Skipton.................27

OTLIENSIANS.........8

IN fine weather but on a heavy pitch at Skipton Otliensians lost to a strong home side currently league leaders in Yorkshire Three.

Otliensians had to make three changes due to the unavailability of Hayward, Gillson and 'Mescher' Smith. Simon Dykes returned to first team duty in the back row.

Skipton opened strongly and had an attempted try correctly disallowed when their outside centre was tackled just short and tried a double movement to score.

Otliensians soon settled and took the game to the home side with some powerful close in driving. After ten minutes Otliensians' prressure led to a first score with a penalty awarded 30 metres out. Will Haoines strucv the ball sweetly to put the visitors three points in front.

Otliensians got some good line-out ball through Brett Tenniswood and skipper Richard Smith, the latter putting in some good drives and defence work close in. Skipton were doing their fair share of pressing, relieved from time to time by some excellent line kicking from Dave Smith.

On 27 minutes the Skipton stand-off went over for an unconverted try. Otliensians drove back at them and a good break by Haines looked certain to produce a try but the young winger was tackled into touch just a yard short. Good possession was won from the line-out against the throw and with Skipton on the back foot Otliensians' forwards drove well and scrum-half Adie Crossfield seized the opportunity to go over for an excellent try. The conversion attempt just failed.

Otliensians maintained the lead to the break and were well worth it.

The visitos were playimng well but within ten minutes of the re-start they took two body blows from the same source with almost identical tries.

Skipton obtained good forward possession and spread the ball wide to the left outflanked the defence to score two excellent tries by their full-back. Both were converted by Oldfield to put Skipton firmly in the driving seat.

In this period Otliensians were forced to make changes Andy Rockett returning after several weeks replacing the injured Mark Stevens with Tony Twist moving to flanker and a little later Tony Collins coming in on the left wing, Lee Stenton moving to full-back to replace Dawson who had badly tweaked a hamstring in his defensive efforts.

Otliensians were put under a lot of pressure and found it difficult to take play out of their half. Neverthless they stood up well to this and were able to snuff out Skipton attacks. There were occasions however when they put themselves under pressure by not getting in their touch kicks out of defence. Stenton made one particular tackle which saved what was seemingly going to be a certain try for the home sie.

Not being able to penetrate the visitors defence Skipton took the obvious way out after 33 minutes through their inside centre who dropped a goal which barely skated over the bar.

A penalty was quickly taken by Twist who went over but the try was disallowed for not playing the ball correctly.

Skipton then swept back in the final minute and produced a similar try to that of Otliensians just before the break with their scrum-half going over.

A disappointing result for Otliensians but they never gave up going down to a side that will probably win the league. The forwards to a man worked ceaselessly against a well-drilled home pack and at half-back the new combination of Crossfield and Smith did their best to set the line going and defended well.

The centres, Gumbs and Fawell, made some good runs the former breaking tackles with power and the latter showing some good evasive running.

l On Saturday Otliensians entertain Hullensians and although the visitors are bottom of the table they are fighting hard to avoid relegation and have recently turned the tables on much higher placed opposition. Spectators should see a good game, kick-off 3 pm.

OTLIENSIANS A..........0

SKIPTON....................15

The Skipton centre intercepted on his own 22 and outran the Otliensians' defence to score a converted try. Both sides worked to gain positive advantage with Peter Bonner and Dave Evans working hard in the loose for Otliensians. Butcher and Chris Bawden exerted pressure from some direct running in the centre but a concern was a lack of clean line-out ball.

Skipton gradually gained the upper hand towards the end of the half and the home side were pressurised into giving away several penalties none of which were converted.

However, they produced some good attacks and following a scrum ten metres out, they broke to outflank the cover and score a try in the corner to give them a 12 point lead at the break.

Steve Lofthouse suffered a leg injury and was replaced by Paul Kerby at the break and soon into the half Skipton broke clear away from deep in their own territory but fortunately Mattie Tenniswood at full-back, managed to halt progress only for penalty to be conceded which was converted.

Chris Hayward and Darren Hardie began to win more line-out ball but Otliensians struggled to make any headway.

The game was closer than the score suggests.