DESPITE the scoreline, this was a game of all-out attack, where the passing was sometimes over ambitious, and excellent defence.

Chester, winning a penalty at the kick-off, started the stronger, a good cover tackle being required immediately, but they went ahead on five minutes, a penalty on halfway setting up a line-out. A solid drive there put former Otley No 8 Guy Ford over, fly half Rhys Hayes failing with the conversion.

Otley were having their moments but playing on the edge cost them penalties, and on 14 minutes, they lost Tom O’Donnell to the sin bin but they pulled out the stops to keep their line intact in his absence.

Chester were using the boot in an effort to press Otley into their 22 but the back three, with the aid of good covering from scrum half Stephen Depledge, handled that with aplomb, returning with interest or setting up an attack, although half-time arrived with no further score.

Otley had the edge in the scrummages from the start, twice pushing Chester off their own ball, but their finishing did not match and neither did their goal-kicking. A penalty on the home 22 was quickly tapped and, following a drive, a further penalty was awarded under the posts and, after two previous chances missing, this one hit both posts before bouncing out.

Otley were, however, still attacking strongly and a score looked inevitable but it took until the 75th minute for them to strike, Depledge breaking from a scrum on halfway, the ball quickly being moved into the hands of Henry Roberts for the centre to skip past his opposite number and avoid the cover to make the line.

Skipper Depledge duly took on the kick himself and put his side in the lead.

The final few minutes were rather hairy, with Otley twice losing line-out ball but they managed to keep Chester away from their line for a hard-fought victory.

With thanks to John Finch