Gerrard Hockey League
South Central District One
Okehampton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Ashmoor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
OKEHAMPTON played host to a new entry into the Gerrard Hockey league on Saturday, hoping to be the first team to take points from Ashmoor. The team battled hard in the first half winning a vast number of penalty corners. Stout defence from Man of the Match John Jarvis, Dave Dennis and Mark Clapham kept their attacking team at bay. Colin Lethbridge worked hard in his sweeper role, yet was unable to prevent the pressure being applied to the home team's defence.
There were good counter attacks by the Okehampton forwards but nothing was clinical enough for them to snatch a goal. It was in the dying minutes of the half that Ashmoor managed to go into the break one goal to the good.
Confident that they would frustrate this high scoring team, there was great disappointment when Ashmoor scored two more goals within five minutes of the restart.
Okehampton held their composure and showed great team spirit. Passionate play from Darren Phare and Ollie Tallowin in midfield saw pressure being applied onto the Ashmoor defence for the first time in the game.
Brett Lawson and Phil Mellor pressed hard up front, and Okehampton had to seize the opportunity whilst they were having such a good spell.
Eventually Okehampton broke through good work on the right but Ollie Tallowin crossed in for Simon Bourne, who sweetly struck a first time effort into the top corner of the goal. Determination showed, Keith Webber, now at right half, also broke up Ashmoor's play.
Okehampton scored a sublime second goal from the season's top scorer Richard Jones, who managed to squeeze a fiercely struck shot into the far corner of the goal.
On the day Okehampton's best was not quite good enough to overturn top of the league Ashmoor.