Otley lose out again to Stourbridge
11:55am Monday 17th March 2008
Stourbridge 41 Otley 23
Any ideas of an easy end-of-season National League Two run-in for leaders Otley were shattered on Saturday when Stourbridge, showed that they too had promotion in mind.
In notching this double over the men from Cross Green Stourbridge clinically exposed the visitors' frailties, snatching the bonus point while depriving their opponents of any to put themselves just two points behind the front-runners.
It took them just five minutes to open their account, a kick ahead run back by English Universities' full-back Tom Jarvis, who made ground before linking with winger Alistair Bressington who was provided with an overlap to go in at the corner and then convert.
However, Otley quickly replied with a drive from a line-out, No 8 Dan Hyde peeling off to dive over.
A late tackle by Jonathan Buchanan gave Bressington an easy penalty but a high tackle on Rob Whatmuff allowed Robin Kitching to reply for Otley.
Then, while playing a signalled advantage, fly-half Rodney Petty dropped a goal.
Excellent play from veteran No 8 James Jenner and a better controlled kicking game were keeping Otley in check and on 40 minutes a high tackle was punished by Bressington but there was sufficient added time for Kitching to land his second penalty.
A five point half-time deficit was extended within a minute of the re-start when Otley, having secured their kick, dropped the ball and a long kick bounced badly for replacement full- back Dave McCormack, winger Jona-than Hall making the touchdown.
Worse was to follow. A penalty gave Stourbridge an attacking line-out where Howard Parr got a yellow card for pulling down and Otley were shunted over from a second line-out, prop Adrian Olver grounding and Bressington converting.
Falling 17 points behind alerted Otley to their predicament and they produced their best spell, being awarded a penalty try when Olver twice killed the ball on his line, Kitching converting.
They then had their own bit of luck with a kick ahead, McCormack nipping in to touch down but the final quarter went Stourbridge's way.
Petty added a second drop goal before a Bressington finale, beginning with a length-of-the-field try when an Otley pass went to ground as they were hammering the home line.
The ball was hacked all the way for the winger to touch down, convert and, in added time, kick a third penalty.
Otley's defeat brings third-placed Manchester back into the picture.
They defeated Nuneaton 29-8 at the weekend and are seven points behind Otley but with a game in hand on both them and Stourbridge.
However, of the three, Otley have the best points difference.