Newbury 26 Otley 20

Peter Clegg’s Otley side will be looking for plenty of local support to edge them to that important first victory of the season when they entertain Nottingham on Saturday (2.15pm).

Once that win is achieved they can maybe move on and bag a few more in this most difficult of leagues. Nottingham are another side with high ambitions and a fine game is in prospect but can the supporters drive Otley to a first win of the season?

Otley made the long trip to Berkshire last Saturday to play the side who sit just above them in the league with skipper Dan Hyde making his first appearance of the season and he made an impressive start.

The whole team played confidently and appeared to be fulfilling their objective but a catastrophic six minutes in the second-half, when they conceded 13 points, left them playing catch-up rugby and sadly they could manage just one try in that final 20 minutes.

There was a case to be made for giving winger Robin Kitching more of the ball for he had a hand in every score. It was his strong break to the posts which gained Otley an eighth minute penalty, a second run four minutes later created a try for centre Luther Burrell and he bagged two tries himself.

Otley looked fired up for this encounter, forcing a turnover from Newbury’s first attack, the ball going out to Kitching who veered inside and looked to be in under the posts but was just held a few metres ou. The retreating defence conceded a penalty for fly-half Tom Rhodes to open the scoring but his opposite number, Gareth Griffiths, soon equalised with a penalty at a ruck 35 metres out.

Kitching was soon back in the picture chasing to leap and catch the re-start and again bursting through and when he was tackled the ball went quickly out for Burrell to go in at the corner.

Griffiths added a second penalty but as Otley applied the pressure they were almost over from a line-out, just catching the corner flag as they went over.

They were given a scare on 32 minutes when left winger Martin Nutt raced in wide out only to be re-called for a forward pass The ubiquitous Kitching was there again, going clean through the middle but unable to get his pass to his supporters who were there in number.

The half ended with Otley in control and with the wind in their favour they began in the same fashion after the break.

Rhodes was unlucky to hit an upright with a penalty attempt from wide out but when a promising attack broke down Newbury moved the ball quickly downfield and full-back Matthew Williams had a free run round to the posts to give Griffiths an easy conversion.

A magnificent kick by Kitching had Newbury back on their line and although they cleared from there Otley kept up the pressure and the left winger forced his way over, Rhodes’ conversion regaining the lead only for the wheels to come off.

A short re-start was knocked-on and Newbury tore through the midfield, prop Nathanael Catt going over near the posts for Griffiths to convert.

When, back on attack, he stood deep at a ruck he smoothly dropped a goal and then, two minutes later when Otley No 8 Mike McComish was shown a yellow card Griffiths kicked the penalty.

Newbury were now full of fight and when Hyde retaliated to a high tackle by scrum-half Waylon Gasson both went to the sin-bin. As Otley began their task of resurrecting this game two more of the home forwards followed on 72 and 76 minutes as they tried to quell the late assault.

Kitching grabbed his second try and a win with a bonus point was there for the taking but the urgency promoted indecision and the final whistle came too soon.