Chester 5 Otley 7

OTLEY, with a whole back division unavailable, knew they had a hard task travelling to Chester, who had lost only one game to date.

Putting the previous week’s disappointment behind them, they made sure they hung on to their slender lead in the dying minutes, though it was not without the odd scare.

Chester immediately showed why they were doing well with some strong running which stretched Otley to the limit, gathering a penalty at the kick-off which led up to a swift attack, their right winger John Ketland being tackled into touch just short of the line.

Despite being under the whip, Otley were able to launch spasmodic attacks. As usual there were strong runs from No 6 Tom O’Donnell and centre Mike Coady, all well backed up, but under such pressure errors crept in, penalties were conceded and passes did not find their mark.

It was from a penalty on half-way which gained a line-out on the Otley 22 that set up the first score for Chester on seven minutes. No 8 David Ford was driven over, fly-half Rhys Hayes missing what was to become a crucial conversion.

The situation was not helped when, on 14 minutes, O’Donnell was yellow carded when attempting to stop a maul travelling quickly towards the Otley line. To their credit, the pack rose to the occasion, in one instance pushing their opponents off their own ball, and the break arrived with no further score.

Both sides threw everything into attack and, as the game progressed, so did Otley’s chances. A third penalty kick at goal – the first two went wide – hit both posts before bouncing back but their moves showed more menace.

Finally, on 75 minutes, with Chester back row Joseph Kyle in the sin bin, Stephen Depledge broke from a scrum on half-way, the ball going quickly to centre Henry Roberts, who skipped round his man and evaded further tackles to race in for skipper Depledge to take on the kicking mantle and put his side ahead.

The final minutes were rather hairy, two throw-ins being lost in the confusion, but Otley hung on.