Friendly

Okehampton 3

North Devon 2

OKEHAMPTON were looking to get back to winning ways in 2012, using the friendly to experiment with their formation. The new set up looked extremely threatening straight from the start as the hosts took the game to the visitors.

Mark Parsons had a good run from the left wing for Oke and made the keeper save expertly from a unsighted shot. Josh Balsdon on the other wing was running his defender ragged and the home side looked threatening with Chris Luxton up front and holding the ball up superbly.

Against the run of play the away side got lucky when they won a short corner and North Devon following up the original flick which was saved with ease by Andy Harvey to tap the loose ball home and take the lead. They doubled their lead not long after and although 2-0 down the home side still looked the stronger side and Will Cooper, Rob Hall and John Jarvis looked assured and at ease at the back.

Okehampton managed to get a goal back before half time when the wingers swapped and Balsdon on the left this time accelerated past his defender and flicked the ball expertly over the goalkeeper and into the goal.

The second half saw Okehampton dominate, straight from the whistle they applied pressure and forced the visitors to sit deeper and deeper.

The pressure paid off when an excellent interception from Chris Luxton found Greg Williams and he slide the ball across the goal for Luxton to tap home the equaliser.

Completely in control the hosts scored a deserved winner when Josh Speak's ball into the area was expertly diverted into the bottom corner to give them the win.

This was the best possible start to the new year for the team and the best Okehampton have played for a long time. Men of the match were Josh Balsdon and Will Cooper.