If Otley are to pull off the great escape for a second successive season in National League One, they must address their away form.

So far this campaign, the Cross Greeners have lost all nine of their games on their travels, and club secretary Marc Lawrence, who is also first team manager says: “That must change if we are to stay up.”

Visits by Otley in 2010-11 have brought defeats at Wharfedale (17-13), Blackheath (55-26), Rosslyn Park (17-15), Tynedale (25-18), Sedgley Park (28-3), Cambridge (66-29), Coventry (18-10), Launceston (25-15) and London Scottish (38-22).

However, just to re-emphasise the point that they have been competitive in most of their matches, Otley have collected losing bonus points (for defeats by seven points or less) at Wharfedale, Rosslyn Park and Tynedale.

And to show their gameness and cutting edge, they have gained four-try bonus points at Blackheath and Cambridge.

Otley’s inactivity last weekend has dropped them into the bottom two after a fall of two places.

Cinderford and Redruth took advantage of Otley’s weekend off.

Redruth, who Otley visit on Saturday, returned to Cornwall in buoyant mood following a creditable win at Macclesfield, while Cinderford took maximum points from their home game against Tynedale.

But with half of Otley’s 12 remaining games away from Cross Green, the need for a victory on the road is obvious – and what better place to start than at Hellfire Corner this weekend?

Otley only lost there 11-10 in November, 2009 before beating the Cornishmen 22-20 in West York-shire last March as Otley pulled off their unlikely salvage act.

The table might not make very good reading at the moment but Otley should also remember that they only have to face Barking (away), Cambridge (home) and Macclesfield (home and away) from the top six of the table.

Their other eight matches are against the teams who are imm-ediately above them in the table.

Lawrence said: “There is no talk of relegation at Otley – none whatsoever.

“It was good to have the week off as it allowed our players to rest their bumps and bruises and it also allowed our Leeds contingent more of a rest from their A-team involvement at Carnegie.

“We will travel to Redruth full of confidence and feeling we can pull off another great escape.

“Barking away might be damage limitation but I can see no reason why we shouldn’t be in contention in all of those eight games against the sides immediately above us, and they’ll be targeted as victories.”