Rock hopes medicine will cure Otley (From Wharfedale Observer)

Otley coach hopes Stourbridge defeat is the medicine to cure team's ills

9:09am Thursday 25th October 2012 in Sport By Alan Birkinshaw, Weeklies Sports Editor

Otley coach Tom Rock is looking for his team to bounce back after their 69-10 hammering at Stourbridge.

“We’ve taken our medicine now we have to show what we are made of,” said Rock as his side prepares for Saturday’s National League Two North home game with Leicester Lions.

“I can remember us taking an even heavier beating at Preston last season and we came back from that by winning our final two games to avoid relegation.

“We showed we have the character in our side to bounce back then, and we can do it again.”

Otley are hopeful that flankers Daniel Temm and Jonathan Matthews will be fit to return, while Rob Afoa Peterson, who celebrated the birth of a baby daughter earlier this week, is also back.

Peterson looks the favourite to fill the void left by the departure of Freddie Watson.

He is taking a job in Australia and will be sorely missed.

Watson was one of Otley’s best players at Stourbridge and Rock said: “Freddie has had a really good season and we are sorry to see him go. He goes with our best wishes.”

Rock is still waiting to see if young stand off Ben Cooper will be fit to return.

He has missed the last two matches after picking up an injury while training with Scotland’s under-20 squad.

Prop Adam Blades, who suffered a bad cut above his eye at Stourbridge, is expected to come into contention.

Otley are still without lock Simon Willett. His damaged knee is in a protective cast and he will have a scan next week when the extent of the injury will be diagnosed.