Budleigh Salterton 3
Okehampton Argyle 1
AFTER a hurried warm up, due to a late arrival caused by a traffic jam, Okehampton got their heads together and started strongly.
Okehampton took the lead when Ian Gill capitalised on a defensive error to tuck away a Danny Maddax corner. They continued to control the game but the Robins broke away and there was a goalmouth scramble. Mark Burdus handled on the goal-line to concede a penalty and receive his marching orders.
Andy Doble levelled from the spot.
Okehampton with their backs to the wall, had to play the last 80 minutes with just ten men. After coming under intense pressure from a buoyant Budleigh the ten men from Okehampton gradually got back into the game and despite chances at both ends the score remained level at half-time.
In the early stages of the second period Argyle were much the stronger and easily contained any threat from Budleigh.
It looked as through the lead would come midway through the half when Danny Maddax and Ian Gill were two on one against a Budleigh defender. Maddax timed his pass to perfection and as Gill raced on to the cross the ball just died in the sodden goalmouth to enable the relieved goalkeeper to walk out and pick it up.
Okehampton continued to look dangerous on the break but as the ten men tired Budleigh came more in to the game. They took the lead ten minutes from the end when Scott Howarth headed home powerfully from a corner.
This seemed to knock the stuffing out of Okehampton and they were to concede another shortly from the end, Phil Thomas heading in from the post.
After the disappointment of the previous weekend the team spirit and character were vastly improved especially after the early setback and Okehampton were unlucky to come away with nothing from the game.
This week sees Okehampton on their travels again as they take on Seaton. Kick-off 2.30pm.