REPORT BY: NICK DOYLE

OTLEY have never won a league match at the Woodlands and, despite getting on the scoreboard first, went down to their heaviest defeat against Fylde.

Having kicked off, Otley absorbed Fylde’s initial attacks with Will Derry and Jacob Holmes finally getting the ball out of their half and getting Otley a line-out.

From there they launched their first attack which petered out when they were caught offside. An overthrow at the line-out gave possession back to Otley and was quickly followed by a penalty which Eddie Crossland put into the corner. After a scrum just inside the Fylde 22, Otley inched their way towards the posts where they got another penalty, Crossland tapping it over after 17 minutes.

The restart was knocked on, giving Fylde another attacking opportunity, but they were forced into touch. Back in the Fylde half, an unlucky bounce gave possession back to the home side and they flew down the left flank and finally got a line-out.

Otley were put under pressure, and they eventually conceded when Toby Harrison forced his way through to score close to the posts. Patrick Bishop then got the first of his eight conversions.

Fylde extended their lead five minutes later when Freddie Reader broke through the Otley line to set up Sale Sharks hooker Tom Davis to score. The Red Rose tries kept coming, courtesy of No 8 Michael Walton and winger Jordan Dorrington.

Otley got possession after the second restart as the ball bounced back, mounting an attack from the 10-metre line. After a couple of phases, Will Derry took possession evading two tacklers as made his way to the line. Joe Rowntree’s successful conversion brought the half-time whistle with the score at 28-10.

It only took the Lancastrians two minutes to get their next try, but they had to go from coast to coast to find a way through before Corey Bowker made it over the line. Afterwards Will Derry came close and the attack continued, Rhys Green’s outstretched arm was just short as the ball trickled over the line under the posts.

From the 5-metre scrum the ball went right; Freddie Reader ran the remainder of the field virtually untouched to score.

Fylde kept Otley penned in the opposition half until they conceded a penalty, the kick going just short of the 22. Otley worked the ball across the pitch and Sam Connor made it to the five metre line from where the attack continued, Sam Taylor scoring in the corner. From the touchline, Rowntree’s kick sailed over with 15 minutes to go.

Otley were able to keep Fylde in their half, the home side making gradual progress from their 22, but were then penalised for not releasing. From the line-out on the 22, Otley moved forward and from the back of the maul Harry Butler burst free and made it to the line but he was held up. After another Otley attack, the visitors lost possession at the line-out. As Fylde tried to find a way out of their 22 on the other side of the pitch, Joe Rowntree intercepted a pass before swallow-diving over the line although the conversion went wide.

Fylde came close but knocked-on in front of the Otley posts, where the visitors got the first of four scrum penalties. Continuing to play, Crossland took the ball into the opposition half before kicking it on forcing Fylde to carry it over the line.

From the five-metre scrum, the visitors peppered the line until a wide pass saw Sam Taylor make his way over the line to give Otley a bonus point. This time Rowntree’s kick split the posts making the score 42-29, giving Otley a slim chance of their first win with nine minutes to play.

But it was not to be. Having got the ball out their half with another scrum penalty, they lost possession, and Fylde came back into the Otley 22 where Alex Clayton found a way through.

Otley got another penalty scrum outside the Fylde 22 and continued to play, Alex Gaughan getting a yellow for tackling within ten metres. Opting for another scrum, Otley sent the ball out wide, but Cameron Smith intercepted the ball before racing to the Otley line.