FIVE weeks after club president David Somers and then chairman Nick Girling made an impassioned plea for volunteers to help run Otley Rugby Union Football Club, a crop of helpers have emerged.

At a luncheon before Saturday's National League Two North match at home to Tynedale, Somers said: "We have a new book-keeper, a new treasurer and a new secretary.

"We also have volunteers to help the commercial team and the membership secretary and to look at re-development, and we will have a new player-coach in place for next season."

Considering that there is widespread acknowledgement that Otley RUFC, who were formed in 1865, are at a crossroads, this is the best piece of collective off-the-field news that the Cross Greeners have had in a while.

The main purpose of the luncheon, however, was to present cheques of £2,307.50 to both Prince Henry's Grammar School and the Teenage Cancer Trust from money raised by the Boxing Day match between an Otley XV and Prince Henry's Grammar School Old Boys.

Somers said: "Peter Clegg (Otley's director of rugby) came up with the idea of the match 18 months ago and both have been a tremendous success.

"We chose the Teenage Cancer Trust as a beneficiary because of what happened to Jack Hurst."

Jack, a Year 13 Prince Henry's Grammar School student, died last October after being diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2015, and the Teenage Cancer Trust is now the school's official charity.

Somers added: "We are a very vibrant rugby club, and the almost £5,000 that we have raised shows that."

As for last weekend's match, which Otley lost 38-27 after conceding 14 points inside ten minutes but only being denied a second bonus point by a dubious fifth Tynedale try at the death, Otley's head coach Charlie Maunder said: "Tynedale are a very good side and you can't give them a head start like we did, but I was proud of the character that the lads showed in the second half.

"We could have got more from our dominance in the scrum, but the referees are different (in their interpretation) every week.

"Also you have to take your chances at this level, although we were unlucky with their last try with the touch judge's ruling when you could see from as far away as the Chevin that the Tynedale player hadn't grounded the ball.

"However, we challenged Tynedale, and we have got six points from the last three matches (they also beat Hinckley away and got a losing bonus point at Sedgley Park) when many people expected us to get nothing, and we hope to put in another good performance next week at home to South Leicester."

A minute's silence was held before kick-off in memory of Peter Drake, who was an Otley RUFC supporter for over 45 years and a club member for over 20.

Rarely missing a home match and a lover of the away coach trips too, he used to work on Farnley Estate Farm and was known as one of the best herdsmen in the business.

Peter's funeral is at Farnley Church on Tuesday (noon), and donations can be made to either the RNLI or the British Legion.

Otley will finish their season on Sunday, May 6 with a charity match at Harrogate in aid of Marie Curie (2pm).

The derby runs alongside a fun day (11am), which will include bouncy castles, face painting, raffles and a tombola.