Club rugby: Otley keep their noses in front of derby rivals Sheffield Tigers

Otley try scorer,
Joe Graham. PIC: Steve Riding — Otley try scorer, Joe Graham. PIC: Steve Riding

Otley came out on top in their Yorkshire derby match with Sheffield Tigers, winning 20-14 in National Two North.

No 8 Scott Paul crashed over in the eighth minute to give the home side the lead before Tigers hit back with a try of their own in the 12th minute from winger Henri Packard.

Tigers took the lead in the 30th minute when prop Edward Simmons scored a try and fly-half Mark Ireland successfully kicked the resulting conversion.

Otley came back in to the game when hooker Joe Graham (pictured) crashed over to make the score 14-12. The hosts took the lead in the 58th minute when flanker Adam Malthouse added a try to Otley’s points tally before replacement Joe Rowntree sealed the victory in the 70th minute after successfully kicking a penalty.

Wharfedale secured an emphatic 34-13 win over hosts Macclesfield to move further up the table.

They led narrowly, 15-13 at half-time, after tries from centre Harry Bullough and No 8 Josh Burridge, with stand-off Jack Blakeney-Edwards kicking one conversion and a penalty.

After half-time they extended that lead with second-row George Hedgley and replacement Phil Woodhead having tries converted by Blakeney-Edwards, before Bullough added his second try with five minutes left.

Sandal scored seven tries as they overcame the challenge of Wilmslow 43-12, but Ilkley went down 23-12 at Alnwick.

West Leeds’ battle to avoid the drop continued to gather pace as they ran out 33-5 winners over Cleckheaton in North One East.

Centre Mark Calderwood and No 8 George Carpenter both scored two tries, while winger Alex Hughes also touched down.

Scarborough had to work hard for a 29-20 victory at York which kept them top of the table, while second-placed Morpeth beat third-placed Huddersfield YMCA 36-12.