A FORMER player did all the damage against Otley, as they lost 32-29 at home to the Sheffield Tigers on Saturday.

Ex-Otley player Mark Ireland scored six penalties for the Tigers, as the result kept the hosts in the National League Two North relegation zone.

Despite scoring twice as many tries as Sheffield, Otley’s penalty count cost them.

A Tigers penalty on 16 minutes broke the deadlock but Otley responded immediately.

After a lineout, Will Burns broke the line in open play to put Max Johnson through for a try, which Ben Smith converted.

After converted penalties for both sides, the Tigers pounced on a ball that squirted out of a scrum and James Broadley ran to the line.

Ireland then punished a deliberate knock-on by Otley in front of their posts.

From a line-out in Sheffield's 22, Otley pushed the visitors' line, gaining two penalties along the way, before the referee awarded them a penalty try and the Tigers a yellow.

The Tigers retook the lead with a penalty to make the half-time score 19-17.

From the restart, Peter Swatkins put in Broadley for his second try down the right-hand side, Ireland adding the extras.

On 50 minutes, Otley reduced the deficit from a lineout, moving the ball across the pitch while looking for a gap, with Ben Magee scoring on the left.

Another deliberate knock-on by Otley earned them a yellow card and another converted penalty, which made the score 29-22.

Otley levelled after 64 minutes when fly-half Paul Petchey broke the line, sold an intelligent dummy and ran 35 metres to score, with Magee converting.

With 10 minutes to go, a collapsed Otley scrum in front of their posts gave the Tigers a penalty and a slender lead, which they never relinquished.

Otley are five points adrift of Huddersfield and six from Luctonians, both of whom lost at the weekend.

This Saturday's crucial re-arranged home game against Luctonians kicks off at 2pm.