Ivybridge Colts 12

Okehampton Colts 25

FOLLOWING some epic contests with Ivbridge Colts last season including a narrow defeat in the Devon Colts' cup final, the Okes returned to Crosshands for this merit table encounter.

Captain Steven Paul and his troops came out of the blocks the stronger of the two sides and the south Devon side seemed to have little answer as prop Pat Nash was assisted over the line for the first score with the game barely five minutes old.

From the restart Oke forced the home side to infringe at the breakdown. Number eight Dean Folland took the penalty quickly catching the defence off guard and after breaking two tackles went in under the posts; Searle adding the extras to make it 12-0 up in as many minutes.

Ivybridge were unbeaten all of last season and this season to date and it was typical of a side of that calibre that they forced their way back into the game.

Some cheaply given penalties allowed the hosts to enjoy a period of sustained pressure in the visitors half resulting in their winger capitalising on the overlap to score out wide with the extras added. Ivybridge scored again when their forwards put one of their props over in the corner to bring the scores level.

In the second half Okehampton regained the initiative with Searle using the wind wisely and with Folland, Abrams and Baker having the upper hand in the back row.

From a kick deep into the Ivybridge half, attempts to run the ball out of trouble proved costly as Luke Dennis intercepted the pass to outstrip the cover to score with Searle slotting the conversion from wide.

The Okes were now in the ascendency with the back row trio creating havoc in the Ivybridge ranks . The front five, with Johns and Barber providing the power from the second row to help secure dominance in the scrum set pieces, were gaining plenty of possession against the head. The pressure led to further penalties with Searle bagging a further two kicks to bring the score to 12-25 to the visitors.

This was an excellent performance against a well drilled side that has had not lost for more than a season to take Okehampton Colts to the top of the merit table.