Otley go back to Black (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Otley go back to Black

11:30pm Sunday 17th January 2010 in

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Blackheath 32, Otley 5

Mid-week use of a snow plough and members working in two-hour shifts made the Rectory Field playable as Otley’s hosts beat the freeze to get this game on.

But the days are gone when Otley preferred a heavy pitch and, with six players unav-ailable, they were hard-pressed to contain a bigger set of forwards.

The result was they were well beaten by a side, like the Cross Greeners, in desperate need of league points.

Blackheath soon displayed their pack-oriented game-plan, the only one really under the conditions, and Otley were under the cosh from the start.

They were caught offside in the third minute trying to repel a drive, fly half Paul Humphries kicking the penalty.

A cross-kick from centre Steve Hamilton then caused consternation on the Otley line, leading to a five-metre scrum and eventually referee Ross Campbell awarding a penalty try, which Hum-phries converted.

The visitors struggled manfully but the home pack were irrepressible and, on 23 minutes, flanker Dave Allen was driven over from yet another five-metre scrum.

Just before the break, the lead was increased when neat play on half-way gave winger Tyson Lewis an overlap and he raced through to the line, Humphries converting.

The pattern of play looked like continuing in the same vein on resumption when Allen was driven over for his second try within five minutes of the second half.

But Otley lifted their game and, for a while, Blackheath felt the pressure. When the hosts lost replacement hooker Jack Knight to the sinbin, they failed to prevent scrum-half Stephen Depledge scooting over down the blindside.

Hard as they tried, Otley could advance no further and, with prop Gareth Denman shown a yellow card on 72 minutes, they fell to a further try from replacement lock Gavin Wallis.