Orrell 28, Otley 14

ORRELL presents an inhospitable spectre with its clubhouse razed to the ground following a fire and no sign of hospitality for visitors other than a notice amongst the programme adverts, easily missed, inviting supporters to a church club half a mile away after the game.

This is not the case with other fully professional clubs and there were rumours of change at Edge Hall Road, coach Ross Reynolds writing in the programme of the uncertainty of his position and the concern of the players for their future.

The picture was not improved by squalls from the Irish Sea being driven straight down the pitch by a gale, which was to persist all afternoon, and Otley chose to face this at the kick-off.

Fortunately the rain abated but any kicking plan had to be aborted and even passing from hand had its difficulties as became apparent very quickly, but, helped by solid scrummaging, where as usual they had the upper hand and good line-out work they held out until the break conceding just two tries, both converted by left winger Leigh Hinton.

Although priding themselves on their back play Orrell soon decided on the direct route and the powerful No 6 Alfie Too'ala, back from suspension, was soon in evidence but he was well contained. One shattering tackle by Jason Oakes had him seeking relief and ten minutes after the break he gave in, being replaced by ex-Otley back row Alex Bennett.

No 8 Ed Thorpe was much in evidence with his runs from the base of the scrum and from the numerous penalties Orrell were happy to concede, it being so difficult to make progress by kicking.

It was following one of these that Otley chose to open up but the wind delayed the pass to Neil Law who took man and ball, and from the turnover Hinton was in under the posts with just four minutes on the clock.

It was a battle royal as Otley responded to everything asked of them as they were attacked up the middle and down the flanks until the 24th minute when, in an attempt to run out of trouble, an inside pass from Simon Binns was blown off course. Possession was lost to the home forwards who drove back, scrum half Steve So'Oialo forcing his way over.

Otley managed a few forays into the home half, one just before the break looking very promising until a penalty drove them back into their own territory. There another penalty had Hinton going for goal, the only attempt from either side, but it went wide.

On resumption the game took on the same structure, on one attack Orrell had 14 men committed to the drive, a solitary winger 30 metres away, but they were repelled and soon back facing the battering from their visitors.

The ferocity of Otley's play became evident as Orrell players began to limp from the field, Too'ala being followed by four more each requiring assistance.

However, the home defence remained firm and they were caught napping when, on 55 minutes following an Orrell breakaway, they concede a penalty on their 22 in midfield, and after the referee played a long advantage which took play to the touch-line, replacement scrum half Gavin Cattle raced back to the mark when play was halted to tap and sprint over.

Another breakaway and crisp passing resulted in a try for winger Richard Welding and with just ten minutes remaining it looked all over but Otley responded magnificently. A free-kick 30 metres out was run and Paul Williams came onto a short pass from Binns to cut through untouched. Minutes later Neil Law burst over, Binns converting both, and Orrell were panicking but sadly the final whistle came too soon.

Otley: Shuttleworth; Darby, Whatmuff, Law, Sovatabua; Binns, Scully (capt); Wring, Luffman, Fullman, Oakes, Connor, Bland (Southern 60), Thorpe (Tiffany 40).

lOtley are without a game on Saturday.