Devon & Cornwall League
Okehampton 1st XV 40
Saltash 1st XV 3
ON a day more suited to test cricket than rugby, Okehampton entertained league newcomers Saltash while also officially opening the upgraded clubhouse and facilities. A large crowd was present to observe the home side ease to a comfortable victory.
Saltash started with the slope and came out in determined mood. Their bulky experienced pack had a good start and took the first of two first half strikes against the head at the first scrummage.
Okehampton began in subdued fashion but slowly sprang to life. With a side showing changes due to late withdrawals, they gradually imposed themselves.
The packs were evenly matched at this point but outside Okehampton looked sharper, and in full back Gareth Espin had their trump card. Unsurprisingly, it was the very same fleet-footed flyer who broke the first half deadlock. Looking dangerous every time he received the ball, Espin cut a swathe through the Ashe's defence and crossed near the posts for the first score. Winger Lee Carey converted and the home side settled slightly.
Not long after the lead was doubled; the home side's lineout was functioning much better than last week and with more possession the backs were stretching the visitors at every opportunity.
Several phases were completed and the ball was recycled to the right, Espin entered the fray again and did not require the available overlap as he showed the ball and slipped through the defence for his second try. Once more Carey converted and at 14-0 things were going smoothly.
The home side were not dealing effectively with the visitors' kick-offs, and from a brief forward trundle the visitors gained a penalty. Fly half Virgo stepped up and slotted it to briefly reduce the arrears to 14-3 entering the second quarter.
That was as close as the visitors were going to get though as the home side's backs were soon causing more damage. Fly half Gary Sizmur made a half break and put full back Espin in for his hat trick with a deft offload. The obligatory Carey conversion followed and the home side were comfortably ahead at the interval.
The second half began in similar fashion, Okehampton's younger side still held sway as the visitors began to tire in the heat. The home backs were still creating problems and after another succession of phases, hooker Bruce Griffiths was up in support to cross to the left of the posts. Another successful conversion stretched the lead to 28-3.
A straightforward switch move found yet more space in the porous Ashes midfield defence, and centre Alex Dennis crossed untouched under the posts for another converted score. A thrashing was now looking a possibility, but due to a combination of improved visiting defence, home side team changes and possibly Okehampton taking their foot off the gas, it never materialised.
Only one more score came in the last quarter. Again it was hooker Griffiths who crossed in a similar fashion to his first score. Carey finally missed a conversion and at 40 points to three the scoring was over.
The final whistle blew, and overall this was a very useful victory for the home side. The backs had looked sharp and the forwards effective. It was not a five-star display by any means, but a confidence booster for this Saturday's long trip to another side looking for promotion this season, Hayle.