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Howard Parr pictured in Otley's game against Redruth on Saturday

Otley 20 Redruth 18

Otley's relief in securing the win was encapsulated in the sight of Otley prop Steve Trethewey embracing a prone scrum-half Guy Easterby after the final whistle.

Redruth, who for long periods looked the more likely to win, had succumbed to a penalty by Robin Kitching in the ninth minute of injury time.

This after Otley's full-back had missed with an effort from a similar position near Redruth's ten metre line four minutes earlier.

With Manchester winning at home 27-7 against the other promotion candidates Stourbridge, it means that Otley's lead at the top has been cut to a point but, more crucially, they are six points ahead of third-placed Stourbridge with three games left.

The Cornishmen started much the better downwind their fly-half Gareth Griffiths putting them ahead with a penalty in the third minute for an Otley off-side.

Otley lost second row Paul Williams to a shoulder injury in the 22nd minute and, although they continued to employ the pick and drive, they tended to lose possession at vital moments.

However, in the 33rd minute, centre Rob Whatmuff broke a tackle in midfield, flanker Dan Hyde taking the attack on before Williams' replacement Xavier Andre went through a gap for a try. Kitching's conversion made it 7-3 but they trailed at half-time.

Scrum-half Guy Easterby's pass was intercepted by his opposite number Mark Richards in the 40th minute and, although Alastair Monks got back to tackle they never cleared their lines before centre Alan Paul Thirlby went over, Griffiths converting.

The lead didn't last long, however, Redruth being off-side a minute into the second-half for Kitching to land an equalising penalty.

In the 61st minute Otley hooker Ben Steele was sin-binned for interfering from an off-side position and Griffiths' penalty put Redruth 13-10 ahead.

Otley regained the lead four minutes later when Monks made a break and the attack was switched for Kitching to cross and add a superb conversion.

Otley were ahead 17-13 with 12 minutes to go but the advantage only lasted seven minutes as Rob Thirlby went over on the left. It was a painful score, however, for the left winger suffered a suspected broken leg, Dench being sin-binned for sliding in to try and prevent the score.

Kitching's 85th minute penalty miss seemed to indicate it wasn't to be Otley's day but he made no mistake four minutes later to clinch an unlikely victory.

Monks, who was the only Otley back to make clean breaks, said: "We knew this was a big game and we knew they would be tough up front, but, because of the weather, that played into our hands a bit.

"We matched them up front in the first-half, playing off nine and ten and the forwards, and with the wind behind us in the second-half, we played for position and got the result.

"I had my fingers crossed for Robin's last kick after he had missed the previous one but he kicked it no bother and we knew that all we had to do from the re-start was get the ball off the pitch, which we did."

Otley again have the frustration of having a gap in their league fixtures and are not in action again until April 12 when they visit Cambridge.

9:51am Monday 31st March 2008

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