An otherwise settled-looking Stour lineup welcomed back scrumhalf Ben Tibbetts with Joe Heatley retained in the outside-centre berth. On a firm playing surface the visitors kicked off into a fresh southerly breeze, their back 3 having to cope with the sun’s occasional appearance from behind the clouds.

The early exchanges saw both teams eager to move the ball around, carries by winger Joe Bridger & lock Nick Murphy taking play deep into Otley’s 22 before a forced pass was intercepted and the visitors cleared. Outside half Chris Scott fancied an early penalty kick but his attempt drifted wide. Undeterred he drifted through the Otley defences from the dropout, the ball worked to flanker Nigel Mukarati who shrugged off several tackle attempts to score, 8min 5-0.

The tempo remained high, winger Dan Rundle making deep inroads down the left flank but his inside pass just evading the support. Otley established footholds in the Stour 22 but found the defences solid and coughed up turnovers, Stour working their way back downfield where a penalty award was kicked to the corner and a well-executed catch & drive produced a try for captain Ciaran Moore. 25min 12-0.

Otley continued to press but found the door firmly shut in their faces, errors gifting possession back to Stour who finished the half with a patiently executed set of carries that produced a try for centre Nathan Tilsley after flanker Billy Harding’s break had put Heatley clear. Half time 19-0.

Stour regathered their restart kick and a fine break by Heatley was rewarded when lock Chris Depper was worked over the line in the corner with less than a minute on the clock. 41min 24-0. Tilsley bounced off some ineffective first up tackling, linked with Heatley who drove deep into the Otley 22 before finding Rundle on a switch run to cross for a try. 47min 31-0.

Otley started to introduce their replacements and managed to set up camp in the Stour 22 where centre James White was worked over after a catch & drive. 53min 31-7. A fine break from the base of a scrum saw Moore’s pass just evade Bridger’s grasp, but Stour pressed again from a penalty award and replacement prop Mark George was the man in possession when a maul was rumbled over the tryline. 65min 36-7.

Otley weren’t done though, throwing the ball around in a late rally that denied Stour possession and exploited defensive gaps appearing as legs tired. This produced tries for flanker James Wood, fullback Tom Hodson and at the death for hooker Ben Steele while Moore was cooling his heels in the sinbin for a late tackle. Fulltime 31-26.

This Sat Stour are away at Leics outfit Hinckley. After the Easter break their final home 2016/17 league fixture will be on April 22nd against Tynedale. At Stourton Park this Sat Stourbridge Lions face a promotion shootout with Midlands 2 West (N) leaders Leek who are just 2pts ahead of them with 2 games to play. All ko’s 3pm.