As befits someone who has seen active service in Iraq, Belize, East Africa and Afghanistan, RAF officer Howard Parr doesn’t mince his words.

Pack leader Parr is still haunted by Otley’s 18-12 National League One home defeat against Esher on the second weekend of the season.

“It was a massive oportunity missed,” confessed the 36-year-old second row. “I still think about the interception pass that Kyle Dench gave.

“But Esher’s coach Mike Schmidt, who I used to play with at Rotherham, does his homework and he is very thorough.

“Esher are a very well-drilled and very well organised side and we are going there on Saturday on the back of their 12-12 draw against Exeter.

"It depends if Esher picked up any injuries or how much that effort took out of them but we have certainly targeted this as a game that we can win.”

Second-from-bottom Otley’s situation is still perilous as they need to bridge a gap of 20 points and climb four places if they are to avoid relegation but Esher are only two places and six points better off.

The Cross Greeners need a performance like they produced at home to Doncaster last Saturday rather than the tepid effort of the week before against Rotherham.

Otley are hoping that prop Kris Fullman can be promoted from the bench on Saturday as he recovers from a calf injury, while it is also hoped that No 8 Mike McComish has shrugged off a hamstring complaint.