South West Peninsula League Division 1 East

Okehampton Argyle 1

Stoke Gabriel 1

AFTER two weeks without a match, Okehampton returned to action with a tough home fixture against Stoke Gabriel, currently lying second in the table.

Stoke started at a tremendous pace with slick passing movements and after only two minutes won a corner on the right, which was converted from close in by Clay Bond with the Argyle defence flat-footed.

The visitors continued to take the game to Okehampton for the first 15 minutes, but the defence held firm and gradually they began to claw themselves back.

New signing Colin Marshall in midfield showed some clever touches and on 24 minutes a lovely move down the left involving several of the midfield players saw Matt Mortimer's pass split the Stoke defence and leave his brother Adam to slot home past the keeper from just inside the box.

Okehampton took the game to Stoke at the beginning of the second half but that vital goal refused to come, despite excellent play from Steve Kinsey up front and the continued hard work of the Okehampton midfield where Marshall and Ben Harris, both making their first team debut, combined well with regulars George Pitts, Ed Squire and Matt Mortimer.

As the game wore on, Stoke's fitness began to tell and they were enjoying the lion's share of possession. They started to make chances from the wide positions as the Okehampton midfield tired and were unable to get back to cover Stoke's fast breaks down the wings. But Argyle's defence performed heroics to keep the visitors out with the back three of James Williams, Mike Vernon and Mark Burdus making a series of brilliant last-ditch tackles and clearances and keeper Daniel Malcolm showing a safe pair of hands throughout.

Even when Mike Vernon had to leave the field injured with 20 minutes to go, substitute Tom Reilly slotted in efficiently to the Argyle back three and the visitors' forwards still could not breach the Argyle defence.

In fact, it was Okehampton who came closest to winning the game with five minutes to go when a superb interchange of passes involving Colin Marshall, Ed Squire, and Adam Mortimer saw Marshall put in space on the edge of the box, only for his fierce shot to pass inches wide of the post.

This Saturday South West Peninsula League — Teignmouth away 2.15pm.