With the expected heavy pitch and standing water in one 22, neither side was able to sustain much free-flowing rugby with knock-ons and passes not going to hand. However, it was the visitors that were able to adapt to the conditions better and Otley ran out comfortable winners in this Yorkshire/Lancashire derby. Oh, for the weather of the recent World Cup.

In a scrappy first half, it was Otley that were playing the better rugby, with a solid set piece, coupled with the half backs putting the ball into the corners but could not turn that pressure into points. It was the hosts that scored the only points of the half, when Otley went offside at the ruck and Sean Taylor slotted the penalty through the uprights.

Although Preston came out first for the second half, it was Otley who were more on the ball. From a line-out on their 10 metre line, the ball was spun across to the other side of the pitch to Gareth Newman He then ran from his own half evading tacklers to cross the line before heading in to make the conversion attempt easier for Stephen Depledge. The captain duly obliged and Otley were ahead. He then extended Otley’s lead just after the hour with a penalty.

The hosts were becoming desperate to arrest Otley’s dominance, although it didn’t justify the dump tackle perpetrated on Michael Coady (I think) for which Olly Yates was rightly given a yellow card. The subsequent penalty was put into the corner, and Otley launched a catch and drive with Declan Dunn going over. Stephen Depledge’s conversion gave the visitors a 14-point lead with just over 10 minutes to go.

Both teams battled with each other and then the worsening conditions as the rain began to fall again, but neither side were able to make any further gains. A good away win against opposition who know that they can play better, it is likely they will give us a stiffer test when they return to Cross Green in February.

The travelling supporters may not have seen a rainbow after the game, but they were happy.