Otley thrashed again

Otley...17

OTLEY tasted realism on Saturday when they were forced to travel to Exeter with a severely under strength side.

Simon Hawkins pulled out with a hamstring he suffered in training late Thursday, while half-bnacks Andy Brown and James Lofthouse hadn't recovered from injuries received the previous Saturday, this to add to the other eight long term injuries.

Jonathan Skurr was taken to sit on the bench, as was Ian Carroll on his return from Australia, but the Otley line was crossed eight times.

Illustrating that this is a fact of life at the top, Nigel Melville's Wasps leaded 59 points at Newcastle then one week later ran in 50 points at home.

Exeter are rightly proud of their home record, their last defeat there coming 18 months ago and they are happy with their experienced squad, who are capable of doing the right things, a big pack with a mobile back row and half-backs capable of capitalising on every occasion.

Referees this year have been asked to tighten up on the laws concerning rucks and mauls and teams are finding it hard to conform. Otley were in trouble again, the penalty count being high and this contributed to the fact that they were far often defending their line.

Their defence failed twice within eight minutes, man-of-the-match No 6 Gary Willis and scrum-half Richard John taking advantage of some powerful forward play, but Dan Clappison replied with a pentalty.

The driving rolls continued and Otley once again conceded a score in added time, on this occasion a penalty try for lowering the maul.

Carroll replaced Steve Hudson at the break but centre Brian Menung swept over pretty quickly and winger Mark Woodman went in before John added his second.

A period of pressure on the home line led to a penalty try to Otley for persistent infringement, Clappison converting.

No 8 Blair Foote was drived over but Otley replied in style when Mark Kirkby swept downfield and found Skurr, a 60th minute substitution for Ian Judson at No 7, on his shoulder to score. Clappison converted.

Well into added time, late sub Robert Salt rubbed it in with his final try. Fly-half Sam Howard had the last word completing a 100 per cent record of conversions.

Otley should forget this encounter and start afresh with Saturday's home game against Henley, who they also meet in the Tetley's Bitter Cup two weeks hence.

Otley Saracens ........ 17

Harrogate Georgians 29

THIS fixture was in doubt on Friday night when Harrogate stated that they couldn't raise a front row.

In the end the game went ahead with uncontested scrums and whilst this arrangement is never satisfactory it enabled 30 players to get a game.

Otley's injury list continued to grow and Saracens took the field with six colts in the side.

Harrogate had a bigger and more experienced side and with their jumpers having the edge in the line-out they took the game to Otley, keeping the defence at full stretch.

They eventually took the lead with a well constructed try and quickly followed this with two more as Saracens tried to plug the gaps.

Gradually Otley started to come more into the game with the back row working hard and when they won quick possession slick handling in the backs gave Richard Leighton room on the wing and his pace got him over in the corner.

Encouraged by this success they piled on the pressure and when the forwards won a lineout in the Harrogate 22 the pack drove to the line and Chris Burns dived over.

The visitors hit back and their kicker converted a penalty to make it 10-22 at half-time.

Harrogate stretched the lead with a converted try in the second-half but Saracens were playing with a lot of spirit and Alastair Monks charged a clearing kick down and gathered to race over when the posts adding the conversion.

With Simon Henry sustaining a head injury Saracens lost their momentum and the game petered out with no further score.

Otley Tongans ... 31

Harrogate Thirds 0

A HARROGATE representative rang on Friday night to cancel the fixture but to Otley's surprise the Harrogate Third team turned up at Cross Green.

Skipper Nick Girling had to quickly try and assemble his team and he managed to raise 14.

In a scrappy first quarter the defences were on top but Tongans broke the deadlock when Alistair Campbell joined the line from full-back to race over.

John Thompson converted and then scored himself when he went in under the posts to make it 14-0 at half-time.

Harrogate rallied on the restart but the Tongan's defence held and they broke out to score a superb try, skipper Nick Girling completing the move under the posts. Craig Jackson scored next when he outstripped the cover to score in the corner.

Tim Westlake-Bryant completed the scoring when he took the ball on halfway before cutting inside and then moving out to power over in the corner.

This was only the Tongans second game and the lack of match practice showed with an in and out performance.

Harrogate 3

Viscounts 0

VISCOUNTS had a closely fought game against Harrogate on the first team pitch.

The home side took the lead with a penalty and then Viscounts lost John Nixon with a bad facial cut but they held out till half-time.

Otley piled on the pressure in the second-half even with a player short but they could not break down a strong Harrogate defence and they also missed two penalty attempts in a narrow defeat.