South West One (West)

Bridgwater 27

Okehampton 20

YET again a last minute try saw Okehampton return home with just two bonus points - this time from their last away match of the campaign in a contest they should have wrapped up much earlier.

It has been a familiar tale this term, the Okes failing to take chances presented and too often falling foul of the referee’s whistle. On this sunny Somerset afternoon, and with a large home crowd present, the hosts believed they needed points to survive relegation, which was in fact incorrect. No doubt this gave them momentum, while the Okes are safely ensconced in upper mid table with two more games remaining.

The Okes kicked off with the slight breeze but the hosts took the game to them and opened the scoring with a try out wide in the first two minutes. Oke  soon responded in kind as they levelled the scores with a try from scrum half Richie Friend. The Okes number nine picked up a knock forward, ran it back through the middle to cruise in under the posts before converting his own score.

It looked likely that attacks would be on top as tackles were being missed by both sides. This was underlined after 16 minutes when the Okes’ tackles went too high in midfield allowing Bridgwater to regain the lead as their winger scooted over by the uprights. The conversion was good and the score stood at 12-7 to the hosts.

It was real end to end stuff as the firm conditions underfoot made for a really open contest. After 24 minutes Okes were back on the offensive, the Lee brothers involved as the visitors stretched the home defence, ending with front rower George Trerise crossing for the first of his brace of tries. Richie Friend converted to restore the Okes’ lead and they were then immediately back on the attack from the kick off.

Skipper Tom McGrattan made a searing break, fed centre Gareth Espin — he in turn passed inside to winger Luke Honeychurch who raced over. Crucially though, the referee thought he had seen a forward pass and disallowed the score which would ultimately prove costly for the visitors. 

The Okes’ lineout was functioning well, although isolated runners and upright body positions were resulting in turnovers that halted their advances on numerous occasions. However with three minutes of the half remaining the Okes secured their third try. George Trerise, having a fine match playing at prop in the absence of injured Pat Nash, was on the spot again when loose lineout  ball was snaffled by young prop Joe Mawle who fed Dean Abrams; the back rower then offloading for Trerise to cross for this second five pointer.  The conversion was missed but as the interval arrived Okes were comfortable, although another couple of chances were lost right on the break as Okes’ profligacy continued.

Okehampton’s form continued as the second half started. Just four minutes in and it was Richie Friend , pilfering his own personal brace, when he took a quick tap penalty inside the host’s 22 before powering over in the right corner, bringing the try bonus point for good measure. The tricky kick was wide but Okes now held a 12 point lead and nothing other than an away win looked likely. Unfortunately the Okes then seemed to  take their foot off the gas and began to concede far too many penalties. One was soon popped into the Okes’ corner and the home pack rumbled over around the fringes from the resultant lineout far too easily to reduce the arrears.

The lead was then whittled down further when Okes conceded another penalty bang in front on 51 minutes, it was easily landed to make it 24-20. Oke’s penalty count increased further and they spent long periods in their own half but did break out twice, and on both occasions should have scored. Wrong options proved costly  when in the red zone and allowed the hosts a lifeline in the match. With five minutes remaining penalty after penalty ensued as the Okes were forced into defending numerous home attacking lineouts.

The ref issued two yellow cards to Oke players as the time ticked away. An air of inevitability surrounded the dying throes of the match and the home side finally forced their way over with the last play of the match to snatch victory.

The conversion was good and the game was up. So another defeat on the road for the Okes who need to turn these narrow loses around next season.

Plenty of opportunities were squandered and a hungry home side took full advantage of Oke’s generosity.

• The two remaining league matches are at The Showground and on Saturday Okehampton are at home to Clevedon, 3pm.