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Otliensians.......5

Otley Saracens had to make a number of changes for the derby game with neighbours Old Otliensians. Colts centre Chris Davidson came in at full-back and flanker Tony Greig moved to centre with hooker Dan Askew at prop.

Otley were the first to settle with their pack, getting a grip in the loose, and half-backs Peter Wright and Ian Shuttleworth soon had their backs on the move in the ideal conditions.

Jonathan Bennett on the wing, the leading try-scorer in the club, was soon showing his paces with his strong-running and by half-time had run in four tries.

With flankers Neil Hargreaves and Ian Judson always on hand to keep the moves flowing, Otliensians were kept at full stretch.

Tony Greig also got in to the act following a good run and with Ian Shuttleworth adding four conversions it was 33-0 at half-time.

After a roasting from their coach Hugh Gumbs at the break Otliensians came out for the second-half more determined and contained Otley to 12-5 in the second period.

In the second-half the Otliensians' front-row of Tony Twist, Richard Paley and Chris Baldwin, playing against his old club, started to cause Otley problems and they got their just reward when Twist forced his way over.

He picked upa loose ball 20 yards out and drove well towards the Otley line taking two players over with him as he touched down for a splendid try.

Otley were still trying to spread the ball but were handicapped by an injury to Peter Wright.

Ian Shuttleworth eventually broke the dead lock with a fly-half's try and added the conversion before Jonathan Bennett went over for his fifth.

Although this was a comfortable win for Saracens, their 23rd of the season to their credit, Otliensians, who have not had the best of luck with injuries, played with great spirit and kept going to the end.

Otliensians' tackling and covering improved greatly in the second-half and there was some good driving by Dave Roberts and Tony Twist as well as good tackling from Steve Foster in the centre.

A try saving tackle was made jointly by Andy Hayward and Matt Tenniswood in the closing stages.

Ilkley A...................10

Tongans...................17

This was a game of total commitment with both sides putting in some crunching tackles. Ilkley made the early running and took the lead with a penalty when Tongans infringed at the ruck.

The game was a hard-fought affair with Ilkley fielding a side with a strong presence of their younger players.

Otley started to build momentum and they hit a purple patch when Tim Westlake-Bryant produced a hat-trick in 15 minutes. He scored his first when he got outside his opposite number to cross wide out and then when Tongans took one against the head he came inside to take Matty Birch's pass and powered over.

He completed his hat-trick with an interception deep in his own half and he outstripped the cover to score, Dominic Kershaw adding the conversion. Ilkley's first-half reply was a penalty by their full-back Richard Hey.

Ilkley stepped up the pace in the second-half but the Tongans' defence held and there was a long period of stalemate as both sides were held up short of the line.

Just when it looked as though the second-half would be scoreless the Ilkley centre Bernie Burns got his lines of running perfect and he sliced through to go in under the posts for a try which Hey converted.

Otley's Tim Westlake-Bryant came off with a shoulder injury and hooker Mike Peel came on and Tongans held on for a hard-earned victory, their 14th on the trot.

Bradford Salem........7

Viscounts...............27

Bradford Salem had first use of the elements and took the lead with a converted try but Viscounts defended well before breaking out for skipper Jamie Chappell to score and make it 7-5 at half-time.

In the second-half Viscounts gradually got on top with former Yorkshire Schools' hooker Scott Poole operating at fly-half.

Dean Finlay, Mark Duxbury and Richard Hall crossed for tries, Jamie Chappell adding two conversions and a penalty to seal a good win.

Aire-Wharfe

Cup semis

Bramley Phoenix...7

Otliensians.............11

IN atrocious conditions at The Worralls on Monday evening Otliensians played the right game to win this quarter-final Aire-Wharfe Sulzer Roteq Services (UK) Cup match.

With a strong pack, which included a makeshift back line, they kept the ball in the forwards for much of the time with some excellent, hard work by the front five of Twist, Rockett, Bonner, Hardie and Richard H Smith with Dave Roberts at No 8 always in the thick of it.

Marcus Drake at open side tackled ceaselessly backed up well by Stevens at blind side until his departure through a clash of heads mid-way through the second-half.

The game opened disastrously for Otliensians when their kick-off went straight into touch and from the ensuing scrum Bramley;s left winger was put away to score. The conversion points were added.

Dave Smith replied with a good break scything through the defence to go over for a try on the left. Whilst the conversion failed, a penalty after 30 minutes was converted by Smith to edge Otliensians into the lead at 8-7 at which score it remained until half-time.

Ten minutes into the second-half Dave Smith put his side further ahead with a well struck penalty making it 11-7.

Otliensians' forwards were on top throughout this half and indeed for most of the game and they worked hard to be so. Their scrummaging was excellent, they frequently pushed Bramley off the ball in the tight and took their fair share of line-out ball in difficuot conditions.

Above all their control in the loose probably proved the deciding factor with good driving and rolling mauls and better backing up and close support for the ball player. The half-backs Swann and Coates had good games playing well to their forwards with some good kicking out of defence a major factor in playing the game in the Bramley half.

The makeshift back line of Arbuckle, Foster, Collins and Brett tenniswood did all that was asked of them and deserve a medal for withstanding the snowy, icy conditions to bring off some excellent tackles in defence.

Otliensians now take on Bradford Salem in the semi-finals on Monday at Salem kick-off 6.30 pm and some good support is looked for. Salem defeated Bradford and Bingley 28-13 in their quarter-final.

The other two quarter-finals were a disappointment. Both West Park Bramhope and Old Modernians withdrew leaving Wharfedale and Yarnbury to go through and meet in Monday's semi-finals at Brownberrie Park.

Otliensians A........17

Wharfedale............33

Before this game both sides stood in silence as a mark of respect for long standing Otliensians member and Club Vice President David Boswell who died on March 31.

With numerous changes due to first team calls and the last min ute unavailability of three playerds Otliensians took to the field against a strong Wharfedale side with only 13 men.

Andy Walton was plucked from the relative comfort of the Cross Green stand to travel down the road and fill the vacancy at prop. After a few minutes play spectator Andy Cooper was also cajoled into taking the field at scrum-half.

The visitors took the lead when an overlap produced a try in the corner. The conversion failed and Otliensians hit back strongly through good work by fly-half Prepal Bachra along with back row men Tony Hudson and Jason Willacy. Quick ball in the Wharfedale 22 saw full-back Kurt Nutchey join the line to slice through for a fine try which Bachra converted. Bachra then kicked a penalty to give his side a 10-5 lead.

Wharfedale hit back with two tries and the conversions put them 19-10 ahead at half-time.

In the line-out Darren Hardie and Chris Hayward obtained some clean ball for half-backs Andy Cooper and Prepal Bachra but strong defence snuffed out several promising attacks in which centre Steve Hammond was usually prominent. Wharfedale meanwhile moved the ball at every opportunity and Otliensians had to defend for long periods with wingers Steve Lofthouse and Shane Moore covering back well.

The pressure eventually told and good back play saw the visitors score two converted tries to lead 33-10.

Paul Edson and Andy Cooper then had to leave the field injured and skipper Dave Evans stirred his men into a last effort which saw Bachra set off on a powerful 70 yard run to score an excellent try which he then converted. Despite only having a six man pack Andy Rayner, Roger Whitworth and Andy Walton more than held their own.

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