York 12-22 Otley

Following our facile victory over Otleys B team last week and a series of large margin wins, York approached this game, rightfully, in confident mood. That is not to say that a win was expected, experience has taught us over the years that victory is never assured against a side as talented as Otley are continually able to field. Nonetheless, it had been 18 months since they could boast a victory over us and so they certainly approached this game with the hunger of challengers.
It was apparent from the first whistle that this match was going to be very different to any we had so far faced this season, in terms of intensity as well as quality. Unfortunately, it was Otley who initially supplied most of the former as well as plenty of the latter. It has often been the habit of this York team to start slowly and with a surprisingly stiff breeze at their backs Otley exploited that from the off, their huge and deceptively mobile pack monopolising early possession through swift mini-rucks, popping the ball out of the tackle and relentless forward drives. Within 5 minutes a gap had been worked for their flying winger to chip into and only a last ditch effort by Will Atkin in the ensuing foot-race prevented the first score.
However, that was not long coming as the wind would not allow any ball that the York pack was able to secure to be taken into Otleys half. With that territorial advantage came points, the same Otley winger scoring on opposite wings as they went 10-0 up in the first quarter. Many teams would’ve buckled at that point, but this York side are more robust and gradually the forwards were able to bring themselves more into the game, securing turnover ball more often and competing effectively in the loose. However, with the wind still making it difficult to turn possession into territory a score in the first half looked unlikely until an offside by the Otley outside centre resulted in a quickly taken tap penalty by Will Atkin, who was able to hand off one pursuer and then accelerate to the line, worryingly he seemed to limp a little on his way back. Whiter, in an otherwise faultless display in both attack and defence, was unable to add the extras, into the wind, from wide on the right.
With Otleys dominance less marked now, York were back in the game at 10-5, although still very much under pressure as Otley preferred to keep the ball in the forwards and try and blast a path to the line. The resilience of the York pack here, along with Whiter who defended the fly-half channel with unerring commitment, was first class, as their bigger opponents were held in check and the more mobile York forwards often quicker to the breakdown and able to turn the ball over more often. So it was a shame when Otley forced a third try in the corner just before half time to extend their lead to 10 points again.
The second half was almost a mirror of the first in terms of possession and territory as Otley were barely able to get out of their own half. It hadn’t been obvious to this observer just how much of an influence the wind was having in the first half, I simply thought that Otley were better than us. But it’s very difficult to play on the back foot and Otley coped no better with it than York. However, they’re nothing if not dogged and despite plenty of pressure, York were finding it hard to get on the scoreboard. When they did, it was through an excellent backs move, with sharp handling sending Atkin in again under the posts. Moose Pepper converted to make the score 12-15 and with York, in a now obvious ascendancy, looking the most likely scorers.
It is a tribute to Otleys defence, organisation and guile that that did not happen. A superb charge down by Mikey Silver, that was adjudged to be offside, gave Otley a penalty with which they found touch just outside their 22. However, their lineout was expertly snaffled by Oli Jacques and the York pack drove on. Jack Starkey picked up the ball from the back of the resultant ruck and drove powerfully on. He was stopped short until Jacques bound alongside giving fresh impetus, Otleys last ditch defence holding them up inches from the line. Again and again York battered at the line, with a try seemingly inevitable. A home scrum 5 yards out and under the posts seemed to give York the chance that they needed to press for the line, as by this time the York scrum was firmly on top, a fact evidenced by the readiness of Otley to move to uncontested scrums following an injury to a front-rower. However, at the scrum the Otley prop executed a ‘deft’ hook of the ball before it was barely out of the scrum halfs hands and they were able to clear their lines.
With moments remaining, following a concerted spell of York pressure, Otley kicked downfield, an unfortunate mix-up in Yorks back three handed them back possession and with numbers on the right they were able to score. The excellently struck conversion was the last act of the game.
So, a first defeat of the season. However, notwithstanding a slow start, there was nothing between the teams and we would have nothing to fear from playing them again. Yorks forwards once again proved that they can compete with any pack in Yorkshire and the backs with good possession looked dangerous. There will not be too many games this season with that level of intensity and all the boys can be proud of their efforts.
Scorers:-
Atkin 2
Conv. Pepper