Otley may have lost five of their last six matches in SSE National League Two North - but they are still on track for their end-of-year target.

The Cross Greeners currently have 26 points from 11 matches, and have five games left before the festive season begins, and club secretary Marc Lawrence said: “We had a target of 40 points by Christmas.

“That is still achieveable but we know we have some difficult games ahead.”

Otley have had successive defeats against Sedgley Park, Chester, Leicester Lions and Stourbridge, and Lawrence added: “The disappointing result was the loss at home to Chester (31-27 on November 2).

“Otherwise we have been where we wanted to be in terms of performance.

“But last Saturday’s performance (lost 35-27 at home to second-placed Stourbridge) was our best since we beat Wharfedale in pre-season.

“The reason we lost was the brace of tries we conceded between 33 and 35 minutes and the brace of tries we conceded between 60 and 62 minutes, the latter when Dam Temm was off.”

Lawrence puts New Zealander Temm’s propensity to pick up yellow cards down to the fact that he is not from these shores.

He explained: “Dan is a hard and fair player but is down to the differing interpretations of English referees.”

Otley's director of rugby James Tiffany added: "Dan is an abrasive sort of player and plays on the edge and he wouldn't be the same player if that were taken away from him - but he needs to learn to get alongside referees and work with them."

What was undeniable, according to Lawrence, was the dismissal of Stourbridge No 8 James Rodley in the second half.

The Otley official said: “It was for a spear tackle on James Doherty, and he didn’t even have the ball.

“He had passed it on to Mark Ireland and the Stourbridge player could not blame his momentum. He was rigid on his feet and had time to pull out.”

Former Wharfedale player Doherty is on an open-ended loan from Leeds Carnegie.

“In other words,” said Lawrence, “we can have him until they feel they need to call him back.”

Having run the second-placed team close at Cross Green, Otley face leaders Macclesfield, also at home, on Saturday (2.15).

“There is no reason for us to fear them,” said Lawrence. “They lost 32-17 at home to Birmingham & Solihull last Saturday and will be wounded but hopefully we can beat them.”

Tiffany added: "It is all about improving our performance week on week."