Otley 12, Esher 18

 Otley missed an excellent opportunity to grind out a victory in their opening National League One home match yesterday.

They led fellow part-timers Esher 12-6 after an hour and, although they soon conceded a converted try and an interception try, the home team had chances after that to start their win tally.

The home side competed well in the forwards but kicked too much ball away in the backs on a day when defences were generally on top.

Otley coach Mike Barnett confessed: “It was disappointing because these matches against semi-professional sides are the ones that we need to try and win.

“But it is not the end of the world. It is only the second week of the season and we will improve a lot as the campaign goes on.

“Our defence was sound but one little mistake (the interception try) cost us and, unfortunately, that was the game and we found it difficult to create too many chances.”

Barnett added: “It’s Leeds next week, which will be difficult, but it’s a difficult division isn’t it?”

Otley took the lead in the third minute with a penalty by left winger Robin Kitching after referee Rob Debney had blown for offside, Kitching’s long-range drop-goal attempt having drifted wide seconds earlier.

Esher fly half Neil Hallett missed with a penalty three minutes later but another well-struck Kitching penalty in the ninth minute made it 6-0.

Otley had No 8 Mike McComish yellow-carded in the 14th minute for killing the ball and, while the hosts were down to 14 men, Hallett halved the deficit with a penalty.

Good defence denied Esher either side of the half-hour mark but a second Hallett penalty squared matters in the 38th minute after Otley had driven in from the side.

Kitching had two penalties in first-half added time, the first never looking like making it but the second being successful as the Surrey visitors were pinged for not rolling away after the tackle.

Matt Stockdale replaced flanker Nathan Bland at half-time for Otley and, three minutes after the interval, prop Ryan Wederall came on for Steve Trethewey.

Despite Tom Rhodes having an indifferent match at fly half, Otley gained some momentum and a fourth Kitching penalty put them 12-6 ahead.

But, with Esher right winger Seb Stegmann always looking lively, the visitors scored in the 66th minute, flanker Lee Starling going over at pace and Hallett converting for a 13-12 advantage.

Rob Baldwin, Ben Steele and Danny Smith immediately came on for Paul Williams, James Parkes and Kitching, Rhodes slicing a drop-goal attempt wide four minutes later.

Centre Seb Jewell’s interception try in the 71st minute was slightly more surprising than Hallett missing the conversion as Esher stretched their lead to 18-12.

But, needing a converted try to triumph, Otley paid the penalty for having taken off their main source of line-out possession (Williams), and Esher held out for a deserved win, Otley gaining only a bonus point.