Western Counties
Withycombe 1st 27
Okehampton 1st 7
A DISAPPOINTING result considering the excellent start to the season.
Okehampton defended admirably in the first half, running uphill and against the wind, but failed to secure enough clean ball to pot any points. Confidence is everything at the moment and to score early is essential.
Withycombe edged forward with a solitary try after a dubious decision by the linesman — disputed assiduously by the players,which occasioned the referee to speak firmly to the third official.
At 5-0 at half time the game was well within grasp and even with Wayne Middleton sin-binned for a earlier infringement Okehampton entered the second half confident of victory.
However, reminiscent of the Tiverton match, Okehampton failed to take advantage and, even with two Withycombe players sin-binned could not score.
The experience of Withycombe's former Exeter players told and they amassed another 22 points without reply.
With the game already gone Okehampton surprisingly sprang into passages of quality play, but too late to effect the outcome.
Graham Sage scored an excellent winger's try from a well-taken penalty.
Further attacks down the centre and at the line demonstrated that they were more than capable of playing at that intensity all match — the result could easily have been the other way if they had played the same from the beginning.
It is not a lack of ability but rather a lack of commitment to training that is influencing results.
The whole club at this juncture needs to consider its aspirations and support to the emerging talent of the youth section.
The second team must be the next strongest outfit each week and the third team constantly supporting both in availability and via training sessions. The club must develop the huge potential of the younger players both in the first team and throughout.
An improvement in attitude and approach will be demanded for this weekend's home tie against high flying Exmouth, kick-off 2.30pm.