Caldy 13 Otley 15

OTLEY edged out the home side Caldy in a tight game at Paton Field with Otley number eight Alex Ball getting the all important try in a dour game due to the heavy pitch and wet conditions.

Both sides made numerous handling errors in good areas of the pitch which made the game very scrappy.

Both of the back rows were excellent on the day as both sides scrambled and fought for possession with neither side able to make any significant line breaks due to the conditions.

After the game, Caldy’s director of rugby Simon Wright said: “This was always going to be a good test for our young squad against a side in fifth place in the league.

“There was never much between the two sides and had we not made some of the handling errors in attacking positions the result could have been different.

“Our defence continues to improve and with the work that the lads are doing in training we can only get better.”

Caldy started the better side and capitalised on their good possession and territory when a well worked rolling maul saw Caldy hooker Christian Jones touch down for his second try in as many weeks. Richard Vasey missed the difficult conversion.

James Twomey did kick a penalty to reduce the deficit from close range after Caldy blindside Broadbent was adjudged to have held the player. Broadbent was sin binned.

Despite being down to 14 men, Caldy got another score before half time after a mazy run from Dickinson saw him touch down out wide. Vasey again failed to convert.

After the break, Otley dominated possession at the start of the second half and were awarded a penalty try on 53 minutes following a series of scrums that collapsed, ruled to be the fault of the Caldy pack. Twomey converted from under the posts to level the scores at 10 apiece.

Caldy had a lot of possession but good work from the Otley defence kept the waves of attacks at bay and poor handling errors gave Otley the chance to clear their lines.

Vasey kicked a penalty after 64 minutes to edge Caldy ahead, after the Otley five was adjudged to have left the line too early.

On 67 minutes, Dave Jones was sent to the sin bin whilst Caldy were defending their line and subsequently Otley number eight Ball touched down for the match winning try after a series of drives and scrums.

Caldy tried valiantly to get a further score but the game ended when Twomey missed a penalty shot in the 80th minute of the game.