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Okehampton Colts 15

Tavistock Colts 14

TAVISTOCK started brightly and looked to move the ball wide at every opportunity. Jono Wisdom and Chris Watts worked well together as half backs and provided centres Reuben Edwards and George Hillson with quick ball.

The centre pairing looked dangerous all game and after some good work from the forwards recycling ball. a sweeping backs’ move to the left of the pitch created space for Ben Milligan to go over. Hillson kicked the difficult conversion to add the extra two points.

Tavistock got the bit between their teeth and wingers Ollie Plummer and Billy McNicol both made breaks, while full back Ben Milligan fielded kicks expertly and looked to run them back from deep. Edwards, who guested for the away side from Launceston, looked particularly accomplished with the ball in hand and tackled strongly all afternoon. Hillson’s pace in the wide channels was a threat all game and he scored Tavistock’s second after latching on to a loose ball and racing to the corner from close to the half way line. He then converted his own score brilliantly.

This second score snapped Okehampton into life and the big forwards started to carry more. This soon started to make them some headway. As the pressure mounted Tavistock lost Will Gardner to a yellow card and Okehampton made the extra man count, scoring two tries to bring the score to 10-14 to the visitors at the interval.

In the second half Okehampton continued in the same vein and but for a dropped pass here and there they would have gone ahead. Theo Cousins, Morgan Warnett and Ethan Lamerton tackled bravely and front rowers Calum Jewson (another guest from Launceston) Harry Jeans and Ben Luke for Tavistock all had their work cut out against a powerful Okehampton scrum.

Cameron McKie made some strong runs with the ball in hand from the number eight berth and Chris Watts still looked to keep his back line moving by breaking and looking to off load. Kicks from Jono Wisdom and George Hillson also helped to pin Okehampton back. Eventually, however, the pressure from the home team told and an Oke left wing broke clear and scored a fine individual score going the length of the pitch before finishing in the corner.

Tavistock kept battling to the end but could not manage to create their third all important score.