Ace Irvine snatches last-gasp Otley win

OTLEY broke Wharfedale’s hearts for a second time with a last-minute score to wrestle the win from their visitors, having done exactly the same thing at Threshfield.

Despite the agonising defeat, George Oram, Wharfedale’s forwards coach, said he was delighted with the way his side had played.

At times, Wharfedale were put under intense pressure and Oram declared that they had responded really well, adding that it was “a massive step forward for the group”.

Both sides had chances in the first 15 minutes of the contest, but it was Wharfedale who scored first.

The visitors were awarded a penalty try as Otley came in from the side on their line in the 19th minute.

The next score came after Wharfedale conceded two penalties.

From a line-out on the left, Otley moved the ball inside, where a space opened up for Eddie Crossland and he darted through it to score.

Callum Irvine added the conversion.

There was drama just before the half-time whistle.

Irvine added a penalty for Otley with a minute to go, only for Wharfedale’s Tom Mann to go over the whitewash in the corner and then add the conversion.

Otley took the initiative early in the second half.

They were caught short twice on the line before Adam Malthouse found a way to get over for the score in the lefthand corner.

After 56 minutes, Mann added a penalty for Wharfedale.

Two minutes later, Louis Verity and Sam

Gaudie broke through to see Sam Dickinson across the line, with Mann adding the extras.

Otley then threw everything into the game and, after a series of penalties in Wharfedale’s 22, they finally opted for a scrum.

They walked it forwards and were awarded a penalty try in the 66th minute.

A penalty attempt hit the uprights six minutes later, while a drop goal attempt fell short of the mark.

With Dale now down to 13 players, the pressure told when they failed to release in front of their posts.

Irvine slotted the penalty through the uprights to end the game, sealing a narrow victory for the home side.

Kyle Dench, Otley’s head coach, believed that his players could have been smarter.

However, he added that they “play for each other” and he wants them to keep on learning and growing.

“The drive is to end the season as high in the league as possible,” he added.

Dench’s side are currently sitting in fourth position compared with Wharfedale’s ninth place in the table.