Devon Cup Merit

Okehampton Colts 24

Sidmouth Colts 0

OKEHAMPTON started the game brightly. Oke's Brad Curtis took the kick off before returning good ball that was recycled quickly to skipper Ryan Gross who bullocked through Sidmouth's back line up to their twenty two before he was hauled down and an ensuing knock on relieved the early pressure on the visitors.

This would be the pattern of a somewhat fractious first half as Okehampton made hard yards through good running before Sidmouth had their hands on the ball and punted back in to the home 22.

On ten minutes Oke were awarded a penalty for offside in midfield but Jack Davey pulled the chance wide.

The next home attack saw Davey pivotal as his nice nudge through caused panic in Sidmouth's defence and they eventually fly-hacked it clear.

Halfway through the half and Okehampton dominated territory and eventually took a deserved lead through Davey, who atoned for his early miss by slotting home.

Okehampton came close to increasing their lead on the half hour after a penalty kicked to the corner saw them batter the line before they gave away a penalty for not releasing the ball.

With the last play of the half however, Oke opted to tap and go from a penalty and four phases later Curtis, Gross and White battered their way through to suck the visitors' defence in; as a result Sidmouth were caught short on the blindside and Jake Shinn took full advantage. Brandon Horn converted marvellously from the touchline and Okehampton lead 10-0 at the interval.

Seven minutes in to the second period and the home side extended their lead. They won a scrum against the head on halfway and fly-half Davey kicked in behind the onrushing defence and a favourable bounce of the ball gave Dan Fogerty the chance to gather and dot down. George Courtier converted to make it 17-0.

Five minutes later and the score was increased with again Fogerty the supplier, although this time he was hauled back illegally as he chased a grubber kick and the referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty try; it left the extras for the returning Davey to slot. Okehampton were now dominant and during the last 15 minutes, they did not leave the visitors' 22 but try as they might, they could not glean the precious bonus point their dominance warranted.

A mixture of wrong options taken or trying to force the play were the main reasons and if there was a lesson to be learned it is that patience and phase play can deplete an opposition's defence to leave gaps galore.