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Otley players celebrate their promotion to National One

Otley 47 Blackheath 0

Should they miss out on the bonus point Manchester could equal the points total but Otley would take the title having won more matches.

As last week Otley were in determined mood and their defence, by far the best in the league, was all enveloping, which it needed to be in the first-half when Blackheath, with the aid of the wind, had them penned in their own territory for most of the first quarter after their full-back Frankie Neale missed a second minute penalt.

Otley had ten minutes without Richard Snowball who got a yellow card but they did escape just the once for Robin Kitching to kick a sixth minute penalty.

This was to be a start to a record-breaking display by the versatile Kitching, appearing on the left wing on this occasion, his two tries, three penalties and four conversions overtaking the 25 points match total of Mark Kirkby, five tries against Redruth in 1997; and Simon Binns' one try, four penalties and four conversions against Wakefield in 2002.

It was a break by Danny Smith which broke the stranglehold and when he was late tackled on half-way after kicking .

Although the long throw was lost Otley were awarded a scrum and a neat pass from Guy Easterby put No 8 Max Lewis over at the posts.

With backs and forwards joining in excellent driving and ball retention the next try quickly followed, skipper Ian Shuttleworth came up the blind side of a scrum to hand on to Kitching who swept his opposite number aside as he powered to the line.

This was to be the end of the first-half scoring but two minutes after the re-start Kitching kicked a penalty and he soon added another when the visitors' struggling defence was again caught off-side.

They were being harassed at the line-out and constantly turned in the set piece and a fine drive from a throw-in ended with Dan Hyde breaking off to cross near the posts.

Five minutes later, with the score now 28-0 he was rested and within a minute, his replacement, Xavier Andre, was given a pass 30m out, and stunned the defence as he raced to the line.

Now completely in charge they had no trouble at a five metre scrum after being held up over the line, Lewis picking up and driving over All the replacements were now on to enjoy the occasion maintaining the tempo but it was Kitching who had the last word to improve on his last week's contribution when he snapped up an ankle high pass at speed to career through the defence and dive over in the corner.

The team left the field to a tremendous ovation, returning to salute the crowd, many of whom will be making the journey to Blundlesands on Saturday.

11:25am Tuesday 22nd April 2008

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