SSE National League Two North: Otley 20 Broadstreet 22

OTLEY appeared to have taken control of the game, sitting on a 12-point lead with just nine minutes remaining, but they were made to rue their earlier poor finishing, Broadstreet hitting them with two late converted tries.

The visitors started strongly, bringing out the best in Otley’s defensive technique but it was no surprise when, a drive from a five-metre line-out having failed, the ball was released and they got winger Jeffrey Gregson over in the corner on 13 minutes.

But as the home forwards began to affect some control, the reply came, skipper Stephen Depledge landing a penalty and, just before the break, converting a try from No 8 Freddie Watson as the pack efficiently drove over.

Fly half Ben Palmer kicked a penalty two minutes after the restart for the visitors but it was Otley taking the eye but failing to finish.

That was until the 58th minute when Depledge, after good forward pressure, found a gap, but on 70 minutes, with Broadstreet hammering at their line, Otley lost replacement Stephen Costello to the sin bin.

When the pressure resumed, however, the ball was dropped and snapped up by home winger Nazir Karim, who raced the length of the field to score, leaving the cover in his wake.

The last five minutes were a disaster for Otley, when, in addition to having a man in the bin, they had Depledge lying injured and were unable to check former Otley fly half Ben Cooper, playing at full back on loan from Coventry, coming up the middle to go in at the posts.

Then, in the final minute, flanker Jamie Harrop finished off a drive, Palmer holding his nerve with the conversion to take the game.