Otliensians take a hammering from Bramley Phoenix

Otliensians travelled to Bramley with a much-changed side. With experienced forwards Richard Smith and Peter Tempest unavailable and centre Rob Wilks recovering from a facial injury, they knew they would be up against it.

Students Richard Cliff and Sam Willoughby made their first team debuts in the pack and fellow student Simon Varo filled the centre berth.

On a very heavy pitch Otliensians started strongly with some powerful forward drives led by Matt Payne and Peter Bonner taking play into the Bramley half. Getting the greasy ball to the backs was difficult, but when the home side strayed off-side, Matt Tenniswood was just wide with a penalty.

Play continued in midfield, but when Bramley took a scrum against the head, the visitors were surprised by a blind side break which was halted just short of their line. From the ruck Bramley went over to give them a five point lead against the run of play.

This seemed to unsettle Otliensians and from a scrum a few minutes later, the Bramley backs swept downfield with the winger going in at the corner. With the conversion failing, Otliensians were now ten points down.

The visitors stepped up their efforts and some good line-out ball from Brett Tenniswood enabled half-backs Fraser Ritson and Ian Chaplin to get their back line moving. When play broke down out wide, winger Jamie Pinguenet hacked on the loose ball for 40 yards and beat the cover to the touchdown. Matt Tenniswood's conversion put the visitors back in the game at 10-7.

Otliensians continued to try and move the ball but possession was scrappy and the backs were having difficulty handling the greasy ball.

From a spilled pass Bramley scooped up the ball and good backing up produced a try near the posts.

After a successful conversion, the home side went straight into the attack and some indifferent tackling allowed them in for a further try which was also converted.

From being very much in the game ten minutes earlier, Otliensians were 24-7 down at half-time.

Shortly after the break, Ian Chaplin had to leave the field through injury and centre Chris Bawden took over at fly-half. Doug Jardine came off the bench onto the wing.

Otliensians' pack was making its mark in the scrums with props Matt Payne and Tony Myers making life difficult for their opposite numbers.

Newcomer Rick Cliff at No 8 and flanker Rob Arbuckle had some strong drives from the back of the scrum but too often the support was missing and moves came to a halt.

The visitors worked hard to keep the speedy Bramley backs in check with strong tackling from Chris Bawden and Simon Varo but too often there was an overlap. From one such move, the home winger scored in the corner.

Shortly afterwards, to make matters worse, a promising Otliensians back move went wrong when the other Bramley winger intercepted and dived over after a 30 yard sprint.

At 34-7 down, the tiring Otliensians' pack renewed its efforts to provide possession for some strong bursts from Chris Bawden and Matt Tenniswood.

Unfortunately, good progress was often marred by careless handling and lack of support.

To round things off the Bramley centre, who had run well throughout the game, produced a weaving 40 yard run. Support was on hand and a score near the posts with the conversion ended an unhappy afternoon for the visitors.

With the number of changes to the side and the loss of experience, Otliensians had a hard job on their hands.

To the credit of stand-in captain Matt Payne and his side, despite being on the back foot for much of the game, they never gave up.

l On Saturday Otliensians visit Stocksbridge, kick off 2.15 pm.

Old Otliensians A 5 Bramley Phoenix 22

With the team showing several changes Otliensians were soon on the attack but failed to move the ball wide to exploit an overlap chance.

Bramley soon showed the strength in their backs and their purposeful, speedy right wing left the home defence for dead to score wide out.

Otliensians hit back and from a good 22 metre position, good handling put Steve Lofthouse over.

The home side worked well in the tight and showed some good attacking moves from the base but this advantage was lost when Bramley lost a prop and had no replacement.

Unopposed scrums became a necessity. This steadily eroded Otliensians style of play and the half was played out with neither side gaining any positive advantage.

After the break, Bramley pressed hard and after ten minutes scored in the corner.

Unfortunately, key line- out man Ben Smith damaged an ankle directly as a result of the modern day nonsense of lifting in a line-out and had to leave the field.

Bramley scored two further tries, one of which was converted, but Otliensians continued to work hard and pressurised but without the chance to scrummage dynamically it was not possible to keep the visitors back row on the retreat.

The problems were compounded when stand-off Adam MaCartney had to leave the field with a leg injury.

However, despite the various handicaps Otliensians never gave up trying and contributed in full to an entertaining game with veteran Simon Coates in the backs and Alan Harker in the pack worthy of particular mention.