OKEHAMPTON had their normal luck in the draw at the U14s County Sevens Festival held at Brixham, with their first game against county champions Ivybridge. Okehampton started well, controlling the game and pushing Ivybridge into their 22. Influential Carl Poynton then twisted his ankle and had to go off with David Binns taking his place. Okehampton were attacking well but could not get the breakthrough, then Ivybridge scored from a breakaway try. Scrum half Richard Friend also had to go off with an ankle injury. Will Heard came on. Okehampton again worked the ball well to get back into the Ivybridge 22 and there they camped until Ivybridge broke out again to score just before half time. In the second half Okehampton again had the better of both possession and territory but could not get the breakthrough to score. Okehampton?s second game was against the hosts, Brixham, having their first game. The first half was fairly close, but the second half Okehampton controlled to win 19-5. The third game was against Crediton, which Okehampton again controlled well to win 37-0. With three pools of five teams, the winners went into the semi-finals and the highest try-scoring runner-up would join them. Okehampton?s last game was against the Barbarian side, which could not match the strength and pace of Okehampton, who won 48-7. Okehampton had scored 18 tries in the tournament and Devonport, having the advantage of playing their final game after Okehampton, managed to score more tries to take the runners-up spot in the semi final. l Presentation night takes place at the Okehampton RFC Clubhouse on Friday, April 29 evening.
