Merit

Okehampton seconds 13

Kingsbridge seconds 11

IN wet and windy conditions the visitors were soon into their stride playing well to the conditions with plenty of forward runners. Kingsbridge's useful fly half was distributing the ball well and Oke found themselves camped in the defensive third of the field.

Excellent defence was making life difficult for Kings but ultimately the breakthrough came after persistent pressure when the fly-half broke the cover to go in under the posts. The resulting conversion was missed.

Okehampton proceeded to work their way up field. Good support running from Pete Gillard and Stuart Benney as well as some darting runs from Matt Johns at 10 was challenging the visitors' defence. Dan Carey was punching some big holes and Buster Francis was performing heroics securing a lot of possession.

The pressure forced the errors and Johns was able to convert two penalties to bring Okehampton back into the game. Kingsbridge had the odd foray into the Oke half and from one such attack they converted a penalty to lead 6-8 at half time.

With the advantage of the slope in the second half the Okes could be positive about the outcome but it was the visitors who controlled the majority of the half keeping the hosts pinned in their own half. However, the defensive lines were holding firm.

Two penalty attempts by the visitors were missed in the difficult conditions and from the second miss, captain Richard Drake gathered and put a 22 drop out into the hands of John Short. The full back made ground and from the break down the forwards drove forward with further runs. Drake was again in the action with a chip through, which was fielded by the hosts. Colts Captain Liam Sampson charged down the clearing kicked and dropped on the ball for the score.

Matt Johns slotted the extras to win the game with the last kick of the match.

While this was very much a get out of gaol win for the Okes, and having been second best for most of the second half, defensive resolve not allowing the visitors to score from territorial advantage was the backdrop to a win that keeps the side in contention at the top of the table.