Otley race to Gate success with four-try flourish

By NICK DOYLE

Otley……………………. 31

Harrogate……………. 13

A storming spell of four tries in 11 minutes either side of half-time propelled Otley to victory over Harrogate.

The hosts were trailing 8-0 with the interval approaching, before their purplepatch of scoring took the game beyond Harrogate.

For the first 15 minutes, Otley had the territory but couldn't make it count on the scoreboard. Harrogate were more clinical and, in their first visit to the opposition 22, they went close, but were bundled into touch. The Otley lineout ball went to Sam Brady and he went over unopposed. Harrogate extended their lead with a penalty after 21 minutes.

Otley continued to attack the Harrogate line and went close twice, being held up over the line moments after a knock-on.

On the stroke of half-time, they were awarded a penalty try to get back into it.

Two minutes after the restart, Ben Waddington dotted down.

The hosts continued to push and Clark Wells was the next to score after 48 minutes. Three minutes later, Callum Irvine started a trademark run from inside his half before passing to Gavin Stead deep inside Harrogate territory and he kept up the run by scoring to the left of the posts.

Joe Rowntree added his third conversion and Irvine added a penalty just after the hour mark.

In the last ten minutes, Harrogate moved the ball into the Otley's half and it paid off in the last minute as Chris Jackson forced his way over.

Meanwhile, Otley thanked the Injured Players Foundation for their support of Scott Irvine, who suffered a spinal injury at the start of the year.