National League Two North: Otley 14 Sale 44

HAVING done the necessary the previous week, their demolition of Harrogate ensuring fourth-tier rugby next season, and in doing so helping their neighbours be relegated, Otley were in a rather relaxed mood against a side who needed to win to secure a home play-off tie.

The Cross Greeners played their usual exciting attacking game, with their speed regularly embarrassing a pretty solid Sale outfit, but over-enthusiasm cost them two interceptions.

Sale made a determined start, threatening brekaways, but a sprightly defence kept them out, and it was left to full back Liam McGovern to open their account on eight minutes with a 22-metre penalty.

He missed a second easy chance four minutes later, and they were almost made to pay when Otley kicked a penalty to the visitors' 22, and almost made the line three times, being held up over it on another occasion.

However, Sale showed their clinical nature at the other end, with lock William Davies scoring a try, and then scrum half Matthew Bradley slipping through from a five-metre scrum for a second touchdown.

But slick passing led to Otley centre Henry Roberts going in at the posts for Jack Blakeney-Edwards to convert, cutting their deficit to 13-7 at half-time.

This put the hosts' tails up at the start of the second half, but an over-ambitious long high pass to an unmarked winger was picked out of the air by Sale centre Paolo Odogwu, who ran unopposed to the posts, with McGovern converting.

Ten minutes later, replacement hooker Scott Briggs was driven over from a five-metre scrum.

Roberts was back in the picture, shadowing winger Alexander Beaumont to take an inside pass and run round to the posts, setting up an easy conversion, but Sale then took over again, further tries coming from replacement centre Scott Rawlings and wingers Jack Moorhouse and Sam Stlmszec, from an interception.