Okehampton U15 15

Ivybridge U15 10

FOLLOWING an excellent start to the season with an unbeaten run of four games to date, Okehampton?s Under 15?s faced their sternest test so far when facing Ivybridge at Oaklands on Sunday.

The south Devon side have a record of winning the county knock-out cup in the last two seasons as well as the annual Devon age group festivals for the last 3 seasons and have only lost to one Devon side in regular fixtures during the last five seasons.

From the start, playing up the slope the Okes took the game to Ivybridge with tremendous passion.

With a team of Ivybridge?s calibre the defence was proving hard to break down.

Eventually the first score came after the visitors were forced over their own line giving a five yard scrum to the Okes. Luke Wonnacott broke from the base of the scrum on the blind side and when the ball found its way to Liam Walker, the winger made the most of his opportunity to score for the first try of the game.

Fly half Rob North gained the extra points with a magnificent conversion from the touch line.

From a rare excursion into the Okehampton half, some over eager defence saw the backs caught offside which saw the visitors claw 3 points back from the resultant penalty for a 7-3 score to the Okes at half time.

Line out ball started to become a fruitful source of possession for the visitors. From some opportunist kick and run play they forced the Okes defence into errors close to their line and as the ball spun free one of their back row pounced on the ball to score a try which was successfully converted to bring the scores level at 10 - 10.

The Okes again forced their way down field and with the ball again being spun to the blind side Wonnacott put through a superbly judged kick forcing last ditch defence on the visitors 5 metre line. The pressure caused the ball to be spilled from which Tom Chisholm picked up and burst over the line to restore the Okes lead to 15 - 10.

The last five minutes saw the Okes under tremendous pressure camped in their own 22 and very close to their line but a few wrong options from the visitors and some superb never say die defence saw the final whistle blow to a deserved win to the Okes.

This was a tremendous team victory against high class and talented opposition and was a game that proved an excellent advertisement for junior rugby.

Thanks went to Andy Ewens who refereed an intense and passionate game with great empathy and explanation.

Man of the match: Rob North.

This week Exeter Saracens (A) ? leave Oaklands at 9.30am.