Old Otliensians 30 Ilkley 2nds 24

Full back Ben Hatton scored a dramatic last-gasp try as Old Otliensians lifted the Aire-Wharfe Cup at Chaffers Field on Tuesday night.

Ilkley were clinging on to a 24-23 lead when the game entered its dying seconds. Peter Shanks had an attempted clearance kick charged down and the ball rebounded over the dead-ball line.

The referee surprised the players of both sides by awarding a five-metre scrum rather than a 22 drop out and Otliensians took their chance.

They spun the ball wide for Hatton to join the line and go over for the winning try half ay out. The conversion by Kein- horst gave the home side a 30-24 advantage as the final whistle went.

The vociferous crowd was treated to a compelling contest which saw Ilkley using their big pack to good effect, while the young and lively Otliensians backs took the opportunity to show their paces.

Ilkley took time to settle and half backs Ieuan Crans- wick and Kristian Keinhorst sparking off some lively back play.

The visitors defended soundly before a loose ball was snapped up by Crans- wick who put centre Nathan Rogers into space for full back Hatton to go over wide out for try.

There was an instant response from Ilkley who used good driving play by their hefty pack to take play up to the line.

After a few close calls, a trundling maul put hooker Andy Merkin for a try. Full back Peter Shanks made no mistake with the conversion to give Ilkley a 7-5 lead .

Ilkley continued to press through their pack who again drove up to the ‘Ensians’ line where, despite dogged tackling from the home back row of Lee O’Donnell, Rob Arbuckle and Sam Feather- stone, scrum half Ryan Cooper nipped round the blind to scre a try which Shanks converted.

The home side then suffered a set-back when the referee produced a yellow card for slowing play down.

Both sides were guilty of handling mistakes, but when the visitors transgressed, Hatton converted a penalty to narrow Ilkley’s lead to 14-8.

Good support play allowed prop Greg Jones to force his way through several defen- ders to touch down in the corner.

The failed conversion left the hosts trailing 14-13. Shanks landed a superb penalty 40 yards out to increase his side’s lead to 17-13 as half time approached, but Otliensians had the last say of the half.

A long kick from fly half Keinhorst took play into the visitors’ 22 and, with the defence fragmented, scrum half Cranswick jinked his way through for an unconverted try giving his sude a slender 18-17 lead.

Ilkley gained the next score when Cooper scored his second try and shanks converted to make it 24-18.

Despite being reduced to 14 men by a yellow card, Otliensians took the game to their opponents and were rewarded good offloading saw prop Ben Copley dive over in the corner.

Otliensians battered away at the Ilkley defence for the final nine minutes and gained their reward when Hatton went over to score the match-winning try to spark jubilant celebrations.