Otley 12 Ampthill & District 53

OTLEY produced two fine tries and did the groundwork for many others but failed to apply the finishing touches in their SSE National League Two North game at Cross Green.

Forward or dropped passes came too regularly against a big, experienced, side who knew how to use their skills and steadily built a hefty score to keep them firmly in the championship race.

The first scoring opportunity fell to Otley when the visitors’ starting kick went straight into touch.

The hosts comfortably heeled at the scrummage and won a penalty which gave them a line-out close to the Ampthill line, but that which was marred by handling errors.

On 12 minutes, Ampthill made no mistake with a similar approach, scrum half Gavin Williams following his forwards to touch down.

Attacking fluently, Otley were awarded a penalty but the crosswind failed to help them, and it was the visiting forwards, aided by a penalty, who drove from the line-out for flanker Matt Burke to ground the ball.

Just before the break, a good home attack stumbled, allowing Ampthill to break away, Darrel Dyer taking an inside pass to go over and fellow centre Brendan Burke adding the conversion for a rather flattering 17-0 half-time lead.

On the resumption, Otley began to show the effects brought about by the pounding they were receiving.

They were pushed back at a scrum and, after a number of phases, the impressive Maama Molitika went over near the posts for Burke to convert.

Otley then produced the best try of the day, a fine, sweeping move ending with Harry Hudson adding to his total but they were caught out when a fine clearing kick from centre Michael Coady was run back for centre William Goodge to score, Burke converting.

This was followed by a strong rolling maul which took flanker Joseph Bercis over.

Then, in the space of five minutes, Burke and Dyer went in, Otley replying when Steven Depledge tapped and ran a penalty, Coady forcing his way over, for the scrum half to convert.

However, the game ended with Dyer completing his hat-trick, full back Karim Lynch converting.