South West one (West)

Bridgwater 16

Okehampton 61

A REMARKABLE second half saw the Okes rampant, as they blew away their hosts with an all action display.

Under lights due to the 3pm kick-off, Okehampton played against the slight breeze first up on a dark, moist Somerset afternoon. An early Okes’ clearance failed to gain enough ground, and this was the catalyst for an opening session of rugby where the home side largely had the upper hand. Home skipper Heal kicked the hosts into an early lead with a penalty. 

When the visitors finally entered the home half they were penalised and as a result were soon back on the defensive. Bridgwater were winning the early collisions, and after ten minutes flanker Sluman burrowed over from a close range ruck to extend the home lead to ten points.

The Okes were guilty of overplaying at times throughout the first 40 and despite showing glimpses in attack, they failed to keep ball long enough to create a score. Oke lost lock Brad Curtis to injury, replaced by Karl Pearce, and after 20 minutes found themselves 13 points behind after another successful Heal penalty.

Oke began to threaten during the second quarter and shoul have scored on several occasions but either knocked on, or fell foul of the referee who penalised the visitors at increasingly regular intervals.

The Okes failed to score after a long period of pressure on the home line, trying to bulldoze over the whitewash when overlaps existed out wide. They were penalised yet again as the interval approached, and Heal stretched the lead to 16 points with a long range midfield penalty effort. Then with the final play of the half, Okes crossed the try line through Rob Dugard, only to be  denied by the referee who deemed the Okes prop to be held up.

The half came to an end and Okes wondered how they found themselves 16 points down in which they had at least parity in terms of possession and territory.

At the start of the second period, the Okes knew they needed to improve and up the tempo. They did just that, and some, as they blitzed their hosts right from the restart. Only two minutes of the half had elapsed when the Okes finally got on the board. Fluent play eventually brought an attacking ruck from which centre Bevan Armitage, having a fine match in attack and defence, picked up and drove over for a try converted by Richie Friend. The Okes tails were now up and barely two minutes later they had their second try. Good hands through the backs saw left winger Kieran Lee, released by Armitage and he cut inside the full back at pace for a lovely try. Richie Friend added the conversion.

The Okes were now dominant and Bridgwater seriously rattled. Okes’ kicking game had also improved and pressure was soon back onto the home defence with a lineout in the Bridgwater 22. As the ball went to Heal, he saw his attempted clearance kick charged down and Okes’ Dean Abrams was first to gobble up the loose ball to dash over behind the posts, for a score that put the Okes in front by five points after Friend added another simple conversion.

The match had now turned on its head and the home side had no answer to the Okes increased intensity and width on the ball. On 58th minute the Okes had their fourth, and bonus point try. Replacement hooker Gareth Evans made the early inroads with a typically rumbustious charge up the middle, before releasing Keiran Lee up the left. The winger was brought down but via the resultant phase fly half Dan Fogerty spotted a gap as the home defence parted invitingly. The Okes out-half strode through for his first try. Richie Friend added the extras for 28-16 to the Okes. 

Rob Fishleigh was now on the right wing as a replacement and he was involved in the build up to the Okes’ fifth try of the half. A break down the right flank and good interplay, allowed Okes to stretch the home defence. The ball eventually reached Dan Fogerty and he put a kick ahead toward the home try line; the ball bounced into the try area, but the Okes stand off pounced and dived on the loose ball to bag his brace of second half scores.

On 65th minute the home side entered the Okes’ half for the first time in the second period, unfortunately for them the Okes’ defence was now on point, and a decent hit allowed Okes’ centre Rhys Palmer to snaffle the resultant loose pass before pinning his ears back and sprinting fully 80 metres for another Oke try. Richie Friend converted. The tries were coming thick and fast at this point, and the seventh of the half was soon on the horizon. The home midfield defence was now in tatters and aptly it was Karl Pearce who was the beneficiaryand he cantered through the home defence to cruise in under the bar as the Okes continued to run riot. Friend again converted as the match entered the last five minutes.

There was still enough time for two more tries as this remarkable half of rugby continued to amaze the gathered crowd. Bevan Armitage was now carving it up in midfield and another clean break from the Okes player coach saw him link up with Rob Fishleigh, who in turn fed fellow winger Keiran Lee. The flyer scooted over for his second score, and one that took the Okes past the half century mark. Two more points were inevitably added by the boot of Richie Friend.

The final score followed shortly after as the Okes struck instantly from the restart. Once more it was Armitage with the initial break, Dan Fogerty was in close support to race over to garner his hat trick of tries, and the ninth of  a truly amazing half of Oke rugby at its fluent finest. Friend converted, and the ref blew at 61-16 to put the home side and fans out of their misery.