Otley 10

OTLEY'S inability to perform away from home shone through in this game at Nottingham where they missed the influnece of Samoan Lafaele Filipo up front and the tackling of centre Mark Billington.

Otley's previous safe handling at the line-out deserteed them and it took until their ninth throw in in the 38th minute for them to secure the ball.

They missed the driving force of Filipo - out of action with a shoulder injury - and as a consequence Phil Griffin suffered without his support.

Otley were always on the defensive and this was where they missed injured centre Billington.

Otley had made a good start taking the game to Nottingham but a turnover at a tackle left them short of defenders and right winger Spencer Elliott had a simple run in for full-back Chris Atkinson to convert.

From a line-out steal the Nottingham pack set up a drive to the line where their hooker Andrew Knight touched down.

A lack of back row cover left the Otley defence in tatters and Nottingham's left winger Richard Bygrave strolled over for Atkinson to convert.

Nottingham continued their pressure in the second-half and fly-half Sam Jack landed a drop goal.

This at last stirred Otley's pack into action and they launched a series of drives which produced a try from prop David Hall.

After Atkinson had kicked a penalty for Nottingham Otley's young winger Sam Gardner exposed the home defence to set up centre Wayne Hartley for a try.

This high level could not be sustained and Atkinson scored a try, converted it and kicked two penalties to stretch Nottiongham's lead and complete the embarrasment of the third placed Otley side.

Otley.- Duckett; Gardner, Whatmuff, Hartley, Thornton; Clappison., Cassidy; Hall, Sayers, Rice, Carroll, Williams, Griffin, Hargreaves, Burke.

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