London Welsh 24 Otley 11

OTLEY are left with a hard battle for survival on their hands after defeat at London Welsh on Saturday.

Badly in need of points, there was little joy for Otley when Howard Parr and Andy Brown were ruled out for their trip to Old Deer Park, where they have only won on two occasions.

With Dave Whitehead also unavailable and Dan Hyde sick, they were getting down to the bare bones.

However, they were able to call on Doncaster Knights' Jon Benson, who played at full-back and took on the kicking duties, having two successes in four attempts.

For 50 minutes of the match, there was a player in the sin-bin, as referee Garner attempted to keep the game moving.

And it started as early as the third minute when home winger James Storey was yellow-carded, followed at regular intervals by one more from London Welsh and three from Otley.

Flattering to deceive, Otley made the early running, creating three scoring opportunities in the first five minutes but their nemesis - conceding far too many penalties (the first-half count was 12 to two against) - allowed the Exiles to keep them at a distance while getting their own game in order.

And, despite being a man short, they took the lead in the eighth minute with a penalty from fly-half Tom Marks.

Flanker Tom Guest thrust himself over following pressure on the Otley line in the 21st minute.

Marks converted this and his own try some three minutes later before kicking his second penalty just before the break.

A change of shirts at half-time served to inject fresh impetus and Otley were back in the game when Benson, having been wide with an earlier shot at goal, found his range with an early penalty chance.

He added a second in the 53rd minute, and when Danny Smith raced the length of the field to score they were on to a bonus point.

But they could make no further impression and two penalties from replacement fly-half Lee Cholewa, formerly of Harrogate, snuffled out that little flame.

This defeat has put Otley firmly into the relegation battle, adding even more bite to their next three league games involving their fellow strugglers.

On Saturday they take on Sedgley Park at Cross Green in a game with massive significance. Park are three points above Otley. They then have a week's respite from league action with a trip to Norfolk to play North Walsham in the National Trophy before travelling to second bottom Moseley on January 27 and then travelling to bottom side Waterloo on February 3

London Welsh: Taylor; Arasa, Cadwallader, Storey, Greenwood; Marks (Cholewa 40), Chiltern; Williams, Ritchie (Campbell 70), Durant, Quigley (capt), Robson, McNamee, Guest, Mills.

Otley: Benson; Phillips, Dench, Whatmuff, Smith; Shuttleworth (capt), Chivers; Turner (Livesey 35), Sayers, Barretto, Connor, Tomes, Back, Bland, Tiffany.

Referee: G Garner (RFU)