Okehampton Colts 29

Tavistock Colts 0

COLTS Merit table action returned to Oaklands on Saturday when local rivals Tavistock were the visitors.

With the slope advantage Okehampton started much the sharper with centre Giles Heard putting down an early marker with a powerful break through midfield that saw the home side camped in the Tavistock defensive third for extended periods.

A mixture of wrong options, some indifferent ball handling and generally trying too hard meant that the first score was a long time coming and it was not until the 20th minute that Callum Pillivant was in support to finish off several phases of play close to the visitors line. Searle converted.

The Tavistock forwards upped their game entering the second period of the half and in addition to making good ground from ruck attacks they were also beginning to provide some clean possession for their threes with several attacks challenging the home defence. Gradually the hosts reclaimed territorial advantage and after pulling the Tavistock defence virtually to the touch line, the ball was switched and moved efficiently through the back line for Jake Barber to dot down in the corner for Oke to turn around 12-0 at half time.

Playing up the slope, with a slight wind behind them, Okehampton found it difficult to impose control on the game.

Aggressive counter rucking and a never say die defence was proving difficult to break down. Frustration led to a number of cheap penalties and it was Tavistock who went closest when the centre made an excellent break with the Oke's Liam Sampson making the try saving tackle.

A couple of injuries led to some rejigging especially in the back line but gradually the Okes began to reassert themselves after Luke Dennis crashed over the whitewash for Searle to convert.

Oke's Giles Heard finished off the best try of the match after the ball was moved through the back line following Jake Johns steal at the line out. The second row's aerial skills were again to the fore several minutes later when he secured clean possession at a five metre line out with the resulting driving maul seeing wing forward Liam Sampson emerge from the pile to claim the try which was just reward for a sterling afternoon's work.