Fylde A 6

Otley Saracens 52

SARACENS produced a good team performance to win this Merit table game at Lytham and record their sixth consecutive win during which they have scored 320 points and only conceded two tries.

Otley made the early running and took the lead when the pack heaved the home eight back for Tony Greig to get the touchdown. James Henry added the conversion.

An attack down the right was switched left and Will Darby raced over for Henry to convert and give Saracens 14 points in as many minutes.

Fylde hit back and pinned Otley in their own half for a lengthy period but the defence was secure and all Fylde had to show was a penalty.

With the siege raised Saracens hit a purple patch. Tony Greig made a No 8 pick-up and found Henry in support who scored and converted.

Saracens were soon on the attack again and Mark Nixon powered over following forward pressure for Henry to convert. In the final minute Ryan Duckett joined the line to race over and make it 33-3.

Fylde attacked strongly on the re-start and reduced the arrears with a penalty but it was not long before Saracens were back on the attack.

From a five-metre scrum they drove the home pack back for Matthew Wright to claim the try, Henry again converting. Laycock and Darby were replaced by Steve Rice and Leon Clarke and the latter was next on the scoresheet with a tricky run, Henry again converting.

Nathan Bland completed the scoring when he was up in support of a breakaway.

In a good pack performance the back-row of Wright, Bland and Greig were outstanding in attack and defence. Steve Rice came through his test satisfactorily.

Otley Tongans 41

Ilkley XV 3

OTLEY retained the Tim Bucknall Trophy when the Tongans defeated a mixed Ilkley team of first and second team players at Cross Green before an appreciative crowd.

There was total commitment and both sides had chances but it was 25 minutes before Steve Kershaw broke the deadlock darting round the blind side to score.

Ilkley hit back with a Tony Cadman penalty and he was just wide with a second shortly after.

Tongans stretched the lead with a well-worked move when Tim Westlake-Bryant took a short pass from Steve Kershaw to power over, Phil Howell adding the conversion.

The killer blow came right on half-time when replacement Steve Henson powered over following a forward drive for Howell to convert.

The Tongans pack were now well on top and starving Ilkley of quality possession and with Howell keeping his backs on the move the visitors were kept at full stretch.

Adrian Keeler scored from a powerful run and Tom Grubb, who had a lively game in the back row, added a second.

Alistair Campbell, who was counter-attacking well from full-back, raced through for a try which Howell converted and Westlake-Bryant rounded off the scoring with a fine try. Ilkley never gave up and contributed to an entertaining game.

Ilkley XV 31

Otley Viscounts 12

ILKLEY gained a deserved win over the Viscounts at Stacks Field. The first-half was evenly contested, Ilkley just edging it 19-12 with Viscounts points coming from tries by Gareth Herbert and Sam Burtenshaw and one conversion by skipper Jamie Chappell.

Ilkley controlled the second-half and scored two more tries and a conversion without reply.