Okehampton Colts 19 Bideford Colts 10 FOLLOWING a series of well contested friendly fixtures, the Colts returned to the Merit table with a tough home game against Bideford, who had won the early season fixture through forward domination. The Okes showed great determination in the early stages to make sure that they did not capitulate up front as happened in the previous fixture. The forwards were winning enough good quick ball to give the backs the opportunity to threaten and it wasn't long before the home side's three quarters were manifesting a significant advantage over their opposition. When the ball was moved wide the Okes always looked threatening and with some excellent tactical kicking from Wonnacott and Poynton the pressure was on the visitors. From a well placed kick into the Bideford 22, Jake Chisolm for Oke followed up with great purpose to pressurise the defence into errors that allowed him to secure the touch down. From the restart the Okes maintained their territorial advantage. The backs moved the ball wide and having broken the line, Rich Barrington picked up and drove for the gap to deliver a superbly timed offload to full back Fishleigh coming in on a great angle for the line. Fishleigh's final pass to Grayling was equally well timed to give the winger a run in for the try from which Poynton slotted a difficult conversion. The Okes' third try was equally well created. Despite the difficult conditions underfoot, the Okes went through several phases of play taking them well into Bideford territory. The Okes' backs again threatened the Bideford line and from some slick handling from Richard Friend and Rory Honeychurch play was held up just short of the Bideford line. The Okes won the ball and Richard Barrington muscled his way over the line for the third try which Poynton superbly converted from wide to bring the half time score to 19 -0. Playing against the slope the Okes came under predictable pressure early in the second half and it took less than 10 minutes for the visitors to muscle their way back into the game with a try from Bideford stalwart James Starkey. Despite consistent pressure, the Okes managed to keep the determined visitors at bay and although they managed to score a drive over try from a line- out in the last few minutes the Okes worked their way up field to threaten the Bideford line again before the final whistle brought a well earned win against tough and physical opposition. A good result that puts the Okes back on track in the Merit table. Richard Friend was man of the match for Okehampton. l The Okes' season continues next week against Exmouth at Oaklands.