Pack supremacy fails to pay dividends for Otley as a vital last-gasp kick floats wide

Stourbridge 21

One bonus point was scant reward for the amount of possession and territory enjoyed by Otley.

A forceful performance by the pack had them in charge but for all this supremacy they constantly failed to effect the final breakthrough.

They set off brightly, only to concede a penalty 47 metres out which winger James Hearn, with the aid of a strong wind, converted with ease.

Christian Georgiou hit an upright before finding the target. Otley lost winger James Twomey with a hamstring injury and they were also unable to take advantage of an interception by No 8 Robert Afoa-Peterson.

Stourbridge won a penalty which Hearn kicked and a penalty on 32 minutes found Otley defending a five-metre lineout, No 8 Rupert Cooper getting over and securing an 11-6 lead.

Just before the break, Georgiou added a penalty but early in the second-half Otley allowed hooker Liam Wordley to run through a number of tackles and when the ball was swung wide, they were short of defenders, centre Charles Hayter having a clear run in.

Georgiou added another penalty but a further one was scorned in favour of a fruitless scrum. Keeping up the pressure they got Richard Beck over only for a cross-kick from fly-half Sam Robinson to fall just right for winger Ashley Smith to catch and dive over.

On 80 minutes, a long pass from fly-half Joe Barker put Curtis Wilson in at the corner but the vital conversion floated just wide.

Blaydon Crows 20

Wharfedale 27

A HAT-TRICK of tries from Andy Hodgson steered Wharfedale to a workmanlike victory.

The home side enjoyed the larger share of possession but lacked the enterprise to turn that advantage into points.

When impressive lock Talite Vaioleti added the bonus-point fourth try on 69 minutes, the Greens led 27-13 and, though Blaydon managed a late converted try, had little difficulty in seeing the game out for a win.

Blaydon encouraged their fans with a solid opening half-hour, taking a 10-0 lead through centre Tom Rock’s 22nd-minute try plus the conversion and a penalty from scrum-half Matt Melish.

Hodgson then took a decisive role, twice charging down attempted clearances by Melish. Each time the ball bounced over the try-line and Hodgson pounced to score on 30 and 36 minutes.

Stand-off Tom Barrett’s conversion of the first try, plus a penalty from Melish left the half-time score at 13-12 to the hosts.

Barrett’s penalty on 50 minutes had the Greens in front for the first time, and he converted Hodgson’s third touch-down on the hour after a slick line movement left the centre clear.

Vaioleti’s bulldozing try effectively sealed the win.

Home prop Rob Kalbraier’s converted try on 75 minutes earned his side a losing bonus, but a ninth consecutive defeat has set up an anxious end to the season for the Crows.

As for Wharfedale, their own worries are greatly eased. They move up a place to ninth, leapfrogging Coventry.