Old Otliensians 24 Aireborough 14

Old Otliensians 24 Aireborough 14 by Steve Robinson

OTLIENSIANS made it two wins from two starts as they defeated their local rivals at Chaffers Field.

Aireborough, keen to avenge last season’s Aire-Wharfe Cup defeat by the old boys, made the early running.

They put Otliensians under a lot of pressure in the scrum where the front row of Tom Twist, Rob Lyon and Josh Dyson struggled as the visitors pushed them back at a great rate of knots.

Great tackling form centres Dom Oddy and Luke Cowdell as well as wingers, Ieuan Cranswick and Nathan Rogers, prevented Aireborough from turning pressure into points.

The home back row of Greg Manning, Sam Featherstone and Lee O’Donnell were having to defend hard against strong forward charges.

After nearly 20 minutes of solid defending in their own 22, Featherstone managed to force a turnover and the home side were able to clear down field and relieve the sustained pressure.

Otliensians showed that despite struggling in the scrums that the line-out would be a different story. Taking the visitors throw, the dangerous home back line got its first taste of the ball.

Some great interplay moved the ball into the visitors’ 22 with the ball being shipped wide to Cranswick who nearly got over in the corner.

Another line-out steal allowed the home pack to set up a driving maul and this time hooker Rob Lyon went over for a try.

Otliensians extended their lead when good support play by locks Ollie Cooper and Ali Campbell meant the home side had quick ball and were able to release Cranswick.

He made good ground before finding Manning in support who went over for the try. Cowdell added the conversion for a 12-0 lead.

The home side continued to apply pressure and put the visitors’ defence to the test but the score remained unchanged at the break.

Winger Rogers went close at the start of the second half before Cowdell rounded his man, chipped over the full back, collected his own kick and ran under the post to score a fine try which he also converted.

Otliensians had their tails up and scored again when No.8 Lee O’Donnell carried his side into the opposition 22.

He found scrum half Rob Lofthouse, who had been looking dangerous all game, picked the ball off the back of the ruck, chipped over the defence and collected his own kick to score a fantastic individual try.

Featherstone had to leave the field with a suspected dislocated shoulder so Rob Arbuckle came into a reshuffled back row.

If the home side thought the contest was over the visitors had other ideas.

Some strong drives from thei Aireborough forwards and good play in the back line saw them score a well-worked converted try.

The visitors stepped up the pressure and a pushover try, which was also converted, was a deserved reward, but Otliensians were not to be denied the victory they had to work so hard for.