Plenty of promise in defeat for Otley (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Plenty of promise in defeat for Otley

7:32pm Sunday 8th January 2012 in Otley By John Finch

Loughborough Students 33, Otley 18

Player-coach Tom Rock considered yesterday's performance at SSE National League Two North leaders Loughborough Students their best so far this season and feels optimistic for the second half of the campaign.

They certainly played with skill and adventure, matching the hosts in all phases but again presenting easy scoring opportunities with misplaced passes which cost two tries, leaving them well adrift at the end.

Otley started well, securing a turnover at the kick-off, full back Ollie Denton tearing up the touchline before chasing his chip ahead to touch down, fly half Chris Georgiou landing a fine conversion.

With powerful displays from Howard Parr and flanker Toby Williams, who made endless inroads into the home defence, Otley were looking dangerous but they found any error costly.

Failing to cover a tap penalty, they allowed full back Craig Holland to get over, and when attempting to run the ball out of their 22, an inaccurate pass became a simple pick up and stroll over for fly half Stuart Hall.

There was less excuse for some poor tackling which allowed winger Callum Wilson to get in at the corner but Otley replied with a well-constructed try from winger Tom Harris, only to hand back the advantage when Georgiou, after carving open the defence, had a pass intercepted, the result being a second try for Holland.

Two finely-struck penalties from Georgiou took Otley to just two points adrift at the break but, although remaining highly competitive, it was the students who proved the steadier.

Hall added a penalty at the re-start, converted a try from replacement George Messum and finished with a drop goal on 68 minutes.