Otley 44

LYDNEY 17

SOME adventurous rugby from Otley thrilled the Cross Green crowd as they ran up 44 points over brave visitors Lydney but with Birmingham and Wharfedale both winning the pressure is maintained.

With eight games remaining in Jewson One Otley hold a five points lead over second placed Birmingham/Solihull who are in turn one point ahead of Wharfedale. Birmingham however have a match in hand over both Yorkshire clubs.

Saturday saw Otley run in seven tries, some in spectacular fashion, against the side fifth from bottom.

It was a comprehensive and entertaining victory over a workmanlike Lydney who lacked any element of surprise but managed to keep their line intact for 25 minutes.

Winger Tom Laureston was twice tackled into touch yards short and Lafaele Filipo was over but recalled for a forward pass.

Otley thought they had finally made the breakthrough when Peter Curtis dived over from a maul confident that he had grounded the ball but a scrum was given.

The opening try came when Lafaele Filipo crossed after the opposition had been pushed back at a scrum in their 22. Stand-off Lee Osborne's kick under pressure only found Ryan Duckett who ran at the defence and set up a ruck from which Filipo wnt over.

Dan Clappison added the conversion but Lydney drew level when their scrum-half Richard Turner broke blind from a scrum which was being pushed backwards. He put full-back Julian Vine over in the corner and then Lee Osborne added the conversion.

Clappison restored the lead with a penalty in the 39th minute to start a burst of scoring which saw Mark Kirkby show his class by pouncing on a loose ball and beating the defence to touch down.

When the re-start failed to travel the required distance Otley chose a scrum and after Jonathan Burke had picked up he put Andy Brown away on a mazy run to score in the corner. Otley went off-side from the re-start and a penalty kick into the corner saw Lydney No 7 Ross Armstrong go in and a great conversion from Osborne brought the score to 20-14.

Lydney were penned in their own half for long periods and Otley produced a try when Ryan Duckett came into the line to put Mark Billington over after Kirkby had chased back to collect a kick ahead.

On a rare raid Osborne kicked a penalty for Lydney but Otley's open rugby started to have an effect and a spectacular series of drives by the forwards ended with skipper Phil Griffin, who had a superb game, powering over after some good rucking and driving by the Otley pack. Clappison again converted.

Otley stretched their lead when lock Ian Carroll drove over from a tapped penalty.

The proceedings ended on a flourish when replacement Peter Wright broke away and fed Clappison who chipped over the head of the full-back and collected the ball before slipping a slick reverse pass out to Jon Skurr who ran 25 metres to the line to seal a superb win.

Kirkby's try keeps him well out ahead of the Jewson One try scorers with 13 while Lafaele Filipo took his tally to nine. Dan Clappison is the division's leading points scorer taking his tal;ly to 190 points with one try, 40 conversions, 32 penalties and three drop goals.

l Newbury are the visitors to Cross Green on Saturday and a win is imperative for Otley who then face a two week rest from league action before travelling to Rosslyn Park for what could be the hardest task remaining as they seek promotion.

l Pictured top right is Otley scrum-half Andy Brown faced by the Lydney half-back pairing as he make progress upfield.

l Pictured bottom right is Otley skipper Phil Griffin as he battles his way through to score.

Pictures by Andy Horner.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.