Saracens .............7

Wharfedale......34

Otley Saracens had to make nine changes for this second team Merit Table clash and it was a very young and inexperienced side which took the field against Wharfedale. Dale are always tough opposition and Otley knew they would be up against it.

The visitors opened strongly with their typical brand of non-stop rugby and they were soon 10 points up as they stretched the Saracen's defence.

Otley gradually began to settle and came more into the game with Scott Manson lively in the centre. Colt James Henry became the first Otley player to be sin-binned when he ran the ball back in midfield but was stopped and finished at the bottom of the heap.

He looked totally bemused when the referee penalised him for not releasing and then yellow carded him and sent him to the sin bin for ten minutes.

Dale took full advantage of their numerical superiority to stretch their lead to 20 points. On the re-start Saracens tried to get back into the game but had difficulty in winning the second phase ball against the lively Dale side who had a definite edge in the loose and the visitors added a converted try.

To their credit Saracens kept going with the young front row working hard and Darren Legett winning some good line-out ball and from a line-out in the visitor's 22 the pack drove the ball on for Andrew Tindall to claim the try, James Henry added the conversion.

The visitors had the last word when with Otley down to 14 men they added another converted try for a deserved win. Saracens will be hoping that some of their injured players are soon fit again.

Tongans ..............24

Wharfedale..........20

Tongans opened their season with a third team Merit table fixture against Wharfedale, who are one of their strongest opponents. Dale made the early running and took the lead with two penalties before Otley hit back and good work by the backs took play to the line where Steve Henry took the ball to drive over. John Thompson missed the conversion but kicked a penalty shortly after. He then exchanged penalties with the Dale kicker.

Tongans were moving the ball well and should have scored but Alistair Campbell failed to notice Tim Westlake Bryant outside him and he was stopped short. Another good opportunity was lost in the next attack and when the ball was dropped Dale hacked on and followed up to score in the corner to make it 11-14 at half-time.

On the re-start Dale changed their tactics to a more forward orientated game and this worked for a time as they increased their lead with a penalty.

Tongans hit back again with a John Thompson penalty before Tim Westlake Bryant made a powerful run down the wing from half-way to go over in the corner and give Tongans the lead. It was end to end now as the game moved into the final minutes and Dale snatched the lead again with a penalty.

It looked all over but Tongans won a loose ball on the 22 and a switch move saw Adie Midgeley slice through to score near the posts for a great win. This was a great team performance with a combination of youth and experience in a side that included five colts making their senior debuts.