Otley...................22

EXETER................31

OTLEY can count themselves a little unfortunate that they missed out on a couple of bonus points at least with the way they battled against a big, well-organised Exeter side at Cross Green on Sunday.

Speedy winger Sam Gardner touched down twice from excellent moves but was called back, firstly for the final pass from Guy Hope being forward and then just two minutes later when he was adjudged to have nudged the corner flag despite the referee's assistant being happy that a try had been scored.

Exeter were well versed in spoiling and one lost count of the number of times players dropped down 'injured' during the course of the game and as Otley hammered at their line in the closing minutes Exeter were adept at conceding penalties seemingly too far out for the referee to award a penalty try.

There was a tremendous battle between the back rows with the visitors perhaps just shading it by virtue of each of their three scoring tries to two for Otley but that was no reflection on the work rate of skipper Phil Griffin, Lee Denham and Peter Curtis.

Otley were the first to look dangerous with a ferocious attack on the Exeter line when the dependable Ian Carroll secured a throw-in but the ball was lost and the chance lost with it. A couple of penalties took Exeter into the home 22 and though the drive was held winger Mark Woodman came into the line at speed to take a short pass and cut through to score a try he also converted.

Their line fell a second time on 20 minutes when New Zealand centre Brian Meinung broke through to feed Samoan partner To'o Vaega who just managed to crash over under the posts for Phil Greenaway to convert.

Otley responded well with Griffin appearing at outside centre to touch down and Dan Clappison converted. Then came Gardner's misfortunes with the second opportunity created by scrum-half Peter Wright with a lovely curving run. Despite much pressure from the forwards Otley managed only a penalty from Clappison.

Half-time approached with the score at 10-14 but on 40 minutes second row Ian Brown charged through the midfield to present No 7 Blair Foote with an easy run in. Three minutes later No 6 Gary Willis also went over and Greenaway converted to give his side an unlikely 16 points lead.

Producing their best form Otley hammered the Exeter line after the break but too often seemed to turn inside rather than spread the ball wide. Exeter produced some desperate measures to stop them and Woodman was shown the yellow card. In his absence Lee Denham gained some reward with a try under the posts which left an easy kick for Clappison but some poor handling cost them any further score.

Otley suffered a serious setback when Exeter's replacement No 8 Richard Baxter went over from a scrum awarded when he was held up over the line. They deserved more than the final try from Mark Kirkby who was put in the clear by some slick crossfield passing. It was just too far out for Clappison to kick the conversion which would have given Otley the bonus point.

l On Saturday Otley travel to Moseley.