Barnstaple Colts 5

Okehampton Colts 17

CONTESTS between these two sides are always hard fought affairs and this was no exception.

The early exchanges were non conclusive. Okehampton forward phases kept the home side on the back foot with resultant penalties allowing them to gain some territory. The hosts directed most of their attacking efforts through their two hard running centres which Chrish Swash and Luke Dennis dealt with efficiently.

The visitors began to get the better of the forward exchanges and with a front foot approached had the Barnstaple lads defending in earnest. A clearing kick was returned by Jake Barber and after several phases, Swash again broke the gain line and with quick ball to Giles Heard, the wingman fed full back Dean Andrew to crash over the line only to be held up by desperate but determined defence. From the resultant five metre scrum, Jacob Nash spun the ball to midfield where he was first at the tackle to pick up and slide in under the posts for the first try with Searle converting.

From the restart the visitors maintained control against a resilient and determined Barnstaple defence. With Searle finding his range with the boot, some astute tactical kicking – well chased by Heard, Barber and Luke Dennis – kept the host pinned in their own half. The pressure led to the every improving Abrams taking final pass to barge over for the second try.

This spurred the hosts into determined efforts to get back into the game.

Okehampton punished themselves with with an increasing penalty count and on the stroke of half time Barnstaple backs caught the Okes defence out to score to bring the half time score to 5-12.

It did not take long into the second half for the Okes to reassert control. The line out started to function with Folland dominating the middle of the line and Jack Williams stealing much ball at the front; on numerous occasions the driving maul drove the host back as many as 20 metres.

Barnstaple's defence proved difficult to break down. Giles Heard, Kieran Lee and Luke Dennis all went close with latch ditch tackles keeping Oke at bay. Prop Pat Nash went over but it was disallowed by the referee. It took a short line break from Jordan Petherbridge deep in the host's 22 to set up Swash who close to the touch line crashed his way through for the third try. This was a good workmanlike win against determined opponents.