Otley came close to creating an upset on Saturday in National Two North but promotion hopefuls Sheffield eventually won 31-24.

It leaves Otley narrowly clear of the relegation zone, but the performance will give them hope, given their South Yorkshire opponents have only won one league game all season.

Sheffield were the dominant side at the opening, getting a penalty at the first scrum as they pushed their hosts back.

After a second penalty, having caught the line out, Sheffield trundled their way to the line.

Ryan Burrows peeled off from the back of the advancing maul to score a try, which Elliot Fisher then converted.

Sheffield eventually got another penalty after two offsides by Otley in their 22, with Joe Rowntree taking a yellow.

Sheffield opted for a scrum, swinging the ball left to Chris Hooper, who scored in the corner, though the wind halted the conversion attempt.

Otley got the restart, followed by a penalty and then a spell in the Sheffield half, which ended when they failed to release.

The visitors didn’t get beyond Otley’s ten metre line and conceded a penalty on their own, but the kick fell short so play continued.

Sheffield nearly made it to the halfway line when they dropped it and were then caught offside.

In a later attack, Otley made it to the five metre line in front of the posts but held on too long.

Some fierce tackling by Otley kept Sheffield penned in, with the visitors conceding midfield territory.

Rowntree slotted over on 33 minutes to get the Cross Greeners on to the scoreboard, the successful penalty taking him beyond the 750-point mark for Otley.

Having made it into the 22, Sheffield continued forward, with Jake Hicklin taking a slick pass, but he was tackled short of the line.

He threw the ball up to Dom Parsons, who went over, but he then threw the ball to Callum Posa, who touched down closer to the posts.

The conversion was good and after a brief spell of play the half ended with the score at 19-3 in Sheffield's favour.

Otley were under the pump at half-time against Sheffield (yellow), but they fought back well in the second half. (Image: Chris Hyslop)

After an even start to the second half, Otley advanced, getting a penalty just outside Sheffield’s 22.

A quick tap-and-go got them to the five metre line where they went from right to left and back again.

They made it over the line and, once the referee had a good look, he awarded Otley the try.

Ryan Gibson was credited with the score, while Rowntree’s conversion was true and took the hosts into double figures.

A penalty saw Sheffield get close to the Otley 22, and having peppered that line they conceded a penalty.

Eddie Crossland picked up the ball and ran with it, passing it to Sam Connor just before the half-way line.

He was nearly tackled as he went over the line, but he touched the ball down and Rowntree added the extras to put his side just two points behind.

Having got the restart ball back, Sheffield were held on the halfway line.

Rowntree then intercepted a pass and sprinted to the line to score.

That gave Otley a shock lead on 52 minutes, the conversion extending it slightly to 24-19.

The lead only lasted four minutes after Sheffield got a penalty which they kicked into the cemetery corner.

Having gathered the ball, their pack trundled over the line, with Burrows getting his second, and the subsequent conversion put the away side back in front.

Jacob Holmes then put in a try-saving tackle for Otley, pushing Sheffield into touch in the opposite corner.

But Otley lost the line-out and, after a series of Sheffield scrums which lasted six minutes, No.8 Parsons went over.

The final try was not converted, meaning Otley at least clung on to what could be a vital bonus point ahead of their free weekend this Saturday.