The last meeting between the two sides came on the day that Leeds regained their place in the Guinness Premiership and Otley were relegated to National Two.

Now, 18 months on, Leeds are once again chasing a place in the top flight while Otley battle to avoid the drop.

Pre-match analysis suggested a rout by the full-time outfit over their neighbours, but while the final scoreline of 58-14 may have suggested just that, the game was far from a stroll for Neil Back's side.

Otley actually scored the first try of the game when Danny Smith latched onto a loose pass 10 metres from his own line and ran the length of the field to score an intercept try after five minutes. Tom Rhodes converted to give Otley a shock 7-3 lead.

However, Argentinean fly-half Alberto Di Bernardo was in fine form for the home side.

Having kicked a penalty early on, he then inspired his troops with an audacious tap from a penalty, before chipping over the defence and collecting his own kick to score. He converted the try for good measure and gave Leeds a lead they were never to relinquish.

Otley did their best to frustrate Leeds at every turn, testing the patience of referee Mark Wilson, aptly a Yorkshireman in charge of this most local of derby games.

Di Bernardo extended the hosts' lead with a penalty after 19 minutes before Otley were reduced to 14 men with the sin binning of No 8 Rob Baldwin.

Leeds sensed their chance to capitalise and scored two tries while they had the numerical advantage. Firstly, winger Scott Armstrong marked his recall to the starting line up with some good finishing of a well-worked move in midfield. Hendre Fourie then emerged as the try scorer at the bottom of a pile of forwards after a catch and drive from a line out close in. Di Bernardo converted both tries to make it 25-7 at the break.

The second half started in firey fashion that eventually saw the visitors full-back Ian Shuttleworth dispatched to the sin bin for deliberately stopping a quick tap by Rhys Oakley, after the back rower had marked a kick in his own 22.

Once again, Leeds seized the initiative and sealed the crucial try bonus point. Fourie spotted a gap at the back of a ruck and burrowed his way over after 47 minutes. With the maximum points secured, Leeds seemed to relax into their stride.

Centre Rob Vickerman was instrumental in everything good the home side did. His footwork took him through the visitors defence on several occasions and with better finishing, Leeds could have been out of sight before the hour mark.

He scored one himself after 51 minutes and then set up Armstrong for his second with a wonderfully weighted kick into the corner to give Leeds a commanding 44-7 lead.

All credit to Peter Clegg's Otley side, who never gave up the fight. They got a deserved second try with 15 minutes remaining when Baldwin broke free in the tackle 20 metres out and galloped over to score the corner, Rhodes converting to make it 44-14.

However, Leeds finished with a flourish to make it three wins from three at the top of National Division One. Richard Welding finished off a flowing move with a try in the corner before Vickerman stepped his way passed three would be tacklers to score next to the posts in the last minute.

Di Bernardo converted both to make the final score 48-14. Leeds will travel to Rotherham next Sunday for another derby encounter and they will certainly be battle hardened after this clash with the men from Cross Green.

Leeds Carnegie: Welding, Armstrong, Vickerman, Brooks, Biggs, Di Bernardo, Mathie, Pala'amo, Rawlinson, Bucknall, Lund, Pendlebury, Boyde, Fourie, Oakley. Replacements: MacDonald for Pala'amo (56), Nilsen for Rawlinson (75), Murphy for Pendlebury (53), Dunbar for Fourie (49), Bedford for Mathie (53), Hepworth, Hinton, Nilsen for Oakley (63 rev 75)

Otley: Shuttleworth, Parsons, Dench, Buchanan, Smith, Rhodes, McCormack, Wederell, Kay, Fullman, Parr, Williams, Lewis, Mccormish, Baldwin. Replacements: Trethewey for Wederell (60), Steele for Kay (52), Burns for Parr (72), Bland for Williams (56), Whittaker for Dench (56), Kitching for Smith (60), Monks for Shuttleworth (72)

Referee: M Wilson.