Devon Colts plate final Tavistock 12 Okehampton 19 WHAT a way to end a season – a full blooded, committed encounter between two local rivals in a county final and the two sides did not disappoint! The game was essentially mapped out by the weather as the conditions were more akin to a winter's day rather than allowing for a spectacle of running rugby on a fine spring afternoon. Tavistock sportingly moved their first XV game to a back pitch to allow the youngsters to entertain the large crowd with their season finale. Okehampton started the game with all the elements, playing down the slight slope and with the wind and rain at their backs and they soon started to dominate the opening proceedings. In the eighth minute they broke the deadlock. The home side were penalised for holding on and Jack Davey slotted the penalty from the 10-metre line. Ten minutes later and Davey doubled the lead as Tavistock were penalised for hands in a ruck as Oke piled on the pressure. Davey potted the resultant penalty from dead in front. Okehampton took a grip on the game when Tavistock failed to kick ten from the restart and from the resultant scrum on halfway they attacked down their right. Rhys Palmer, who was to have a fine game along with his half-back partner, Jack Davey, cut a great line and drew the defence, before timing his pass perfectly to Kieran Lee, who crossed the whitewash. Davey struck a fine conversion from wide out and the Okes held a 13 point lead. With two minutes to go before the break, Davey added another three from thirty-five yards out to stretch the lead to 0-16 at the break. Having had the elements first half, Oke still had it all to do and following a sustained passage of play they added to their score. An offside in midfield saw Davey strike the penalty clean through the uprights in to the teeth of the wind. That was as good as it got for the Okes in the second half as Tavistock used the elements to their advantage and dominated from then on. Sterling defence kept the home side at bay and even when Callum Pillivant's yellow card meant the Okes were a player short, they defended heroically. As the Okes' defence were caught short Tavistock got on the scoreboard with a try by Luke Northmore; Ben Cole added the conversion to make it 7-19. Tavistock were rampant now and it was only sterling defence and a minute before time the home side scored wide out on the left — this time through Charlie Charlton. But time ran out and the Oke side were victorious in game that was ruined by the weather. The Oke team showed the tremendous commitment and team spirit instilled in the side by Andy Dennis and Phil Martin. The victory was built on solid defence and the sheer will to win once their advantage had been gained. The whole Oke squad were tremendous but special mention has to go to Jack Davey and Rhys Palmer who controlled the game for the most part. However, they did not have it all their own way and Tavistock made it a final to remember.