Devon & Cornwall League Okehampton 1st XV 11 Tavistock 1st XV 16 LOCAL derbies are usually tense, close fought affairs and this one was no exception. The outcome hung in the balance until the last minute and nobody would deny that a draw would have been a fair result. Tavistock arrived with a high position in the league and are considered by many as among the favourites for promotion. The fact that Okehampton pushed them so close shows they will be no pushovers for anyone at the showfield this season. Okehampton lost the toss and had to play downhill in the first half. They started the brighter of the two teams and went ahead in the first quarter with a penalty from winger Martin Holgate. Okehampton dominated the first half and kept Tavistock constantly on the back foot with some forceful driving mauls from their forwards. Tavistock were not helped by having number eight Tom Dawe sent to the sin bin midway through the half. The home side knew they had to build a decent lead to defend in the second half, and had plenty of territory and possession in the first period. However, as on so many occasions this season they turned the ball over in the opponents' 22, and failed to find a cutting edge to turn the possession into points. Then from a lineout on halfway Richard Drake, usually a second row, but standing in at hooker due to front row absences, looped off the back of a lineout on halfway and showed deft hands to time a nice pop pass to flanker Harry Bushin. The back row man ran a great line and showed good pace to score to the left of the uprights. The conversion was missed and the lead was now 8-0. Another penalty chance was missed before Holgate struck another successfully to leave the half-time score at 11-0. The second half began and Okehampton knew that Tavistock would come at them hard. The visitors had most of the territory and their full back Josh Sutton converted two penalties to reduce the deficit to five points. They were putting pressure on in the set scrum and with a quarter remaining scored a try through their winger in the left hand corner. It was unconverted and the scores were level at eleven each. Just as time was running out, with a draw looking the likely outcome, Tavistock scrum half Lee Greatrex took the ball from the base and ran in the winning score with a try wide out on the right. Time was up and Tavistock had snatched a victory to keep their promotion hopes alive. It was not all gloom for the Okes though, all their main relegation rivals lost and they went close to beating a fancied side, despite missing two of their first choice front row. The lineout was superior and they drove effectively in the maul area. A home victory this week against mid-table Falmouth would be the perfect way to erase this late defeat from the memory. This coming weekend end Tavistock travel to Paignton in the first round of the Devon Cup. Date and kick off time have yet to be confirmed.
