Waterloo given reminder of task ahead

Sep 3 2007 by Geoff Lightfoot, Liverpool Daily Post

Otley 25, Waterloo 15

FOLLOWING the euphoria surrounding their win at Garryowen, Waterloo were brought back to earth with a 25-15 defeat at Otley when they opened their National Two campaign at Cross Green.

Already favourites for an immediate return to National One, Otley were far to ‘streetwise’ for the Blundellsands side.

Cross Green is never an easy venue but if they can learn from the experience the Merseysiders showed enough spirit and enterprise to expect much better as the season unfolds.

Waterloo took an early lead with a penalty by Alex Davies but tries from Otley’s Dan Smith, converted by Alan Greendale, and Paul Williams gave the Yorkshire side a 12-0 lead at the break.

Waterloo came back in the second half with a try from newcomer

Luke Stringer, the scrum half capitalising on a well-worked line out ploy. Greendale slotted a penalty to make it 15-8 for the home side before Stringer again went over after David York broke off the back of a scrum. Alastair Davidson, with the deftest of offloads, gave the scrum half his second, Davies’ conversion levelling the scores. However in the closing stages a penalty from Greendale and a second try for Smith, also converted by the outside half, was to deny Waterloo even a well-deserved losing bonus point.