Cornwall/Devon
Newquay Hornets 5
Okehampton Chiefs 6
THE Chiefs secured their first league victory in Cornish territory in a windswept encounter on the North Cornwall coast.
Playing into the gale in the first half it was Okehampton who took the initiative, despite the fact that Newquay had to win to avoid relegation.
The Okehampton forwards drove and supported well and with the backs keeping the ball tight it was almost ten minutes before the home side secured any worthwhile possession.
During this time, the Okes had taken a three-point lead when Lee Carey converted a penalty. This eventually stung the Hornets into action and with the wind at their backs they applied some concerted pressure on the Okehampton defence, which held firm and forced a number of handling errors among the Newquay back line.
However, when Okehampton lost second row Richard Drake to the sin-bin shortly before half-time the extra man was made to count as Newquay scored a try in the corner to make the score 5-3.
After the interval, although the wind was blowing directly across the pitch, the Okes regained control of possession and played inside the Newquay half.
A number of try-scoring opportunities were created but went begging through the lack of a final pass. However, again the pressure was not entirely unrewarded as Carey converted another penalty to give the visitors a slender 6-5 lead.
In the final quarter the Okehampton defence never looked like being breached and the side whose average age was increased by John Davey, Steve Penna and Toby Daniel held on for a long-overdue victory in Cornwall.
The league campaign is completed on April 17 at Oaklands Park when the Chiefs play host to Kingsbridge, kick-off 3pm.