Henley Hawks 48

Otley 30

Otley were unceremoniously dumped out of the Senior Cup by a side they had destroyed earlier in the season when racking up 55 points.

They welcomed back Simon Binns and Phil Greaves but lost the services of scrum-half Andy Brown and hooker Duncan Sayers to add to the missing Ian Carroll and Jonathon Burke and rarely looked at ease throughout the game.

Once again it was the defence which was at fault as evidenced by the fact that they piled up 30 points but were still 18 points adrift at the close.

They were under pressure from the start but it was 20 minutes before Henley broke through when fly-half Pete Davies found a gap after receiving the ball from a scrum five metres out and after crossing wide out was allowed to run around to the posts giving full-back John Fabian an easy conversion.

He landed a second seven minutes later when centre Rik Van Zyl went over after his front row had stolen an Otley put in.

Binns was successful with a penalty following the re-start and, when there was nothing on for him, coolly dropped a goal to bring Otley back into the game.

However, as half-time loomed they failed to secure their ball at a line five metres out and skipper Mark Venner drove over, Fabian again converting.

Binns opened the second-half with a penalty but Henley struck back immediately with a try from No 8 Ali Mortimore, who was allowed to stride through unmolested and Van Zyl met little resistance when he added his second, which Fabian converted.

On one of the few times the home side were under pressure scrum-half Peter Wright shot over from a quickly taken tap penalty five metres out and Ian Shuttleworth, now operating at fly-half as Binns was injured and replaced, converted.

Henley fought back and winger Bruce Rowland scored for Fabian to convert.

Phil Greaves, who had moved to full-back in the change round, scored a good try when he joined the line to power over, Shuttleworth converting, but he and re-placement Matt Walker got in a muddle over a kick ahead and Fabian was able to pick up and walk over.

The full-back then added a penalty and although Otley had the last word when Rob Whatmuff created and scored a late try, Shuttleworth on the mark again, they can only console themselves by thinking that at least they have missed a trip to play Birmingham in the next round, one of the most soulless places in Christendom.

l On Saturday they return to league duty when they travel to the so far unimpressive Wakefield. Another away win would be most welcome and it is expected all the injured except Nathan Bland, who is nursing a broken finger, should be available for selection.