Okehampton ....12 Tavistock 14 TAVISTOCK completed the league double over local rivals Okehampton on Saturday but not without having to absorb severe pressure from the Okes who were determined to make life difficult for their visitors. The match was played in appalling conditions with the pitch heavy and in places under water after continual rain, but both sides tried to make the most of what possession they had and the handling, considering the conditions, was of a high standard. Tavistock started the game playing with the wind and slope advantage and found their scrum in control, the lineout however was a different matter and Okes? Steve Alford dominated this area of play. Fly half Josh Sutton eventually eased Tavistock ahead with a penalty goal, after Tavistock had exerted pressure via the back row of Tom Dawe, who had an outstanding game, Andrew Griffiths and Paul Greenhill. Okehampton then came back into the game and as half time approached must have been happy contemplating a deficit of only three points. After an indiscretion by the Okehampton pack, when after they were penalised for a late tackle and then after back chatting to the referees, they found themselves marched back a further ten metres allowing Sutton to double Tavistck?s lead with a second penalty. Tavistock were not finished and from the restart regained control of the ball and drove via the forwards toward the Okehampton line. When the ball was released scrum half Lee Greatrex broke on the blind side and fed Richard Huish who scored in the corner to give Tavistock an eleven point half time lead. If Tavistock thought they had secured the game before half time Okehampton had other ideas and penned Tavistock deep in their own half for most of the third quarter of the game. As Tavistock desperately tried to keep the Okes out they lost hooker Matt Martin to the sinbin for an off the ball incident. The depleted Tavistock pack eventually conceded a penalty try when they collapsed a maul, Mugliston converting to get the Okes back to a four-point deficit. At this time Tavistock brought on fresh legs in the backrow in the form of ex-skipper Matt Cole and this helped Tavistock to regain control of the game. Okehampton found full back Kyle Langdon in great form either returning the kicks or running the ball at the Okes? defence. Tavistock eventually got good field position and fly half Josh Sutton went close to scoring but lost the ball in the tackle just short of the line. Tavistock continued to pressurise and after a break by prop Tom Hurdwell the Okes were penalised in front of the posts and Josh Sutton slotted the penalty. The Okes came back and after some driving play by their forwards? second row Barry-John Chapman went over for a try. This left the conversion, the last kick of the game, for Okes to secure a draw. The conversion went wide and Tavistock happily accepted this narrow victory. On Saturday Tavistock entertain Old Plymothians at Sandy Park in the league kick off 2.30 pm.
