Devon Merit Table 1

Okehampton 2nds 55

Paignton RFC 3

THE Okes seconds side started their new season campaign with a home run against South Devon visitors Paignton who arrived with a large squad.

With the hosts playing up the slope in perfect conditions the early exchanges set the tone for the rest of the match with a lumpy Paignton pack having the home scrum on the back foot in the set piece while the home side back line were leaving the Paignton defence clutching at straws.

It didn’t take long for the Okes back line advantage to pay dividends when the evergreen Simon Cox broke from the back of a mid field scrum feeding his back line from which some great inter passing with Chisolm, Andrew and Keiran Lee all involved before Rory Honeychurch took the final offload to dot down the first try which Capt Sizmur converted.

With Cox, Liam Sampson, Dan Squire and Ollie Francis ruling the roost at breakdown time , the Okes back line were soon enjoying plenty of possession exemplified by a turn over in the home 22 the ball again moved through numerous hands before Keiran Lee scorched up the touch line before rounding the last defender to score under the posts for as good a try seen at Oaklands for some time.

The spirited visitors made inroads into the hosts territory and a moment of indiscipline with a late tackle allowed them onto the score board with a successful penalty.

The Maroon and Amber soon regained the advantage and after another Number 8 sortie from the irrepressible Cox and some great support play all round, Jake Chisolm was the final benefactor with the Oke’s third try.

By now the experienced half back pairing of Sizmur and Carl Poynton had control of the game with the back line combining to see Lee wing his way in for his second score of the game.

When necessary, the Okes also showed great resolve in defence — a trait carried over from some sterling performances last season — when the half time whistle came after the large Paignton pack had launched a lengthy but ultimately unsuccessful assault on the Okehampton line.

The second half resumed with the home side enjoying the slope advantage and it wasn’t long before some exuberant rugby resulted in further scores from Gary Sizmur and Ryan Lee. Several of last year’s Colts were having their senior debuts with Tom Strawbridge, Brad Curtis, Benny Arnold and Brandon Horn all making their mark. Brandon Horn stamped his intentions with an exhibition of power ,great lines and the mother of all dummies to score a spectacular try from distance.

Captain Sizmur kept the score board busy with 5 conversions to round off a highly impressive performance from the 2nds.

Under the leadership of Gary Sizmur and Chris Knott , the 2nd team squad is looking strong for the season ahead. After a creditable 4th place last season, the squad have the potential and the ambition to go better this season and challenge for the top slots in Devon Merit Table 1.

Pictures by James Bird.