Otley 41,Bedford 32: Otley took a big step towards ridding themselves of any lingering doubts of their ability to retain their status in National Division One with this great win over Bedford.

Saturday's clash at Cross Green was a hard-fought but most exciting game which contained much excellent football.

Both sides appeared at times to have taken control but it was two great tries on 63 and 65 minutes which put Otley in the driving seat and gave them the confidence to take all that was thrown at them.

Credit must go to both sides for keeping their shape throughout despite the comings and goings of replacements.

There were 20 in all, four for injury or tactical for Otley and six for Bedford and five on and off for blood as well as the usual exchange when a front row man from either side was yellow carded.

Otley suffered two yellow cards, one for Nathan Bland just before half-time for lowering a maul and one for Dennis Hazelton three minutes after the re-start when he and hooker Kramer Ronaki had a fly weight spat when the Bedford No 8 was, for the second time, engaged in a little tap dancing at a ruck.

Everyone wondered why there were not more cards when Mark Kirkby was spear tackled by two defenders some time later.

Despite all this it was not a dirty game and the many Bedford supporters added greatly to the atmosphere as each committed following reacted noisily to the football or conversely to the referee.

Otley made an excellent start when the kick-off was returned with a brilliant punt by Phil Greaves which was finger-tipped into touch by winger Ben Whetstone attempting to keep it in play.

It went almost to the visitors' 22 and the crowd was brought to its feet with a well controlled maul all the way to the line with Hazelton, doing what he is good at, crashing over for Simon Binns to convert.

Obviously stung by this because that method is one of Bedford's strong points, all their tries came the same way.

A penalty into the corner had them looking dangerous and hooker Ronaki was forced over. Five minutes later the same scenario and although the drive was held by fly-half Ali Hepher they found winger Spencer Brown coming into the line to slice through, full-back James Pritchard converted.

Binns kicked a penalty, he never missed all afternoon, four conversions and two penalties but another penalty had Otley back on their line where once again they repelled the drive but could not keep out Hepher who found a gap to slide in under the posts.

Pritchard converted to give his side a nine points lead but not for long.

Rob Whatmuff came in on a superb angle to take a short pass from Binns and steam to the posts.

Four minutes later Neil Law was given the ball 40 metres out and he crashed everyone out of his way as he went for the corner.

Ian Shuttleworth, who saved Otley times without number with some excellent and brave tackling and had everyone feeling the shudder when he grounded No 8 Howard Quigley, stepped forward to convert with Binns receiving attention.

A Pritchard penalty after seven minutes of added time left the half-time score at 24-22 but his second four minutes into the second-half when Otley were adjudged the perpetrators at the second yellow card incident, had Bedford back in front.

It was another 20 minutes before Otley took charge.

Receiving the ball after Bedford had been constantly buffeted on their line Binns produced his party trick dodging through without a hand being laid on him.

Then from the re-start Bedford lost possession when they attempted a tap back and the ball was gathered and shipped quickly out to Kirkby who left the defence stranded as he raced for the line.

With nearly 20 minutes remaining Otley could not hang back and when replacement scrum-half Andy Holloway darted over following yet another five metre line-out for Pritchard to convert there was once again an edge to the contest.

However, step forward Binns and he kicked an 81st minute to calm all anxieties.