REPORT BY: NICK DOYLE

AFTER a sloppy first half, Otley pulled their socks up after the interval to see off a determined Hoppers side on Saturday.

Kyle Dench, Otley’s head coach said: “Our effort has been absolutely outstanding this season, and we defended so well on multiple occasions in this game. Offensively we took the game to Preston and they found it difficult to cope.”

Otley took an initial hold on the game after Preston’s line-out failed in their 22, from the reset scrum the hosts moved the ball across the pitch and back again, the move ending with Charlie Morgan’s kick over the defence gave Blake Morgan space to score in the corner. Hoppers came back at Otley and undeterred by a missed penalty, they launched a sustained attack on Otley’s line but gave away a penalty metres from Otley’s line. Otley were soon up to their 22 and extended their lead after Hoppers failed to release in front of the posts, Eddie Crossland stepping up with 16 minutes on the clock.

An overthrown line out unexpectedly gave Otley possession again, but as they moved the ball along the line, a poor pass saw Josh Rourke intercept it and, from his own half, he raced to Otley’s line to score after 20 minutes. Ben Pearson then added the only conversion of the match.

A penalty by Otley got the visitors to just outside the host’s 22, and quick hands saw the ball get within 5 metres of the line before it squirted out of the ruck. Preston’s line out failed again, but Otley collapsed the scrum although the ball flew the wrong side of the upright.

The home side squandered a scoring chance when they lost a line-out close to Preston’s line, only to see the visitors race to Otley’s 22 where they also lost the ball. Otley moved the ball away from the scrum, but conceded a penalty just outside their 22 - Ben Pearson’s kick giving the visitors the lead after 35 minutes. It looked as though they would retain the lead, until Charles Morgan’s run from deep within his own half setting up Ben Waddington to score of the left in what turned out to be the final move of the half.

Otley gain dropped the scrum some 35 metres out from their posts, Preston missing their third penalty. A quick tap and go then saw Preston come in from the side, Sam Hodge and Charles Morgan’s runs moved Otley forward, Crossland’s kick forcing Preston to kick the ball into touch. They lost the line-out, but were soon back again after Hoppers gave away a penalty. From the line-out, three passes moved the ball across the pitch giving Clark Wells the space to go over. After the restart Otley gave away a penalty on Preston’s 10 metre line, and another just after the line-out. With a quick tap and go, Harrison Moulding got the ball to Harry Thompson who powered his way over.

Despite a yellow card for foul play, Otley continued to press and got an offside penalty which was kicked into the left hand corner. They were held up over the line but, with a penalty in their pocket, they continued their attack. They were rewarded when a long pass over the defender to Sam Hodge saw him get Otley’s bonus point try with 15 minutes to go.

Having returned the restart, Otley continued to press Preston’s defence but were unable to make it count. It was only after a kick had to be killed in the visitors dead ball area did they get a scrum, Joe Rowntree flicking the ball back which then found its way to Clark who scored to the left of the posts on 73 minutes and it ended the scoring at 28-15 to Otley, which saw them rise to fourth in the league.