Okehampton RFC fall foul of tight scoreline

FOR the third consecutive Okehampton RFC 1st XV match, there was very little between the sides but this time, the Okes came out on the wrong end of a tight scoreline.

They started strongly up The Showground’s slope and found themselves in strong attacking positions, only to turn down a kickable penalty, a decision which would come back to haunt them.

After this bright start to the half, Tiverton took control and rain in three tries in quick succession.

Out of nowhere, the hosts were behind by 21 points and mustered up a response.

From a line-out, they put together an unstoppable catch and drive which concluded with hooker Jack Rutley grounding their first five-pointer. Luke Simmons, back from injury for the first time this season, slotted the extras.

Needing to hold on now until the interval, Okehampton instead slipped back into their earlier bad traits and allowed Tiverton to restore their three-try cushion.

For the second half, the Okes had the slope and wind on their side but needed to overturn a sizable deficit.

Finally showing more intensity, they started brightly and put Tivvy under pressure.

Okes struck early in the half with a try from Wilf Mallinson, fresh out of the colts and part of a very young and largely unexperienced back row. A rusty Simmons failed to convert but home hopes were boosted.

A missed Tivvy penalty kick was shortly followed by a yellow and Leon Horn got the resultant penalty going quickly. He was then also on hand to convert at the end of the move, Simmons kicking for 19-28.

With the momentum on their side, Okehampton returned to the red zone and had prop Pat Nash burrow over from close range, making it a two-point ball game.

Remarkably there was still almost a quarter left of this open encounter.

Silly errors returned to the host’s game when they needed experienced and know-how, Tiverton kicking a three-pointer to increase their advantage and then Okes took an unnecessary yellow card to further hinder their efforts.

Five points and a man down, the hosts rallied and Brad Curtis crashed over in trademark style to level the score.

Even with an uncharacteristic Simmons miss from the tee, it was anyone’s to win.

Trying to force things, Okehampton conceded too many penalties as time ticked away.

Injuries caused changes and Tivvy landed a penalty to take the lead once more.

Unfortunately, more infringements in the time remaining stopped any home hopes of snatching victory from coming to fruition.

This time around, they came out on the right side of a narrow affair but Okehampton still sit in a healthy league position and can put things right all the same.

Brett Luxton, the Okehampton coach, said it was “Definitely a game of two halves.

He continued: “The wind made it tough to play out of our own half for the first 40, but Tiverton had the same problem in the second 40

“A few wrong decisions and mistakes in key areas were our downfall.”

Jon Hill, the Tiverton coach, was broadly in agreement with his opposite number.

“With the wind and the slope in our favour, we were by far the better side in the first half. They were in the second.”

The second of three consecutive home games sees Okehampton face a struggling Winscombe side next (Sat 17).