OTLEY'S 42-22 thumping of Luctonians last Saturday preserved their home record this season.

The Cross Greeners have won five out of five on their own patch, collecting 23 league points, while their only league points away from home in six defeats out of six were the two they picked up at South Leicester almost a fortnight ago.

However, the lack of away success is not something that is keeping Otley's director of rugby Peter Clegg awake at night as they prepare to make the short trip to Sheffield Tigers this weekend.

A relaxed Clegg said: "We could have won at South Leicester, and our form has not been too bad away from home.

"We have created one or two chances and that away win will come."

Man of the match for Otley last weekend was full back Tom Hodson, who scored three tries in 14 first-half minutes and ended up with 27 points in all, the other points coming from tries by scrum half Max Johnson, lock Simon Willet and a penalty try.

Hodson came to Otley because he liked their philosophy, and the arrangement is working well for both parties.

The 26-year-old revelled in the open spaces afforded to him by playing at full back and helped his team recover from a sluggish start to notch a convincing five-point victory over Luctonians.

Hodson, who mainly played union as a youngster before switching codes to play for Wakefield Trinity Wildcats Under-20s and Doncaster and Featherstone Rovers' senior sides, said: "Otley play the sort of rugby that I want to play, and that is why I came here.

"Relationships take time but we are building partnerships with the backs and the forwards, and this performance was on a par with our win over Tynedale last month and was one of our best of the season.

"But we made a slow start again and that is something that we will have to address, although it doesn't make us downhearted."