Otley are hoping it will be a case of second time lucky and that their talismanic second row Howard Parr can make his return in Saturday's National League One home match with Blackheath.

Parr had been due to pull on an Otley shirt again in last week’s match at Launceston, but was ruled out by an ankle injury sustained during training.

The squadron leader was out on a training run with six of his colleagues near to his base in High Wycombe when a car ploughed into the runner at the front.

Parr and his remaining colleagues managed to dive out of the vehicle’s way but he suffered ankle damage as he jumped into a ditch.

The runner at the front suffered a broken leg but Otley’s director of rugby Gary Walker confirmed that Parr’s injury was unlikely to keep him out tomorrow.

Walker said: “I have spoken to Howard and we are both hoping that he will be fit to face Blackheath.

“It was obviously a serious incident and Howard was perhaps fortunate that he had time to react to what was happening.”

Parr, who was such a key figure when Otley staged their “great escape” from relegation last season, will bring valuable experience and know-how to an Otley side that are currently playing good rugby but gaining little reward.

The 25-15 defeat at Launceston was typical of some many of their matches.

The Otley backs showed great enterprise and ripped their opponents apart in the early stages, only for the Cornish side to take the points after utilising their superior forward power.

Otley also had cause to rue some crucial refereeing decisions.

After taking an early lead with a try by Christian Georgiou, they looked to have scored a second minutes later but the touch judge indicated that there had been a forward pass.

Later Otley were given two yellow cards, Georgiou for holding on and skipper Jamie Sutton for pushing an opponent away.

To add to their displeasure, one of the Launceston tries came from a penalty while Sutton, at the request of the referee, was warning his troops about foul play.

“We certainly didn’t have much luck with the decisions,” said Walker.

“I couldn’t see a forward pass and if we had scored a second try so early on we would have probably run away with the game.

“That could have made it 12-0 and would have given us encouragement to kick on.”

On the yellow cards, Walker added: “I felt Christian was dived on when he was on the floor, and Jamie was being restrained.

“As for their try from the penalty, how can the referee allow it when our captain is still carrying out his request to talk to our players?”