could be satisfied with their first- half performance and the match was nicely poised.

Unfortunately, directly after the break Hemsworth attacked strongly and from a scrum some 20 metres out the defence was found wanting and the visitors' scrum-half scored a try which was converted.

With the half-backs, Roy Aldridge and Jamie Pinguenet, working well, the midfield backs Dougie Jardine and John Fozzard produced some significant attacks. Both sides played some attractive rugby but after 30 minutes the Hemsworth full-back ran from a deep position sparking off the back move which led to a try. Three minutes later a defensive slip led to the visitors scoring a further seven points but Otliensians ended the game strongly with winger Jonathan Woods scoring a try on the final whistle.

On this showing Gray is clearly comfortable in the back row with Daley and Fozzard and Jardine could form an ideal midfield. The strength and ball skills of Pinguenet could be usefully exploited in the first XV. Ian Hopgood also showed some potential in the full-back role.

l On Saturday the first XV play the re-arranged league fixture at Moortown.