Large margin on small pitch!

Following a week of snow and rain good playing surfaces were at a premium and a grass covered, junior sized pitch was preferred to a potential mud bath. Space out wide was always going to be at a premium as York tried to play an expansive game. With a strong pack of forwards, York maintained the upper hand throughout. The opening try came quickly as second row Cambridge took a clean catch of the Otley kickoff before running straight through the advancing Otley pack to race away and score between the posts. Fly half Atkinson added the conversion. (0-7).
A repeat performance almost followed from the restart but this time Otley held a strong York drive and managed to turn over the ball. As Otley mounted an attack it was York's turn to defend, which they did but the attack culminated in an Otley scrum some 10 meters from the York line. Otley broke blind and a jink by their scrumhalf split the York defense. With the line at his mercy a last ditch tackle by York took his ankles but his meager body length was sufficient for his outstretched arms to reach across the line for an equalising try. (5-7).
York had made a good start but this had been a wake-up call. York kicked deep and speedy follow up caught Otley in possession. York won the ball and as it was being moved wide Atkinson stepped inside his opponent to make a break. A neat offload to Simpson in support saw that player touch down between the posts. Atkinson added the conversion. (5-14).
Otley restarted with a more coordinated forward effort, halted a York drive from the restart and took play to within 10 meters of York's line. York won the ball and drove Otley back to halfway before being forced into touch. York won the Otley lineout, moved the ball through the backs but Otley forced play into touch again on the opposite side of the field. Twice more York won Otley ball but desperate Otley defense forced play into touch. From the last of these lineouts, York won Otley ball, moved it out wide and fullback Williams joined the line, rounded the Otley defense and raced in at the corner. An excellent backs movement. (5-19).
York was now dominant. They caught and drove the Otley restart. As the ball was laid back, scrum-half Field broke and good support play should have produced a try but for a fumble just short of the Otley line. York won the Otley scrum; No.8 Leonard picked up and exploited the blind side to score. Atkinson converted. (5-26).
Otley rebounded as York knocked-on from the Otley restart. Otley won the scrum and mounted a promising attack but York defended well. Otley found it hard to get good possession as first they fumble their own lineout ball and then York disrupted a subsequent lineout. A counter attack by York saw them held up on the Otley line. York won the 5m scrum and lose play evolved. Seizing the opportunity, prop Gibson picked up and crashed his way over to score near the posts. Atkinson added the conversion. (5-33).
York attacked again from the Otley restart and was awarded a penalty. At this juncture the referee blew for halftime.
Other than an early lapse of concentration, York had dominated most aspects of play with a strong team performance. For their part Otley had never given up but were reliant upon bouts of individual performance.
HALF TIME : OTLEY 5 YORK 33.

Otley rallied well at the start of the second half and should have scored. York's defense was resolute; however, as they managed to hold the ball up as an Otley player crossed the line and tried to ground the ball. York quickly established their dominant pattern of play but found it hard to regain territorial advantage. During a period of loose play, a good offload to Cambridge saw him break clear and sprint between the posts. (5-38).
It was business as usual from the restart with York disrupting most aspects of Otley's play. Errors were starting to creep into York play and much good possession was forfeited as a consequence. Play moved to within 5 meters of the Otley line after had disrupted both set scrum and lineout that should have favoured Otley. From that position York won their own scrum. As the ball was moved out wide, Atkinson stepped inside his opposite number to score. This time it was Bullough who did the honours with the conversion. (5-45).
The final few minutes were played out in a similar fashion with Otley being unable to secure good ball and York having become error prone. It was Otley who produced the final attack of the game but a chasing kick was too long as York won the race to touchdown and brought on the final whistle.
FULL TIME : OTLEY 5 YORK 45.

It had been a strong York performance built upon solid forward play. York had run the ball well but space out wide had been so limited on the narrow pitch. Squad rotation had worked well with every player contributing to the victory. Otley had shown some strong individual skills and York had defended these very well.

SCORERS:

Tries:
Cambridge (2)
Simpson
Williams
Leonard
Gibson
Atkinson
Conversions:
Atkinson (4)
Bullough

Players 'Man of the Match'.
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