Manchester 3, Otley 26

WITH Manchester already relegated there was very little apparent threat as Otley travelled to complete their league fixtures but needing a win to ensure retaining fifth spot in Division One at a ground where a victory had never been forthcoming there was no sense of an end of season approach.

Both sides were fully committed as illustrated by the many calls made on the team physios.

Considering all their tribulations on and off the field the home side played their hearts out, once turning the Otley pack at a vital scrum and also stealing three line-out throws. However, they found life difficult in their efforts to break through a not only tight but hard-hitting defence.

It was 29 minutes before they forced their way into Otley territory where full back Stuart Brown took full advantage to kick a penalty but that was to be their only score, although it did bring his side back into contention for a bonus point as until then they were nine points down by virtue of three Simon Binns penalties.

An early break by No 7 Nathan Bland, who has played every game, severed the home defence but he could not get his pass to Robert Whatmuff who was scorching up with the line in his sights.

So it fell to Binns to open the scoring when Manchester fell off-side. A chip to the corner almost brought a try but No 8 Tim Cowley's attempt to be clever with a tapped 22m drop-out went awry and in the muddle Manchester went off-side, once again under the posts, penalty number two.

Ed Thorpe was again much in evidence and a surge from the base of a scrum was well supported by his pack, which resulted in penalty number three.

Fortyfour minutes passed before the first try was obtained. When looking in command with a throw-in on the home 22 Otley contrived to lose the ball. A fine kick by fly half Simon Verbickas, a scourge of Otley when he played for Sale, had them back 40m but, with the line-out safely won, a great rumble had the Manchester defence retreating and Dave Scully broke down the blind-side. He drew the full back and fed Wasaile Sovatabua who had nowhere to go except the goal line 25m ahead.

Now clearly the better side Otley should have turned up the temperature after the break but they continued to attack up the middle and those little popped passes refused to go to hand until replacement James Tiffany at last worked his way clear.

He found support from Jason Oakes who in turn had Justin Wring with him to hammer his way to the line where he was held, but Scully was there to retrieve and duck over, Binns converting.

With 20 minutes remaining the avalanche was expected but it took all that time to cross the line again. Another chip through by Binns had Leroy Rivett chasing at full speed, a sight to behold, and he was first to the ball. Ian Shuttleworth's conversion kick from the touchline just slid wide.

So ends a highly successful season with a side Otley can be proud of. They have provided such high quality football every week in a style which has drawn plaudits from far and wide along with wonderment that a small town like Otley can survive in the higher echelons of English rugby, acknowledged as the best in the world.

Otley: Shuttleworth; Rivett, Whatmuff, Law, Sovatabua; Binns, Scully (capt); Wring, Luffman, Fullman, Oakes, Williams, Bland (Tiffany 40), Thorpe (Southern 44).