Otley give Waddington perfect send off with victory

REPORT BY: NICK DOYLE

OTLEY gave player Ben Waddington an emotional goodbye on Saturday as they followed it up with a 19-14 win over Chester.

Waddington heads off to explore Australia in the coming days.

Following kick-off Chester went through 12 phases of play as Chester inched their way to the line. Two swift passes in the opposite direction opened up a gap for Rhys Hamilton to sail through, Morgan Bagshaw adding the conversion five minutes in.

Otley came straight back after Chester again tried to kick for territory after a scrum five metres from their line; Callum Irvine caught the ball and brought it back onto Chester’s 22.

The ball went through two sets of hands before ending up with Jacob Holmes who raced to the line. He was tackled just before the line but not held, enabling him to resume and stretch his arm over the line to score. The conversion attempt went awry.

Otley were soon awarded a penalty and opted for a scrum. They pummelled the Chester line before getting another scrum in the opposite corner.

This time the attack was a lot more productive; two passes and then Will Derry ran through to score his first league try for Otley close to the posts, Irvine capping it with a conversion.

Otley’s pack rumbled their way to the five-metre line where they were awarded a penalty. Going for another scrum, the hosts again pushed Chester back until prop Tom Clarke came in from the side to pick the loose ball up earning him a yellow card and Otley a penalty try.

With ten minutes left in the half, Chester made a concerted effort to reduce the deficit. They were awarded two penalties in the clubhouse corner, the second saw them pound the Otley line up to the posts and although Ben Ivory went over, he was unable to ground the ball.

Coming straight back, they got another penalty in the scoreboard corner. Having settled their pack, they trundled forward with Chris Deehan doing the honours, Joe Heaton’s kick bringing the teams within five points.

Honours in the third quarter were pretty even until Chester replacement Matt Harrop pounced on a loose ball just inside the Otley half. They launched an attack from just inside the Otley half. That one failed but having gathered the ball again they came back.

Harry Roberts broke through but was illegally tackled by hooker Harry Butler who got a yellow card ten metres from the line. Chester’s maul fragmented given Otley a scrum and they were able to clear their lines. However, Otley were kept in their half with Joe Rowntree getting a yellow taking them down to 13 with 15 minutes to go.

Chester went straight for the corner with a kick, their pack making it to the line but again unable to ground coming back for a side-entry penalty. Chester’s pack then made it over the line but were again held up.

Now back up to 14, Otley had a brief spell in the visitor’s half until they had to return to their 22 where their complement was restored. The remaining minutes were played in the top half of Otley’s half, the game ending when Chester collapsed a scrum and Eddie Crossland kicked the ball into touch.

The hosts held on to the goodbye 19-14 victory for Waddington.