OTLIENSIANS have used the last two weeks without league games to give the promising younger players in the Second XV a taste of First team rugby and also to consolidate the launch of the Third XV and strengthen the Second's.

Saturday's games for the First and Third teams were assembled from the pool, Wharfedate Sixths breaking the deadlock of everyone requiring home games by agreeing to travel to Chaffers Fields while the First XV were dispached to Knottingley.

Knottingley...60 Old Otlientiensians...3

WHILE the blooding of young players worked well the previous Saturday against Wharfedale, the situation with respect to Knottingley, contenders for Yorkshire League Four promotion, was completely different.

The under strength First XV were under the cosh within minutes of the start of the game, Knottingley scoring a penalty, three tries and two conversions in the first quarter. The pack just about held their own but the lack of experience in the three-quarters was brutally exposed by Knottingley's backs who were quicker and very decisive.

Adequate defensive alignment and commitment to tackling the opposition were absent in mid field and ten man rugby would have been a better way to proceed.

Otliensians' best part of the game came five minutes either side of half time when their only score was a penalty by Will Haines just before the break.

Knottingley scored steadily throughout the game finishing on a high scoring five tries in the second half, four of these in the last quarter, with their play in midfield via a strong running centre being a key aspect of their game.

Otliensians now have to reassemble and rebuild the team that climbed steadily through the league and they have a difficult task on Saturday playing away against league leaders in Yorkshire Three, York RI.

This presents the challenge of the season to Otliensians.

Baildon Second XV...0 Otliensians Second XV...22

THE flu virus took its effect with a number of players giving late backwards and as a result Otliensians travelled to Baildon with 13 committed players keen to reverse their recent run of coming a close second in many games.

Mark Cayton, Darren Hardie and Chris Hayward in the pack led from the front with some firm defensive work and positive support play.

After five minutes Baildon were caught off-side under their own posts and Neil Moore added the penalty and the score remained 3-0 until the end of the first-half.

Fraser Ritson and Aidy Fawell were gaining large amounts of ground every time they touched the ball assisted by Prepal Brachra whose teaching career only allows him to play irregularly for Otliensians.

The second-half immediately saw Jonathan Woods make a break down his flank and from the resulting line-out Hugh Gumbs, this week broadening his experience by playing at hooker, went over in the corner, Moore converting brilliantly from the touch line.

Otliensians, now showing their superior fitness, pressed the Baildon line on a number of occasions with Paul Cook, Richard Adamson, Steve Hammond and Peter Bonner combining well to put Gumbs over for his second try.

Shortly after the re-start Fawell, Bonner and Bachra set up a move which went the full length of the field only to be thwarted by a desperate Baildon defence.

With a pending International imminent on the TV the referee cut the game short but Bachra was able to cross the line for the third Otliensians try which Moore duly converted.

Old Otliensians Third XV....10 Wharfedale Sixth XV...10

JOHN Harrison drafted in many old faces to the Otliensians Third XV which took on an experienced Wharfedale team at Chaffers Fields. Both teams eventually assembled thirteen players.

It was an excellent and entertaining game of rugby, full of commitment with some moments of real skill and the desire to win paramount throughout.

Wharfedale were the better organised team in the first-half and had a real talent in their mid field.

After ten minutes they exploited their pace to score wide out, the try was not converted.

Otliensians' pack gradually began to establish some momentum and dominate the visitors in the set pieces with hooker Roger Whitworth pressuring the Wharfedale put-in. Peter Gillson, as usual, was very active around the fringes.

However, the Wharfedale pack while being relatively slow about the park were very strong in the close encounters and crashed over for a second try from a well worked tap penalty.

Ian Laurence at stand-off in his first game of the season for the Otliensians, used a well won line-out ball and he followed up his Gary Owen behind the visitors backs from some 40 mtrs out, outpacing the turning defence to score half-way out. This reduced the Wharfedale lead to 5-10 at the break.

From the start of the second half Otliensians steadily exerted pressure assisted by some brilliant line-out ball from Andy Bower, helped by accurate throwing from Roger Whitworth.

Otliensians' backs showed real promise in attack, coming close to scoring on several occasions before Gillson went over half-way out to level the scores.

Both sides had their chances to win the game with some excellent attacking moves but overall a draw was a fair result.

l On Saturday the First and Third XVs travel to York RI and the Second XV are at home to the same opponents at Chaffers Fields, all games kick-off at 2.15pm.