National League Two North: Otley 20 Huddersfield 10

OTLEY'S Wednesday Gang have gone down into club folklore for the way in which they do various odd jobs to keep their pride and joy of Cross Green looking good.

However, a hastily-assembled Saturday Morning Gang were needed to get this derby on.

Director of rugby Peter Clegg, one of those who pitched in, explained: "It poured down in the morning and the pitch was wet everywhere.

"Five of us got down about 9.30am to 10am and worked on the pitch for two hours to try and get the game on, and even then it was 50-50.

"The referee (Neil Chivers) got down about 10.30am and said the match was on but that if there was any more rain, he would have to review it.

"I have played on worse but I could have understood it if the referee had called the game off.

"I have been involved down here for a number of years, and the pitch was as heavy as I have known it."

As it turned out, the work of the 'famous five' did the trick and the match was played, with Otley winning, although they could well have got the bonus point into the bargain.

They scored three tries in the first half but could not manufacture another, despite being in charge for most of the final 20 minutes.

Clegg added: "We scored two tries through driving mauls, and it was frustrating that we could not get a try in the second half.

"We blew some line-outs, one of which allowed their 10 to clear his lines, and had other chances, but it is a balancing act between picking our best side every week and looking to the future."

Otley certainly started brightly against their relegation-threatened visitors, who included three former Bradford & Bingley players in Adam Malthouse, Tommy Kanauros and Dan Jeffrey, and former Otley hooker Henry Walker.

The hosts won a penalty at the first scrum in the third minute, skipper Stephen Depledge kicking to the burger-van corner, and lock Declan Dunn being driven over from the line-out.

Centre Elliot Hodgson, who looked Huddersfield's most dangerous player, sliced through two minutes later but went himself, rather than seeking a colleague, and Otley won a penalty at the breakdown.

After the first brawl of a sometimes fractious afternoon, Otley got their second try in the 15th minute, full back Henry Roberts running with purpose before finding right winger James Wood, who flirted with the touchline before finding Depledge with a beautifully-timed inside pass, the scrum half scooting down the touchline to score.

The first four penalties all went to Otley but the next four were Huddersfield's, resulting in the home side being starved of possession and visiting fly half Chris Bell landing a penalty in the 22nd minute.

But on the half-hour, Otley's well-drilled driving maul came to the fore again after a penalty went in their favour, with Dunn claiming his second try, despite the forwards having further to go this time.

The score was central enough for Depledge to convert, but, although Hodgson made another break in the first half and Bell missed a penalty, it only seemed a matter of time before Otley got their fourth try.

However, Huddersfield came out for the second half with renewed determination, almost scoring from the restart and then losing possession and being penalised when raids deep into Otley territory looked like they might bear fruit.

Malthouse did score in the corner beneath the scoreboard in the 59th minute, Bell converting for 17-10 to put the result back in the melting pot.

But, although Depledge kicked the ball direct into touch from Huddersfield's ten-metre line, the tide began to turn in the home side's favour.

Otley messed up a line-out deep in visiting territory on the stand side, and they could not capitalise on a five-metre scrum after left winger Sam Melville had speedily chased down Depledge's kick over the top.

That scrum came to nothing and they then lost another line-out and, with time running out, Otley finally took the game away from Huddersfield with a 76th-minute penalty by replacement Joshua Cruise.

The victory lifted Otley one place to sixth, above Sandal, while Huddersfield dropped a place to second from bottom (15th) after being overtaken by Luctonians, who defeated fifth-placed visitors Leicester Lions 11-10.