South

Oke ladies’ firsts 3

Tiverton White Eagles ladies 2

AFTER last week’s success, Okehampton were in high spirits and fine form for their match against Tiverton’s White Eagles, looking to repeat their previous winning result.

They were in attacking form from the first whistle, with Lesley Bingham scoring within a matter of minutes. This heightened their morale even further, allowing them to maintain their attack with a series of interceptions and driving runs up the wing by Ellie Shayler and Kim Davey.

The Oke central line was dominated by newcomers Elly Jenkins and Hannah Gibbons, who connected well with attacker Emily Rowlands. Together, their excellent teamwork delivered the ball to the circle, where Bingham’s perfect positioning allowed her to hammer the ball into the goal once again. At the other end of the pitch, defenders Laura Parsons, Abi Colton and Nicky Pedrick controlled Oke’s end with practised strength and resilience to prevent the opposition from making their mark on the scorecard before half-time.

As the second half began, the White Eagles returned with renewed vigour, determined to wrestle back control of the game. Their persistence resulted in player-of-the-match Alice Wiseman being forced to make several superb saves.

Despite spirited resistance from the defenders and midfielders Sophie Whitely (captain), Jess Moyse and Molly Marvin, White Eagles scored two goals in quick succession, bringing the score to a draw at two-all.

This sparked a period of fast and furious play, with both sides finding rejuvenated fortitude and desire to break the deadlock and take the lead.

As the pressure intensified, Davey’s perseverance payed off with a blistering run up the right ring. An accurate and powerful strike in the circle resulted in a triumphant final goal and well-deserved points for the Okehampton side, who were able to hold off the White Eagles until the final whistle.