Okehampton Colts 0

Exeter Chiefs Colts 13

FOLLOWING last week's excellent win at Crediton, Okehampton had their first home game of the season against Merit Table favourites Exeter Chiefs.

With the home side playing up the slope in the first half , the early exchanges were evenly contested with both sets of forwards going toe to toe with no quarter being asked for or given . Showing confidence with ball in hand, the visitors were making good ground in open play but at the breakdown the hosts were proving more than a match, managing to turn over possession and force errors that resulted in two penalties to Okehampton which unfortunately could not be converted into points.

With captain Will Hawking once again leading from the front , the forwards continued to force the Chiefs into errors and from a turn over at a ruck, Kev Dennis was only fractionately wide with a well struck drop goal attempt.

In the backs the Exeter side were showing great pace and although Cameron Rickerby proved a defensive nuisance in mid field , some good ball skills saw the Chief's strong running and athletic winger score a good individual try after weaving his way through the home defence for the opening score of the game, which was unconverted.

With five minutes to the interval , Okehampton were penalised at the breakdown, the visitors putting themselves deep into Okehampton's 22 with a good touch kick. Despite defending manfully, the host's defence was finally undone with a well worked try, again unconverted, that saw the half time score 0 -10 to the visitors.

Okehampton set about the second half in determined fashion putting pressure on the Chiefs at every opportunity.

Unfortunately the hard earned possession could not be turned into points and having weathered the storm, the visitors again put ball through hand to good effect forcing a penalty within range which was converted with some relief as it gave some welcome breathing space against opposition that , certainly in the forwards , was getting ever more determined as the game went on.

The frustration created by Okehampton's pack , where Chris Knott , Rob Steptoe and Oli Scantlebury were particularly effective, eventually came to the surface with the referee sending a player from each side to the sin bin, although Jordan Lee should feel somewhat aggrieved at being dispatched having had no part in the preceding fracas.

The home side kept putting the pressure on but despite being camped close to the Chiefs' line for most of the last 15 minutes, they could not manage the breakthrough required to score the all important try that would have set up a thrilling finale to a hard fought game .

Chiefs deserved their win but having scored nothing less than 40 points in every game so far this season, they faced a stern test of their resolve .

Okehampton applied pressure and disruption that should allow them to return to Sandy Park later in the season with confidence.

Next week. Merit Table against Bideford (away).