OTLEY 24 PLYMOUTH ALBION 17

Played on a dry sunny afternoon, Otley were off to the perfect start when Fijian powerhouse Waisale Sovatabua bounced off several tacklers to score his side’s first try. Simon Binns, who kicked excellently all afternoon, added the conversion and Otley led 7-0 after 5 minutes.

Plymouth responded relatively quickly with an unconverted try by hooker Stuart Friswell which fly-half Matt Carrington failed to convert.

In a battle of two gargantuan packs, Otley gained the upperhand and were rewarded when flanker Matt Stockdale was on hand to take an inside pass to go over after Sovatabua had intercepted a chip ahead by opposite number Lee Robinson. Binns again converted to make it 14-5 to Otley.

After 30 minutes, winger Jon Fabian was put clear and chipped ahead of Otley full-back Ian Shuttleworth. The wily Otter leaped into the air in an attempt to block the kick but inadvertently took out the on-rushing Fabian as he returned to the deck. The referee adjudged an ielegal play and sent Shuttleworth to the sin-bin aswell as awarding Albion a penalty try which Carrington converted to bring his side to within 2 points.

On the stroke of half-time, Plymouth added a third try when Argentinian international flanker Martin Schusterman scored. Carrington failed to add the extras but Albion had crept ahead 14-17 at half-time.

Stirred by a Peter Clegg rollicking, Otley’s characteristically mean defence returned in the second period and prevented Albion from adding any further points.

Otley re-gained the lead early in the second half when second-row Jason Oakes crashed over and Binns converted to make it 21-17.

On 50 minutes, Albion’s cause was not helped when Samoan flanker Alfie To’oala was red carded for a horrible off the ball challenge on Otley winger Chris Hall. Referee Tim Beddows (who ironically failed to send the same player off in a Cup match at Albion earlier in the season for a blatant punch on Paul Mooney) this time showed no sympathy in making the correct decision to reduce Albion to 14 men.

Otley added a further three points from the boot of Binns to stretch the advantage to 24-17 which remained as the scoreline until the final whistle.

The victory meant that Otley have now won 11 out of the 12 matches played at Cross Green this season – a fine record!

Bring on the Shoguns!!!

Otley: Shuttleworth, Hall, Whatmuff (Dench 73), Mooney, Sovatabua (Taylor 73), Binns, Scully, Wring (Trethewey 80), Luffman, Fullman, Oakes, Connor, Thorpe (Tiffany 18-21, 39), Stockdale (Bland 45), Wilson

Plymouth Albion: Arscott (Lowrie 75), Robinson (Saumi 68), Fisilau, Tamihana, Fabian, Carrington, Shelbourne (Cane 75), Parkes, Friswell, Paoletti (Hopkins 80), Ward-Smith, Perry, Schusterman, Thomas, Tooala

Referee: T Beddows (RFU)

MATCH STATISTICS

Otley 24

Tries: Sovatabua, Stockdale, Oakes

Cons: Binns (3)

Pens: Binns

Plymouth Albion 17

Tries: Friswell, Penalty Try, Schusterman

Cons: Carrington

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