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Otley's Howard Parr

Otley have four games left in which to seal promotion back to National Division One following their relegation last term.

Otley's run in starts on Saturday with a home game against Redruth who lie fourth from the bottom of the table.

The Cornishmen were beaten 13-7 in the home fixture and have proved to be poor travellers as have fifth placed Cambridge, Otley's next opponents away in two weeks' time on April 12.

They were losers to Peter Clegg's men at Cross Green by 34-25 but they have performed well at home and could well be a stumbling block.

Then comes a home game with fourth placed Blackheath on April 19. They held Otley to 17-12 back in December.

Otley currently sit at the top of the table but there is no room for complacency as second placed club Stourbridge and third placed Manchester are just two points behind them.

Manchester's demolition of Halifax last week brings them level with Stourbridge, just two points behind leaders Otley.

Although the two meet at Manchester on Saturday there can be no further slips as the season staggers to a close with three blank weeks in the final eight.

Otley's season culminates in an away trip to mid-table Waterloo on April 26. Waterloo who, although losers at Cross Green 25-15, have performed pretty well at home.

All this will concentrate the minds of selectors and players if this is to be a quick return to League One and a bonus point would not come amiss against Redruth for this is where Otley have suffered.

There will however be no shortage of application from the Otley side with skipper Ian Shuttleworth, limping badly after the Stourbridge game, expected to be fit so a tremendous day is in prospect.

The teams for the game at Redruth back in November which Otley edged 13-7 were: Redruth: Thirlby, Vinnicombe, Meredith, Gidlow, Bonds, Griffiths, Richards, Jacques, Cooper, Joyce, Collins, Cook, Pascoe, Fuca, Bright Otley: Shuttleworth (capt); Parsons, Whatmuff, Mooney, Smith; Monks, Easterby; Trethewey, Steele (Plevey 55), Fullman; Snowball, Williams; Tiffany, Bland, Stockdale.

Otley's last match was of course the deafeat at Stourbridge and players who took part in that game who were not involved in the last game against Redruth were Kyle Dench, Jonathan Buchanan, Robin Kitching, Wederall, Howard Parr, Dan Hyde, Dave McCormack and Duncan Sayers so not a lot can be gauged by the previous result bearing in mind such a change of perconnel.

Redruth had a good win against Halifax in their last match picking up a very valuable five points. Redruth scored six tries against a side already relegated.

Ben Fox made his full debut against Halifax and did very well as did Steve Wood but forward Damien Cook picked up a nasty ligament injury, He hopes to be back before the end of the season.

A Rugby Football Union Disciplinary Panel will meet at the Leeds Brighouse Holiday Inn on April 8, to consider the citing by Stourbridge of Otley's Ben Steele for alleged stamping in the game at Stourbridge on March 15.

10:05am Thursday 27th March 2008

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