Blaydon 50, Otley 19

Otley, their National League One destiny already decided, travelled to Blaydon yesterday, who were scrapping to maintain their status.

Whereas the previous week, Coventry, in similar circumstances, were made to fight for their win, Blaydon were handed five league points without having to extend themselves.

Conditions were not ideal - a grassless rock-hard ground making for unpredictable bounces, which twice favouring the home side.

But it was Otley errors which made it so easy, and as early as the first minute. Running back the deep kick-off, they conceded a penalty which was put into touch.

Advantage was allowed for a second penalty, and then Otley were slow to get back to the mark when the referee brought them back, a quickly-taken tap penalty allowing hooker Matt Hall to stroll over, fly half Andrew Baggett landing the first of five successive conversions.

Otley then had their best spell and it was against the run of play when full back Ed Yarnton came into the line, got a good bounce with a kick ahead and scored.

Three times Otley were awarded penalties under the posts and chose to kick into the corner but were unable to make further progress, and they were caught out when winger Simon Barber came into the middle to go over near the posts.

Just before the break, lock Keith Laughlin, from another outrageous bounce, was put over.

Three minutes into the second half, Barber added a second try to put Blaydon 35 points ahead but the yellow-carding of their skipper Jamie Sutton served to fire up Otley.

Working from a five-metre scrum, prop Adam Blades powered over, and minutes later scrum half Craig Hampson worked his way through the home defence to score, full back Ben Hough converting both.

Blaydon, however, were not finished. Prop Robert Kalbraier crashed over and Barber completed his hat-trick but Otley came back when centre Joel Gill was rewarded for a solid performance with a try on 76 minutes.

Blaydon reached the half-century when lock Chris Wearmouth just beat the final whistle to grab a try.