Sedgley Park 39 Otley 33

FRAILTY in defence and poor finishing – not for the first time this season – condemned Otley to picking up just two SSE National League Two North points when they clearly should have done better.

Their first error came on five minutes when, having been pushed back to their line with a penalty, they were caught short-handed for No 8 Mark Lamprey, out on the wing, to sail in, fly half Stephen Collins converting.

Otley replied when, at a five-metre scrum, scrum half Stephen Depledge slipped the ball to his half-back partner James Mackie who scored.

Yet another penalty had Otley back on their line, full back Andrew Riley coming up to score, and three minutes later home scrum half Callum McShane broke from a scrum 20 metres out to race to the posts for Collins to convert.

Just before the break, No 8 Freddie Watson grounded when Otley drove over from a five-metre line-out and, with the wind at their backs, they started the second half confidently until Riley collected his second try.

The ever-busy Depledge re-dressed the balance, breaking away, chipping and collecting to scurry over and convert but tries from centre Richard Wainwright and flanker Liam West, with a conversion and a penalty from Collins had the home side a comfortable 20 points ahead.

This brought out the best of Otley, who drove over from a five-metre scrum, flanker Jack Scott-Paul grounding, and winger Harry Hudson finally shaking off his converted score. Depledge converted both.