PETER Clegg has been involved in rugby union for a long time, but Otley’s director of rugby has never seen a game as baffling as their National League Two North match at Sheffield Tigers last weekend.

He said: “Tigers' ground at Dore is as exposed a ground as I know, and there was a gale-force wind. We lost the toss and had it behind us in the first half and turned round 27-3 down, which was desperate.

“Then the same thing happened in the second half (Otley won it 18-8). I have never seen anything like it.”

The match marked the 300th league appearance of Otley hooker Ben Steele, and Clegg said: “He had been a great servant.

“Last season and this season he hasn’t started as much as he would have liked – Ben has been unfortunate in that this season we have signed Joe Graham – but Ben is a teacher, which takes up a lot of his time, and is married with two young kids, but he has gone away and worked on anything that we have suggested that he needs to, such as his throwing in.

“Also he has returned from the summer as fit as I have ever seen him and is playing as well as I have seen him.”

Otley host Leicester Lions on Saturday, and have backs Tom Hodson and Henry Roberts back in the mix.

Bradford & Bingley have recalled veteran fly half Phil Greaves for their North One East home match against Malton & Norton.

The 39-year-old former West Hartlepool, Rotherham and Otley player's big left boot will be handy in guiding the Bees around the park. 

Cleckheaton, who are at home to Northern, name 17-year-old fly half Bailey Smith on the bench and hand a seasonal debut to player-coach Thiu Barnard in the second row on hs redovery from hamstring trouble.

Bradford Salem, who are at Beverley in Yorkshire Division One, give late fitness tests to half-back Matt Booth and winger or centres Jake Abram and Connor Malarkey.

The visitors are missing, however, locks John Morrell and Sam Gardner and flanker Callum Manchester.

Wibsey could have Bryn Worsley back for their top-of-the-table Yorkshire Division Four North West home match against Leeds Corinthians.  

Bradford & Bingley (home to Malton & Norton): A Sutcliffe; J Morton, B Greaves, J Malthouse, H Kariz; P Greaves, D Jeffrey; M Crotch, M Cochrane, R Wederell, T Booth, T Frisch, M Riaz, T Cummins, L Fraser. Replacements; C Spencer, L Neha, A Walker.

Cleckheaton (home to Northern): J Wilson; R Evans, L Darville, Matt Piper, M Hayward; M Swetman, J Bickerdike; P Turner, J Crowther, N Jackson, R Piercy, T Barnard, N Cherryholme, J Seddon, L Pearson. Replacements: B Thrower, J Plunkett, B Smith.

Bradford Salem (at Beverley) from: D Belcher, M Bokiss, J Abram, A Batey, C Malarkey, A Robinson, R Smith, M Booth, J Simpson, J Bradbury, A Veitch, J White, G Keefe, C Watson, G Greikis, C Wood, M Darragh, C Baines.

Wibsey (home to Leeds Corinthians) from: J Worsnop,J Brown, A Rose, S Foulds, D Wilkinson, L Wilson, C Farley, J Birkbeck, R Simpson, M Grimes, K Carter, L Helliwell, J Cull, A Armitage, B Wright, R Goldsborough, J Sawyer, J Nall, A Cerson, S Birkbeck, R Hall, B Worsley.