National League One: Otley 34, Caldy 33

LAST week began badly for Otley, with winger Alexander Beaumont swelling the number on the injured list to 11 but things improved dramatically over three days.

Last Thursday, the entrepreneurial Charlie Parker raised £3,560 for the club via a golf day at Moortown and, on Saturday, eighth-placed Otley defeated third-placed Caldy 34-33 at Cross Green thanks to a penalty on the stroke of full-time by skipper Stephen Depledge.

Having run out of wingers, flanker James Wood, who was a winger in his previous spell at Cross Green, was put in his old position and turned up trumps with a terrific hat-trick of tries.

Strong-running Caldy were the first to show, winger Nicholas Royle scoring following a scrum on halfway, and then scrum half John Broxson crossed, fly half Ben Elliott converting for 12-0.

This was slightly against the run of play and Otley replied when Wood was given space, eluding all attempts to hold him.

Depledge converted from wide out, but Otley failed to secure the restart, allowing Caldy to come up at pace, with Royle going in for his second, Elliott again converting.

Suitably stung, Otley did take the restart this time, full back Sam Allan racing up from full back to cut clean through.

Caldy's kick-off then failed to travel the required ten metres, and Otley got the ball out to Wood, who went in for his second, Depledge's conversion levelling matters at 19-19.

There were only two minutes remaining in the first half but Caldy still managed a long-distance converted Forbes Edwards try.

Otley required a good start to the second half, and got it when left winger Toby Harris went over four minutes after the interval, Depledge again converting.

On 56 minutes, Wood completed his hat-trick but a second try for Edwards levelled the score on 70 minutes, Ben Jones' conversion putting the visitors 33-31 ahead.

This setback brought the best out of Otley and, although they were unable to add a try, Depledge's nerves were up to the task as he stroked the winning penalty over from 28 metres to secure the five league points for Otley.