SATURDAY at Cross Green was a time to take a step back, a time for reflection.

On Saturday, January 7, Otley flanker Scott Irvine suffered a serious spinal injury during a tackle, which means that he will be unable to work for at least six months while he undergoes both physical and mental therapy.

Being a self-employed electrician, his cash intake was downgraded more than most so Saturday’s home derby against Harrogate was an ideal opportunity to raise funds for Scott, especially as it coincided with a past players’ reunion and that he had played for both clubs.

A gofundme page has already brought in over £15,000 towards the target of £20,000, and to add to that is the money from Saturday’s raffle, auction and bucket collection – all efforts which have left Scott humbled.

Maybe it was also a time for rugby players to think ‘there but for the grace of God go I’.

One Irvine who was on the pitch was his brother Callum, who had an influential game at full back.

Callum, who has also played for Harrogate and Otley, admitted that it was a tough day at the weekend and that he would rather not have had the need to have had a fund-raiser as he wished that his brother was still playing and that the big setback hadn’t happened.

Callum said: “It was an awful injury but he has also been very lucky and it is great that the family of rugby have come together in general and raised some money for him when it was needed.

“Scott has been massively overwhelmed by the support that he has had from Otley, from Harrogate and from the neutrals, and it all adds up to a big occasion and it has been a great day.

“A lot of ex-players have also been down and it was great to see some old faces (the luncheon had a capacity attendance).”

Reflecting on Scott’s future, Callum said: “There will be six months where Scott cannot work and then it is just playing it by ear from there.

“It is always quite tough for me as I ask questions to try to take his mind off things but only he can control the rehab side of things and get back to where he wants to get back to.

“The mental challenge can be a dangerous thing when you are thinking of your own thoughts for so long but there has been so much help and support from local people, the rugby community and the Injured Players’ Foundation that he is going to be pretty busy with sorting all that out.

“It was a freak injury – he has had some disks fused - but if it wasn’t for the help that he got on the day and from the RFU then it could have been a different kettle of fish so it is hats off to them.

“It would be great to see Scott back on the field again at some stage but I have no idea if he can so it is baby steps.”

On an afternoon that was chillier than many anticipated, Harrogate certainly didn’t start off like a side who were second-from-bottom in National League Two North.

With Otley prop Ethan Thiart in the bin for a scrum infringement, the visitors took the lead with a soft 17th-minute try when lock Sam Brady was left unattended at a line-out and pretty much merely had to catch the ball and fall over the line.

Full back Rory Macnab made it 8-0 four minutes later with a penalty but Harrogate got a yellow card on the half-hour for No 8 Tom Spencer-Jones handling on the floor, although Otley didn’t cash in until he was back on the field.

Referee Ben Davies awarded Otley a penalty try just before half-time after a third scrum infringement in the red zone.

Only trailing 8-7 now, the fourth-placed home side put Harrogate away inside the opening 15 minutes of the second half with three more tries.

Irvine was much involved in No 8 Ben Waddington’s try two minutes after the restart, which was superbly converted from the stand touchline by scrum half Joe Rowntree.

In the 48th minute, Rowntree again bent the ball in from the right touchline to convert winger Clark Wells’ try, and three minutes later centre Gavin Stead was over for the bonus-point try after Harrogate coughed up possession in midfield.

Rowntree’s successful conversion apparently made a mess of someone’s beer but Harrogate, who incredibly missed four penalty kicks to touch overall, had the final word with a last-minute try by replacement Chris Jackson.

The win took Otley up to third, and improved their chances of coming second as Fylde, who lost again, are 15 points ahead having played two games more and meet leaders Sedgley Park on Saturday.

Otley, however, have a tough match themselves at Ionians, who Otley have displaced.