OTLEY kicked-off the season with a win against a side they had suffered narrow losses to in their two previous games.
Hull kicked off in damp drizzly conditions, Otley’s Rhys Green taking the ball into the tackle.
In the opening minutes Otley were kept within their half, eventually conceding a penalty on their 10-metre line which sailed left of the posts.
Hull continued to keep up the pressure, charging down a clearance kick. Again, back in Otley’s 22, Hull ran through a couple of phases before flanker Jack Baldry spotted a gap and ran through to score under the posts, giving Harrison Astley an easy conversion after 10 minutes.
Shortly afterwards Hull were penalised for holding on just inside their half, but the Otley kick didn’t have the legs to go over. Otley were given another penalty which took them into the Hull 22 for the first time but, after their maul made progress, the attack in open play broke down when the visitors were penalised for obstruction.
Hull kept trying to break down Otley’s defence, aided in part by the opposition’s penalty count. They came close to scoring after Astley kicked the ball into the Otley’s dead-ball area, Ben Waddington racing back to touch down just ahead of Ali Heard. Otley conceded a penalty in Hull’s half giving the home side a line-out on Otley’s 22. From there Hull moved ball left across the pitch with a cross-field kick that Mike Adlard caught on the wing, rounded his opposite number to score.
Each side had one further attack before the half-time whistle, leaving the score at 12-0.
From an early goal-line drop-out by Hull, Otley searched for another way through to the whitewash finding the break they needed when an Otley player was not released from the tackle on Hull’s 22 – Joe Rowntree’s kick in front of the posts opening Otley’s account on 45 minutes. Stout defending kept Hull at bay and eventually the home side were held up over the line. Otley weathered another storm in their 22 before Hull had a penalty attempt just inside the visitor’s half that bounced before the line.
An attempted 50:22 by Otley set up a line-out after Hull kicked the ball into touch. From the left-hand side Otley moved the ball into centre and towards the 22, where Hull conceded a penalty for a high tackle. Rowntree’s kick took Otley to within seven.
Things got a little frenetic as both sides searched for the next score, winger Will Derry being given a ten-minute break for tackling a player without the ball. Again, under pressure, Otley saw out that yellow period frustrating Hull as they held them over the line for the second time.
After the restart and one attack by Otley, Callum Irvine kicked a 50:22 into the left-hand corner. The resultant maul saw Hull’s Tony McCormack go to the bin for side entry. From another line-out, Otley’s maul guided George Bowen over the line with Rowntree adding the decisive kick.
Otley saw out the few remaining minutes with a Hull forward pass bringing the game to an end, giving the visitors a satisfying but close encounter of the third kind.
Otley host Leeds Tykes this coming Saturday who will be looking their early promotion credentials, kick off is 3.00pm.
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