Otley 26

READING .44

I AM sure Otley's players will breathe a sigh of relief when their season ends against London Welsh on April 25.

It has been a long hard season for them and last Saturday it showed in the match with Reading at Cross Green before an attendance of about 400.

Reading were much quicker onto the ball and when they had possession they moved the ball upfield at speed. Their handling was crisp, clean and adventurous and it was because of this they managed to carve openings in Otley's defence. And when Otley threatened and came back at them the visitors always seemed to be a move ahead.

This win for reading means they leapfrog over Otley in Division One of the Jewson League. It was a wonderful day for the visitors, a disappointing one for Otley and at times an entertaining game for the spectators. They saw 10 tries in all, six from Reading and four from Otley.

Otley's play was dismal and they never gave the impression they were going to dominate play wheras Reading looked in control and were more determined. Otley lacked fire and crucial passes went to ground or fell short. Had they been taken then it may have been a different story.

Otley were under pressure to win this match while Reading, due to their fluent play gave the impression that defeat had never crossed their minds. They were never seriously under pressure in this match except 10 minutes into the second-half when Otley scored a goal to put them just three points behind Reading at 12-15 but Reading had the answer and hit back with a goal to restore their 10 point lead and from here they never looked back until the last 13-minutes when Otley scored 14 points, but then it was too late as Reading were out of sight.

For this match Otley put out quite a hefty pack and playing together in the second row for the first time for four years were Ian Carroll and Steve Hudson, who has since returned to playing following injury and other commitments.

The pack dominated the early exchanges but once the Reading eight got on top in the line-outs and scrums they took command of the game and Otley were called upon to defend stoutly, which they did.

There is only so much a defence can take before it begins to buckle and Otley needed to take off some of the pressure on themselves and give Reading a taste of their own medicine. This did not materialise for when Otley were in attacking positions their passes were either fumbled, which slowed up the momentum of the move or they went to ground.

After an early scare when Reading attacked the home line lock Ian Carroll sucked inn the Reading defence as he made a surging run. Otley won a maul and fly-half Simon Hawkins was just wide with a drop goal attempt in the second minute. Two minutes later Bruce Rowland, Reading's left-winger, was bundled into touch close to the Otley line. However, No 8 Phil Ager crossed for a try in the fifth minute and full-back Jason Dance converted. Two minutes later Otley hit back with an unconverted try by right-winger Simon Smith, who sped downfield to go over in the right corner. Dance added two penalties for Reading to given them a 5-13 lead at the interval.

On resuming Reading were quick to score with a try from centre Danny Barratt (43 mins). Sam Gardener appeared to have taken the wrong option when he passed the ball inside instead of to his right where two players appeared to have a good chance of making progress.

However, the ball reached Richard Midgley, a hard working forward, who saw an opening and made a determined run for a try (50 minutes), which Rutledge converted.

This cut Reading's lead to three points but instead of Otley putting on more pressure the try seemed to spurr Reading and they scored 21 points before Otley scored again. There were tries for Reading from Dance (54 mins), left-winger Bruce Rowland (58 mins) and right-winger Lee Fanning (61 mins). Dance converted all three tries. From a tap penalty the ball eventually reached centre Mark Billington, who ran in strongly for a 67th minute try. Peter Rutledge added the goal points. Fly-half Howard Graham crossed for Reading (71 mins) and replacement Wayne Hartley got on the score sheet with an 80th minute try which was converted by Simon Hawkins.

l Otley travel to Nottingham tomorrow (Saturday) and Keith Carroll is organising a coach to the match which will leave the clubhouse at 10am and will return to Otley for 9pm. Anyone interested should ring 0113-2503033.

Prop Chris Baldwin will be out of action for another couple of weeks after being knocked unconcious during the game with Worcester on February 21.

Otley Saracens 28

Sandal 5

A young Saracens side produced a spirited display to complete the double over a strong Sandal XV. The home side had first use of the slope and came at Otley from the kick-off with former England centre Brian Barley orchestrating the backs with his Rugby League centre partner making a couple of early breaks but the defence held.

Tony Cadman used the stiff breeze to clear his lines and gradually Saracens came more into the game.

Slick handling in the backs created space for John Bramham and he found the full back to score under the posts. Tony Cadman converting. Sandal lost a prop and the referee ruled uncontested scrums and this favoured the home side for a time with their big No 8 making inroads before picking up a five metre scrum to power over making it 5-7 at half time. With Simon Rhodes and John Bennett bottling up the middle with powertackling .Sandal used the breeze to kick for position but the decision at half time to run at Sandal was beginning to have its effect with Nick Brown, mark nixon and John Hillier-Hall in roads.

From one foray quick ball was released and Tony Cadman used the short side to sell a superb dummy side step the full back and score under the posts before adding the conversion.

Sandal tried to hit back but Saracens had their tails up and there was no way through a strong defence. On the closing stages another forward drive down the right took play to the home 22 and when the ball was released quick handling got the ball to William Darby and he left his man fore dead to outpace the full -back to score.

Fine minutes later the move was repeated Tony Cadman converting both tries to set the seal on a good individual and team performance.

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