IN an open and entertaining game, Otley came out on top (39-26) having lost their last six games against Rotherham.

Kyle Dench, Otley’s coach said he “was really happy with the lads performance, we hadn’t always delivered our game this year, but today we put it down in spades”.

Rotherham were penalised for coming in at the side in Otley’s half, Eddie Crossland kicking to just outside the Titan’s 22. With ball in hand stalwart Brett Mitchell led the rest of his forwards pushing the visitors back some ten metres, before the ball went wide catching Rotherham offside. Callum Irvine opened the scoring after 4 minutes with a well struck penalty.

Some five minutes later Rotherham took advantage of a line-out in Otley’s 22. Moving the ball across the pitch twice, the move ending with ex-Otley player Harry Dunne deftly passing the ball to Jack Taylor who scored in the right hand corner, which Richard Hayes converted. However, their lead was short-lived, another ex-Otley player Gareth Denman straying in front of the Titan’s kicker as they tried to clear the ball. From mid-way down Rotherham’s half, Irvine’s kick went just the right side of the post.

Both sides engaged in a kicking game before Otley reverted to running the ball, Ben Waddington taking it close to the visitor’s 22 from behind his 10 metre line. From there Otley moved the ball left coming within 5 metres, with Mitchell temporarily taking on scrum half duties. The ball was then passed along the width of the pitch, Clark Wells’ pass squeezing in Duncan Darling close to the corner flag. Irvine kicked the first of his two conversions.

Both sides were playing enterprising and whilst Otley had the initial territorial advantage, they lost it as Rotherham launched a counter attack. However, the tables were turned when the ball was ripped from them, Irvine then kicking a long 50:22 to Rotherham’s 5 metre line. Mitchell caught the ball at the back of the line-out, shouting instructions as he guided his pack to the line with Luke Cole touching down which Irvine converted.

A knock-on by Otley just outside their 22 set up a platform for Rotherham. It took Rotherham seven phases to get over the 22, and a further three to get to Otley’s line where Zak Poole pushed his way over. Richard Hayes again converted with seven minutes to go. The half ended after a bout of ping-pong which gave Otley the advantage, a spliced kick giving them a line-out in Rotherham’s half. From that line-out they attacked and Rotherham infringed, Gavin Stead taking the three points to make the half time score 23-12.

Having restarted the game, Rotherham found themselves stuck in their half. When they got to Otley’s 10 metre line, they prevented Adam Malthouse taking the ball. Crossland’s kick went to the visitor’s 22, from where the ball was moved left notching up two penalties along the way. Irvine kicked the penalty on 44 minutes.

Rotherham got to Otley’s 5 metre line although the home side were able to push them back 15 metres were they knocked on, the clearance kick pushing them further back. Otley got a penalty on the half way line, the ball going left into the corner 15 metres out. Otley’s third try came after Rotherham infringed twice close to their line, earning them a yellow card. From the line out, Otley moved the ball across the pitch before bringing it back to the left, Clark Wells scoring in the corner.

Hayes took an intercept pass deep in his half and nearly made it to Otley’s line before being hauled down by Darling. This gave Rotherham the platform to mount a further attack, Gareth Denman coming through the middle of a ruck to score under the posts which Hayes concerted.

Having rebuffed Rotherham’s restart Otley got into Rotherham’s half where the visitors knocked on, and infringed again at the scrum giving Irvine his fourth penalty. Otley kept Rotherham penned in their half and got to their line with a grubber kick. Rotherham knocked-on as they tried to get out of their 22 and, on the second phase, Darling scored in the right hand corner with six minutes to go.

Rotherham got their bonus point try with the final play of the game after Harry Dunne burst through Otley’s defence, Matt Challinor crossing the line with Hayes converting.