Okehampton Colts 26 Cornish Pirate Colts 5 FOLLOWING the disappointment of last week's last minute cancellation Okehampton Colts welcomed the Cornish Pirates to Oaklands for their first game of 2008. The young Okes dominated early proceedings with a stream of well presented possession that allowed the home side's back line to move the ball wide and make good ground. Centre Rory Honeychurch was looking particularly sharp running some good angles with well timed passes allowing wingers Grayling and Wawman to threaten the Pirates' line. Despite territorial domination the visitors defence was resolute and well organised and this combined with some wrong options in attack meant the first score of the game was frustratingly elusive. Eventually the break through came when the backs linked well with full back Rob Fishleigh who in turn fed good support from Tom McGratton. From the next phase the backs again created the overlap with Honeychurch delivering a well timed pass to give Grayling a clear run to the line. The Okes were now playing with confidence and skill although the resilient Cornishmen were making every yard of territory hard fought with a fiery backrow combination proving particularly disruptive. With the home side now going through the phases well, despite the slippery conditions, the Pirates were now under constant pressure and after some excellent short interpassing, lock Tom McGratton was on hand with some well timed support to finish off the try with Carl Poynton adding the extras . The first half was rounded off with a strong catch and drive from a line out . The driving maul was brought down one metre from the line but the excellent referee allowed a penalty advantage and from the ruck the ball was spun through the back line with Fishleigh scoring the try out wide. Poynton again added the extras with fine conversion from the touch line to make the half time score 19 -0 to the home side. The second half threatened to go the same way as the first half with the Okes dominating early possession, however, the advantage was not pressed home. Some lacklustre play saw the home side go off the boil , the Pirates did not need any second invitation and started to not only disrupt the Okes' game but also get their own game into gear which saw them threaten the Okes' line. A period of sustained pressure and an opportunist break from the base of a ruck saw scrum –half Chisolm scamper over the line for a deserved try. The visitors continued to pressure the home side who were now being forced into a regular catalogue of errors. Eventually the Okes aroused from their slumbers and again started to move the ball though several phases and when the ball was moved wide Fishleigh, Grayling and Wawman again started to threaten. From some good breaks in mid-field the ball was rucked quickly and Richard Friend spun the ball to Fishleigh who fed Grayling with a well timed pass for his second try of the game. Poynton nailed the wide conversion for another excellent kick which brought the final score to 26 – 5. Overall, a good performance but with tough merit table games just around the corner the Okes cannot afford to go to sleep thinking a game is in the bag. A more focused approach will ensure that they do not relinquish control of games and take their own domination to the final whistle.
