Devon & Cornwall League
Plymstock Albion Oaks 7
Okehampton 22
THE weather conditions were not conducive to open rugby, a wet pitch and a very strong wind combined to make the conditions a real leveller.
Despite this, the young Okes side came out determined to move the ball into the wind, and took their bulky opponents by surprise with their willingness to move the ball through the hands.
Early in the game the visitors used their backs to good effect to create the first score. The ball was moved swiftly through several pairs of hands before centre Luke Honeychurch drew the last defender and fed his centre partner Alex Dennis, who crossed for a fine try in the corner. The conditions made kicking almost impossible so it was no surprise when the conversion failed.
The home side possessed a large pack and backs and were probably expecting a tight forward orientated match due to the conditions but to their credit, Okes' smaller pack matched the home side in the early exchanges and were able to secure good line-out and scrum ball. They used the ball well and were constantly probing for an opening as the home side's defence looked troubled when tested outside.
What little ball the home side won was not used intelligently as they battered away around the fringes, as the Oke forwards tackled relentlessly. Lock Sam Turner in particular put in several big hits.
The Okes' second score arrived midway through the first period; again it came after good initial surges took play into the home half, and as the ball was spread wide to the right, the backs showed impressive handling to put wing Rob Fishleigh in the corner for another fine, unconverted try.
The Okes' third score of the first half soon followed. Scrum half Joey Bruce found space through the middle of the home defence, then showed them a clean pair of heels as he ran away to score under the posts for an excellent individual score.
Unfortunately the conversion was again missed.
Okehampton were now looking confident but the home side hit back and they missed a few penalty chances before the Okes gifted them a score when a handling error by the home side led to a picked up loose ball for an Albion player to cross for a converted try to reduce the deficit to 15-7 at the interval.
With the conditions against them in the second half Plymstock started effectively and made inroads into the Okes' territory.
Once again Okehampton failed to utilise the wind. The hosts pounded away through their forwards without ever really threatening and when Oke finally managed to move play downfield, their scrum began to take control. Several five metre scrums ensued as the home side tired. Eventually number eight Steve Alford managed to avoid the offside defenders and claim a well deserved pushover score. The tricky conversion was potted by fly half Gary Sizmur and the win was now in the bag.
The final minutes again saw Okehampton encamped on the home side's line as they tried in vain to gain a fifth score. In the gathering gloom the referee blew his whistle and the Okes had dealt efficiently with this potential banana skin.
Okehampton go confidently into this Saturday's crunch fixture as they host league leaders Penryn, kick off 2.30 pm.