On Saturday we were on the road playing our fourth game of the new season against old Yorkshire rivals Otley. In the past the results have been quite close with the Tigers possibly having the better of the encounters. However it has always been a difficult ground to go to against a tough, gritty Yorkshire side who never give up and play hard for the full eighty minutes. Otley have had a disappointing start to the new campaign with just one win so far. We were again looking to build on the excellent 100% start to the season and so it turned out at the end of the day.
The home side started strongly defending resolutely every time we took the game to them however it was only five minutes into the match when we got our first score. A line out in their half saw the ball moved quickly along the back line for left winger Sampson Shute to touch down in the corner. 5-0 up.
We looked to build phases and play with pace and width but the home side kept us out until the twenty third minute when a lovely passage of play with the ball going through several pairs of hands was finished off by right winger Tom Hesketh. Fly half Greg Smith converted and we were 12-0 up with fifteen minutes of the first half to go.
Five minutes later a deft little chip through by inside centre Joe Bedlow was collected by fellow centre Harry Lewis who sprinted over to touch down between the posts. Greg added the conversion and we now had a commanding 19-0 lead going into the last ten minutes.
Another line out in Otley’s twenty two gave the forwards the chance to drive and a patient build up of phases saw tight head prop Danny Rylance drive over for our fourth and bonus point try. Then just before the half time whistle and against the run of play a mistackle in midfield by the Tigers saw big second row Will Skelton go over for the home side. Full back Freddie Spensley converted and we went into half time with a commanding 26-7 lead and the bonus point secured.
Although we were pleased with the score line we felt that it was a scrappy half of rugby, and that if we looked after the ball better and did not turn it over, especially after the first phase, we would put in a better performance.
The second half started much the same as the first with the home side desperately trying to keep us out and they did this for the first thirteen minutes but then the floodgates opened and the Tigers gave a display of outstanding running rugby which Otley had no answer to. A sharp line break on the fifty third minute was finished off by full back Nathan Pope, converted by Greg.
Four minutes later Nathan himself broke through and fed the ball to replacement scrum half Mason Winterburn who went over untouched. Greg added the conversion and we were now 40-7 up with twenty three minutes of the match to go.
Three minutes later our hooker Luke Cole (who used to play for Otley) made a twenty metre line break. He then fed it to Mason in support who went over for his second converted try of the afternoon. Two minutes later another lovely build up of phases linking backs and forwards saw winger Sampson Shute go over for his second of the afternoon, extending the lead to 47-7 and no way back for the home side. Four converted tries in less than ten minutes which no team could live with.
Otley, try as they did and they never gave up, had no answer to this onslaught of magical rugby. Replacement prop Harry Coxhill burst through the Otley defence and ran in from thirty metres to give us our ninth score, and with two minutes to go another fabulous line break was finished off by full back Nathan Pope.
The game ended with a 68-7 win for the Tigers, a bonus point win and top of the league. In fairness to Otley they never gave up and tackled time and again but they could not contain this onslaught by the Tigers. Ten tries scored and nine conversions for Greg. A second half display that was so accurate and good but of course there is always room for improvement.
Full back Nathan Pope was voted man of the match for his overall excellent performance but credit must go to the whole squad for their efforts and commitments on the day.
Next Saturday we are home to Huddersfield, another old Yorkshire adversary. We are taking nothing for granted as we know that this will be another big challenge and will prepare well in the week, so please come down to Park Lane next Saturday and get behind this special Tigers team.
Cheers, Steve Hazz.
The afternoon at Cross Green
Photography by John Ashton.
