Otley 15 Preston Grasshoppers 8

PRESTON coach Garth Dew had predicted a hard game at Cross Green and he certainly got one as his side's seven-match unbeaten run in National Two North was brought to a halt.

Disappointed at the outcome he chose to accuse Otley of playing kicking and chase rugby, clearly ignoring Michael Coady's brilliant try.

He also felt there were mitigating circumstances for the loss with injuries forcing him to play a flanker and a scrum half on the wings, but Otley were in a similar predicament with a flanker and centre as their two widemen.

To their credit the Hoppers started well with former Wharfedale winger Scott Jordan breaking away only to be confronted by the formidable figure of prop Adam Blades and the danger was averted.

Alarm bells rang when Preston produced a fine rolling maul which Otley halted illegally. Full back Sean Taylor's penalty kick went wide.

He did, however, make no mistake with a straight 30-metre chance six minutes later.

Preston began to press but they found a solid defensive wall and as Otley began to structure their game.

The visitors survived a kick to the corner, clearing well only for Otley to run back at them to earn a penalty.

The Cross Greeners chose to kick for touch and won the subsequent line-out with lock Declan Dunn going over for a try.

Otley, leading 5-3, came out strongly after the break. A fine run by centre Coady led to a five metre line-out where a penalty was won and missed.

From the re-start the forwards moved the ball well across the field for Coady to come inside on an acute angle and go in at the posts for a superb try which Depledge converted.

Failing to gain from a kick for the corner, Preston quickly returned to get sub winger Jack Walker over.

A steal at the base of a scrum had Otley back on attack until they conceded a penalty.

When Mark Murray was sin-binned for tripping, sub Joshua Cruise kicked the easy penalty to set up a good last quarter with a seven-points difference.

Otley coped well although they did have one late scare in the final minute when a speculative long pass was knocked on with Preston pressing for a try.