Bideford U15s 0

Okehampton U15s 76

OKEHAMPTON demolished the home team, winning 90% of the loose ball. They recycled it quickly and with excellent support play from Cox, Lawrence and Williams in the back row, phase after phase was won.

Hutchins and Preston in the centres ran through the tackles and kept possession. Bolt and Herrod-Taylor at half backs controlled the game keeping Okehampton going forward and always asking questions of the defence.

Lineout ball was scrappy but Okehampton still capitalised with their big men, Turner,West and Bird, snapping up loose ball.

Hooker Hudson threw well and stole opposition scrum ball. New man Mortimore played his first full game and with Searle they anchored the front row.

Bideford tackled bravely and when they tried to kick over the defence, full back Woods with his two supporting wings, Beardon and Down, ran the ball back with a vengeance.

Okehampton displayed a full range of skills with balls passed out of the tackle to the support runners and switches, loops and dummies from the backs. Scrum half Bolt opened the defence with his sniping runs, ably supported by the back row trio.

Tries: Beardon, Bolt (3),Herrod-Taylor, Hutchins, Lawrence, Turner, Cox (3) and West. Herrod-Taylor kicked eight conversions.

This Sunday away to Exeter Saracens meet 9.45am.

Ivybridge U11s 7

North/Okes U11s 14

FEW teams come away from Ivybridge with a win, so the combined side should feel justly proud of their achievement.

Playing up the slope in the first half, the visitors were under constant pressure. Ivybridge camped on the North/Okes line for the entire half and only committed defence kept them out.

Andrew North tackled well, one super cover tackle denying the home side a certain try.

Darcy Heard and Cameron Rickerby hassled the Ivybridge backs denying them room to run with the ball, resulting in the scores being 0-0 at half time.

Playing with the slope, North/Okes raised their game. Will Hawkin and Andrew Fishliegh were superb in the rucks and mauls, fighting for every ball. Chris Reynolds seems to have mastered the scrimmaging art while Merrick Kirby and James Speak competed well in the lineout. Bill Sharpe was solid at full-back.

North/Okes were awarded a penalty. A planned move saw Heard break down the wing only to be tackled short of the line. From the ensuing ruck, Fishleigh squeezed over for a try, converted by North.

It was Ivybridge?s turn to raise their game. Again, desperate defence kept the home side out. Heard made a try-saving tackle, but the attacks kept coming. They were rewarded with a try, plus conversion to level the score.

The referee announced there was one minute left, and as this North/Okes side have shown many times, they never give up. At the kick-off, North switched the kick away from the forwards to the backs.

Rickerby and Heard chased and harried the opposition into mistakes. Kirby tackled a player who spilled the ball over his line and Ewen dived on the ball to score. North added the two points as the ref blew the final whistle.