Okehampton U16s 7

Newton Abbot U16s 12

THE game started at a fast and furious pace as both sides looked to gain supremacy in a hard fought cup encounter. Ultimately the Okes' were to fall short but the effort and passion could not have been questioned against a side littered with county players.

The initial exchanges were fairly even as the visitors looked to attack through their quick back line and the Okes' counter-attacked with some wonderful probing kicks from fly-half, Rhys Palmer. Oke tackled superbly but the first score came midway through the first half when their cover ran out wide left and the Newton Abbot winger dotted down wide out. The conversion was missed.

The visitors attacked from the restart but time and again they were thwarted by the home side. Despite a good deal of play the home side dropped further behind four minutes before the break as their centre made the clean break to score. The conversion was good.

However Oke came back to threaten the visitor's line.

Okehampton started the second half brightly as these two evenly matched sides went toe to toe, but they enjoyed more territory and possession, without threatening the try line.

Newton Abbot, who have not lost a game all season, defended resolutely and always looked dangerous on the counterattack, especially through their lively left winger.

Okehampton's cover defence was superb as time and again tackles were made and attackers were repelled with some big hits.

With ten minutes remaining Oke reduced the arrears to a score when Conor Stevens produced a run of individual brilliance. He cut inside back towards his forwards but found a way through and dive over wide out on the left. Lewis Taylor potted the difficult conversion from the touchline and all of a sudden, it was game on.

Newton Abbot shut the game out without any real scares to progress to the next round and leave Okehampton with a plate tie against South Molton.

The game was a tremendous advert for youth rugby as no quarter was given by either side and Okehampton can be proud of pushing an unbeaten side to the limit with some cohesive attacking play and resolute defence, their tackling being the cornerstone of all things good.