OTLEY’S director of rugby Peter Clegg has admitted that team selection this week will be a case of give and take.

The Cross Greeners are at home to Huddersfield in a Yorkshire Cup quarter-final on Saturday (2.00), but are also mindful that they are not quite safe from relegation in National League Two North.

A total of five teams will go down from either Two North or Two South.

Preston Grasshoppers (24 points), Sheffield Tigers (27) and Scunthorpe (33) are the current bottom three in Two North, with Exmouth (27), Worthing (34) and Barnes (37) the equivalent trio in Two South.

Although it is tight between the two leagues, at the moment it is looking like three will go down from North, and tenth-placed Otley are 15 points above Scunthorpe.

Clegg said: “It is a balancing act. Another couple of wins will make us safe in the league, barring someone below us going on a good run, and it would have to be something dramatic.

“But we also want to put in a good performance and lay a marker down by beating Huddersfield, who will be in our league next season.”

The visitors are cutting a swathe through National League Three North, having won all 20 matches, and they are 13 points ahead of second-placed Rossendale with six matches left.

Clegg added: “Before leagues, the Yorkshire Cup used to be the be all and end all, but times change.

“However, with Huddersfield going so well, we hope that they will bring a few supporters and that there will be a good crowd, especially as there is not much else on.”