Super Saracens turn on the style against Preston

SARACENS were at full-strength when they travelled to Preston for this Northern Second XV game with several first team players having a run out after returning from injury.

It was a good all-round performance with a solid pack and half-backs controlling the game throughout. Martin Keeler led from the front as he has done throughout the season with a hat-trick of tries. His first two coming from pushovers while his third came after he appeared out on the wing. Phil Howell produced good tactical kicking and Saracens led 0-29 at the interval.

The second-half started well, playing good 15-man rugby, but with discipline lacking from both sides the game became a little disjointed. Matt Holmes and Matthew Wright were both yellow-carded and Preston had a man sent off.

Saracens try scorers were Martin Keeler (3), Simon Reid (2), Matt Bacon (2), Adam Thornton, David Hall and Phil Greaves. Phil Howell converted five tries.

Skipton Seconds 14, Otley Tongans 41

TONGANS travelled to Skipton with a much-changed side from the previous week. Several players were playing out of position but still managed to play some classic rugby, scoring five tries in the first-half.

Will Foster had an outstanding game both in attack and defence. He scored Tongans' first two tries from some superb back play. Ben Steele was next on the scoresheet after some good forward play allowed him to be driven over.

Tongans' back division were producing some excellent handling as the forwards controlled the game up front and David Clark and Tony Stott both touched down.

Just before half-time Skipton produced their best move to score a converted try. Tongans led 27-7 at the break.

Tongans started the second-half in the same vein as the first, moving the ball out wide at every opportunity. Craig Jackson and Tony Stott both finishing off good moves. Prop Chris Booth was injured mid-way through the second-half and with no replacement Tongans lost the momentum.

Skipton finished strongly with a converted try. Will Foster converted three of Tongans' six tries.

OTLEY Viscounts' game was cancelled after receiving a phone call from Sandal as late as 1pm stating that they would not be travelling to Cross Green.

Yarnbury 14, Otley Academy 19

Otley Academy remain unbeaten since the turn of the year despite a below par performance against derby opponents Yarnbury.

On the main pitch at Yarnbury in sticky conditions - fitness was the key - the home team finished the strongest in a hard-fought game.

Otley were reluctant to commit in the opening minutes and Yarnbury had all the possession in the first five minutes exploiting gaps in the defence which allowed them to put the first points on the board with an unchallenged run from scrum-half Bickerdike.

This spurred the visitors into action and they seized control for the rest of the half. Tom Hart retired after 11 minutes with a knee injury and was replaced by flanker Andy Crawford to keep the pressure on the Yarnbury line. After a failed push over skipper Chris Thornton was on hand to crash in for the first try- Alex Thompson adding the extras.

There followed a passage of play in the Otley half resulting in a missed penalty attempt, closely followed by a successful three points when the full-back was tackled late on a follow up.

Ten minutes later Otley took the lead again with a Collom Hanogue touchdown from a push over, James Stocker converting.

Yarnbury responded taking the ball toward the Otley line but a turnover and some slick front row handling released Stephen Pike to canter in taking the half-time score to 19-8.

The second-half was not as entertaining and became a fitness struggle. Otley tried but were not able to make the breakthroughs they are capable of.

The gap was narrowed by two Yarnbury penalties, both of which were made easy by the referee advancing the kick ten metres due to indisciplined verbal response.

Work to be done before two competition games coming up.

Otley entertain Knottingley in the first round of the Yorkshire Cup at Cross Green on March 9 and on March 16 are again drawn at home to Eccles in the quarter-finals of the National Plate.

Otley U-8s 9

Keighley U-8s 9

An enthusiastic Otley Under-8s took on a larger and bigger squad at Keighley on Sunday. Despite having the best of the play they were denied a win due to a well-timed final whistle.

The boys are developing some good ball handling skills and are beginning to be aware of tactical positioning and good attacking moves. Tackling is slightly weaker and they need to have the confidence to run at the opposition when defending but they are making significant progress.

Otley opened the scoring with a solo effort from Tom Pratt who ran from inside his own half escaping tacklers and drawing them wide. This established the pattern of Otley's play and two tries of a similar style followed from LLoyd Richardson, who is able to see gaps and take on defenders, beating them for pace.

Fred Hall also scored following a display of quick pace and jinking moves with David Tunningley and Tom Considine in support. These two worked well in attack but narrowly failed to score. Sam Morris dived over from short range to score Otley's fifth try and Nathan Andrews avoided three Keighley defenders to score the sixth.

Keighley kept battling however and despite three further tries from Tom Pratt he was denied his fifth and the team's tenth, when clear of the defence, by the final whistle.

A good performance from all who played.