Newton Abbot IIIs 0
Okehampton IIIs (Acorns) 10
OKEHAMPTON travelled with a lighter pack and just XV players — enforced changes were due to injury in the higher teams and unavailability of the Acorns' two props.
Early on in the game Okehampton had a few close but unsuccessful attacks on the opposition try line, where the final pass was poor and Newton's defence was tight.
Okehampton lost some of their confidence and the wrong options were taken, but the Acorns just about had the upper hand and the majority of possession in a first half in which Newton never really threatened.
Colin Ewen put in some good kicks to keep them pinned in their own half.
The second half was much more contested as Newton spent long periods on the Okehampton 22; only good tackling time after time kept the opposition from scoring. With 20 minutes or so left on the clock and both sides desperate to break the deadlock tempers flared. After a couple of infringements from either side a Newton player was sent off after deliberately charging into an Okehampton player on the side of a maul. The injure Okehampton player had to retire, leaving both sides with 14 men.
Okehampton got on the scoresheet after a break up the middle of the field followed by a chip from Adam Holiday being well collected, even with a lucky bounce, by Graham Sage who sprinted into the top left corner to score.
Newton Abbott were more determined to score but Okehampton continued to tackle everything that moved.
Another break from the halfway line saw Sage get his second try and secure victory for the Acorns.
No doubt Newton will be looking to overturn the result on their trip to s in April.