Old Otliensians 10 Leeds Modernians 12

A BITTERLY cold day with wind and driving icy rain conspired to make the playing and watching conditions pretty unbearable at Chaffer’s Field.

The visitors coped best with the elements and with the help of their large and vociferous following, plus the hosts’ propensity to upset the referee, took the winning points.

Penalties abounded and Mods converted four to edge out Otliensians who ran in two unconverted tries.

Playing into the wind, Old Modernians found progress difficult, but through their big forwards, gave the hosts enough to think about.

Gradually Otliensians turned the and after 25 minutes a sequence of tap penalties and scrum dominance culminated in Connor Bateman scoring under the posts.

His conversion attempt went horribly wrong and in the wind sailed wide of the right upright.

Mods then spent long periods in home territory and looked to have levelled the score with a well-worked try, but they were called back for a crossing offence.

Penalty after penalty went the way of the visitors and it was difficult to make coherence of it all.

Both teams tackled well but neither seemed able to find consistency in attack.

With so many penalty stoppages there was little flow to the game with Bateman’s try proving to be the only score of the first half.

Modernians kicked two penalties early in the second half, but a long loping run by Bateman saw him score wide out to regain the lead for the hosts.

A good run by Ieuan Cranswick, relieving kicks by Will Cooper and a counter attack by Kristian Keinhorst gave Otliensians hope of victory, but a further successful penalty brought Modernians within a point at 10-9.

The Modernians supporters were becoming more vociferous as the penalty county continued to rise against Otliensians.

One penalty was missed before Modernians edged ahead from another kick at goal.

Penalty kicks had won the day over tries.