Binns kick seals Otley victory after a a tense battle at Old Deer Park

Otley 28

OLD Deer Park has never been a happy hunting ground for Otley. One win in seven visits, even losing 20-14 at the tail end of last season when they were beating all before them, makes this victory one not be scorned despite Otley not picking up the bonus point which was there for the taking.

Ian Shuttleworth was included in the squad though not required but making his debut on 65 minutes was Australian prop Alex Walker who flew in from Sydney on Thursday to add back up whilst Justin Wring and Kris Fullman are out of the game.

Wring is expected to be missing for four more weeks while Fullman hopes to be ready for action against Doncaster.

The absence of these two experienced props and the inavailability of Howard Parr had no detrimental effect as Otley set about the home forwards and gave them a torrid time throughout the afternoon.

They demolished their set piece, driving them backwards in the loose and dominated the line-out.

Unfortunately there were far too many lapses, handling errors, allowing turn-overs and probably setting a record for accidental off-side as they drove forward.

Home coach Martin Bremner had conceded pre-match that his side would be second best in the forward exchanges but said he thought that their salvation would be in swinging the ball out wide and this they did most emphatically from the first line-out after Simon Binns had pinned them back in their 22 from the kick-off.

A penalty put them onto the Otley five metre line but although the ball was cleared Welsh came back and when Waisale Sovatabua went for an interception he left the way open for winger John Swords but Tom Rock pulled off the vital tackle.

Otley re-grouped but lost Jason Oakes, yellow carded for going in at the side. There was another scare when a pass meant for the unmarked Swords went into touch but Otley forced their way upfield and a penalty into the corner was translated into a try with Matt Stockdale being driven over.

The Otley seven man pack were coping adequately but the home backs were a constant threat, especially speedy winger Tom Holgate and it was he, with Robin Kitching hanging on to his shirt, who unloaded to centre Alex Cadwallader to send him racing to the posts.

Former Harrogate fly-half Lee Cholewa, who led his line most effectively, converted and four minutes later added a penalty.

With skipper Glen Wilson constantly making ground from the base of the scrum it was only a matter of time before Otley regained the lead but they messed up another close-in line-out.

A tap penalty made good yardage but a penalty was conceded and it was late in the first-half before they scored.

Welsh were forced backwards at a scrum before the ball was released and a long pass from Binns to Sovatabua saw the winger hand on to Rock who was coming up on the outside., Dave Scully made the conversion as Binns had taken a knock.

Another opportunity was wasted when Welsh were under pressure on their line but a penalty was conceded and Holgate threatened again when he ran back an ill-directed clearing kick.

A fine deep kick by Binns had the home defence in a panic and a penalty for not releasing was sweetly struck by Binns.

Holgate found a way through some rather inept tackling and Cholewa regained the lead with the conversion.

Otley hit back with another Binns penalty and once well on top opportunities arose but they were spurned.

Sovatabua was tackled into touch just short and twice the ball was knocked-on with the line open. The home scrum was pushed back yards under their posts but Scully was penalised for not using.

Eventually a 15 metre drive by Wilson gained a penalty which set up the line-out from where Stockdale claimed his second try.

Binns converted and the result appeared secure but once again adventurous running had Otley's defence in disarray and Welsh replacement hooker Johnny Marsters managed to poke the ball over the line to the satisfaction of the referee.

Cholewa's conversion brought the deficit to just one point but Mark Luffman took one against the head and Welsh conceded the penalty for Binns to seal victory with the kick.

There is no first team game this weekend but there is a feast of rugby at Cross Green starting at 12.30pm when Leeds University take on Leeds Met to be followed at 3 pm with Otley Saracens hosting Wheatley Hills. The RL Grand Final will then be oin the clubhouse big screen at 6.30 pm.