Northallerton 16 Old Otliensians 9

THIS was a tight, top-of-the-table clash and Northallerton’s big, heavy pack were determined to maintain their club’s unblemished season.

This they did, with conditions perhaps favouring their attritional approach.

They won two tries to none, both emanating from forward pressure, on a day when the weather and the size of the home side tipped the scales against Otliensians.

Three penalty goals in the first half from the boot of Carl Paterson, who had a good all-round game, were Otliensians response to a try and two penalties by the hosts at the break.

The second half produced just one score, a second try from Northallerton’s forwards and if the hosts were jubilant and relieved, the visitors were frustrated but philosophical.

Cold, dark and very windy conditions did not please either set of backs, but Otliensians felt that on a calmer day, perhaps matters would have taken a different course.

Apart from a brief period in the first session, when they made the home backs look dangerous by falling off tackles, defences in the middle of the field were very good and the threes only rarely threatened.

Luke Cowdell was twice denied, once in the first half when support was not quite on his elbow and again after the break, when he was called back from under the

posts for a tackle infringement.

Paterson was just short with a long-range penalty attempt and a beautiful kick to the corner rolled the wrong

way and went dead.

This was certainly not a spectacle and whether picking and going or attempting to run the ball, both teams found progress up the field very difficult.

The strong corner-to-corner wind dictated the structure of the match and Northallerton were better suited.

Their bigger, heavier, forwards did not tire, though these days the liberal use of subs can camouflage the last

quarter.

You could not fault the visitors’ work rate and commitment and if they were unhappy with the conditions, they begrudgingly acknowledged Northallerton’s modus operandi.

A yellow card in the first half, when only the second of the two miscreants was punished, did not help ‘Ensians, but was not costly.

All in all, perhaps no stars, but a good squad effort which, on the day, was not quite enough.