Otley making all the right noises

6:10pm Sunday 30th November 2008

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Otley 14, Sedgley Park 7

The ghettoblaster was pumping up the volume in Sedgley Park’s dressing room after the match – but it was the Otley players down the corridor who were wearing the smiles following a second successive victory.

Following up their win over current bottom side Manchester, the Cross Greeners are still second from bottom but are now only a point behind Newbury and three adrift of both Sedgley Park and Esher.

And Otley fly half Tom Rhodes said: “We can definitely turn Rotherham Titans (who were on the end of a 76-21 hammering at Exeter on Saturday) over next week to make it three in a row.”

Sedgley Park, whose right winger Peter Swatkins attacked dangerously from deep in only the second minute, were pulled up for forward passes three times in the opening 19 minutes.

They were also found guilty of holding on twice when tackled and Rhodes punished them with penalties in the 16th and 21st minutes, the former kick being given for a foul on winger Kyle Dench by prop Petrus Du Plessis.

Park skipper Phil Jones missed a kickable penalty after Paul Mooney was offside but it still looked as if the Mancunians would take a half-time lead when former Otley and Leeds full back Chris Hall scored in the 35th minute, centre Matt Riley adding the goal.

However, Rhodes, who had been short earlier in the half with a penalty attempt from just outside the ten-metre line, connected beautifully with one from 45 metres out in first-half injury time to put Otley 9-7 in front.

Swatkins, dancing left and right, almost scored a try four minutes after the restart as both sides seemed feistier after their half-time pep talks.

But Otley frustrated their supporters by frequently getting phase after phase of possession and then either being penalised or turning the ball over.

A triple substitution in the 59th minute – Steve Trethewey, Paul Williams and Luther Burrell for Ryan Wederall, Howard Parr and Jonathan Buchanan – paid dividends however.

Two minutes later, Trethewey scored as Otley got some forward momentum instead of crabbing sideways.

Rhodes’ conversion bounced back off the upright, however, which meant that Sedgley Park could still draw with a converted try.

Former Bees player Lisiate Tafa almost scored for the visitors in the 67th minute after a lung-busting passage of play.

Riley then missed a penalty, Tafa threatened with a couple of chip-and-chases and home winger Xavier Andre had to haul his opposite number Paul Wilcock into touch as Otley held on.

Rhodes added: “Defence was really key. We decided the best way to play was to keep things tight in the forwards as their back three were dangerous.”

Attendance: 857