Crediton 1st XV 19 Okehampton 1st XV 27 OKEHAMPTON travelled to Blagdon on Christmas Eve for the first leg of the Frank Webb trophy. This is a traditional fixture that has been missing for the past few years but one that always proves to be a hard fought affair. With both sides at slightly less than full strength, the opening salvoes boded well for an open game. Okehampton made early inroads up the slope and despite being under pressure in the set scrummage, secured enough good ball to regularly test out the Crediton defence. With the release from the pressure of league points, Okehampton threw the ball about more than at any time previously this season. They offloaded in the tackle and found holes when moving the ball wide. From a period of pressure and a series of offloads, centre Adam Curtis went straight through the attempted tackle of the home full back to score an unconverted try to give the Oke the lead. The lead was short-lived, however, as the home side scored two tries in fairly quick succession, one of which was converted to give them a 12-5 lead approaching the interval. Oke had started to concede too many needless penalties and this gave Crediton a foundation to apply pressure in the visitors 22. Okehampton were awarded a penalty with half time approaching. After the referee had confirmed there was time for a line-out, Oke produced a classic catch and drive that the home pack struggled to counter. Hooker Simon Griffiths, who had an excellent sniping game, went over for a try near the sticks that fly half Brimmacombe successfully converted to leave the scores tied 12 each at the break. With the second half slope Oke's pack asserted itself. Consistent pressure was applied in the home side's 22. With skipper Ali Mason in the vanguard the Oke pack were making inroads and with the home defence stretched the ball was moved nicely to the wing where replacement Martin Holgate went over for a good score wide out on the right. The conversion was missed but Oke were now dominant. The ball was being moved nicely through the hands and proved that Oke can play a wide game, perhaps this may be the catalyst for more of this attacking style of back play for the remainder of the league season. Fly half Brimmacombe, now visibly growing in confidence, hit a well struck drop goal to increase the lead to eight points. Then the moment of the match arrived when Brimmacombe threw a perfect miss pass and full back Gareth Espin hit the line at pace. He cruised through the gap and hit the afterburners to scorch in for a great try in the corner. It was probably Oke's best score this season and was nicely rounded off by a good conversion from wide out by Holgate. This gave Oke an impressive 27-12 lead with a quarter remaining. Disappointingly the home side managed to cross for a converted try in the last minute after brave defence by the Okes to take the final score to 27-19. However, when the final whistle went, Oke had won an away game against a side from the league above, and in the process had proved to themselves that they could vary their game plan and attack teams with width. Hopefully this confident performance will ensure a good second half to the season starting in the New Year with a tough home league fixture against Honiton.
