Okehampton Colts 10

Topsham Colts 3

IN their first match in the Devon Cup Merit Table, the host entertained a Topsham Side that like the Okes had finished at the top of their early season merit table.

The hosts chose to play up the slight slope in the first half and often had the visitors on the back foot in the early stages. The Topsham set piece in both line out and scrum looked solid and although proving a safe haven of possession, little threat was posted with the Okes back line defence looking reliable and solid.

The Okehampton line out began to work out the Topsham plan and it wasn't long before Josh Bush was stealing ball at the front of the line and with Stephen Paul finding Dean Folland with consistency, the Okes began to dominate. With the forwards now in the ascendancy play was driven towards the Topsham line. A number of well executed catch and drives had the visitors defence in chaos yet despite the dominance a call of held up over the line and a dubious blow for a knock on deprived the Okes of a well deserved first score.

Despite remaining camped in Topsham territory, the first half ended at 0 – 0.

The second half continued in a similar vain and it wasn't long before the Oke's pressure won a penalty just outside the visitors' 22. Unfortunately the easy kick went astray. Shortly afterwards a rare excursion into the Okes half saw a penalty kick converted to give the visitors a 0-3 lead very much against the run of play.

The Okes attacked the restart with a vengeance. The back row of Bush, Folland and Paddy Moyes were dominant at the break down with Moyes making many breaks at close quarters. Half backs Tom Fogerty and Sam Ewens continued to keep the visitors on the back foot with Fogerty in particular playing a particularly astute tactical game.

Eventually the pressure brought its rewards when Ewens slotted a penalty to even the scores. The Okes now began to get into gear with Captain Tom White leading by example. The backs were now beginning to run with confidence although the Topsham defence was well organised with both Henry Cooper and Luke Dennis being stopped in their tracks despite hitting great lines at speed.

From such attacks the ball went through a number of phases allowing Tom Fogerty to show some great footwork to slide through the defence only for another knock on to deprive the Okes of the first try of the day.

But the hosts kept to their task and after smartly moving a penalty away from a touch kick to moving the ball wide, wing Jordan Cornthwaite dived under his defender to score a much deserved try.

Sam Ewens nailed the conversion to give the Okes a deserved 10-3 lead and after maintaining the status quo the final whistle saw the hosts post an important first win in the new Merit Table.