Devon Cup

Okehampton U16s 17

Totnes U16s 13

THIS match was tightly fought and entertaining with the result in doubt until the final whistle.

Okehampton fought their corner well at the set-piece with Searle and Bird never going backwards. Hudson found his lineout jumpers, West and Lawrence to set up the next phase. Captain Cox led by example and Okehampton?s back row ruled supreme with Beardon and Lawrence clearing the rucks after strike runners Cox and Turner made the hard yards.

Totnes were on the scoresheet first with a flowing move down the left and perfectly timed support play to drive over for an unconverted try after 15 minutes.

Okehampton replied quickly with ?off the top? lineout ball chipped ahead by fly half Herrod-Taylor to land short of the Totnes full back. Centre Clarke won the chase to hack on and control the ball in the 22 for the try. The conversion proved critical again.

Totnes pressured Okehampton in the final ten minutes before half-time but tackles by Woods and Clarke in the centres and Down, Brooks and Hutchins as the back three held the line, with Okehampton leading 7-5 at the break.

Okehampton?s pack kept the visitors pegged in their half for long periods but two penalties were missed by the side before Totnes slotted one in a rare drive into the home 22.

Totnes, rallied by the score, ran the ball for phase after phase and scored their second try in a similar fashion to the first, but again missed the conversion.

With 15 minutes left the home side did not panic but used the slope and conditions well. The game plan of kicking for position worked supremely with fly half Herrod-Taylor kicking from hand to perfection.

From a lineout on the Totnes ten-metre line Okehampton?s forwards caught and drove 15 metres to gain a penalty. This was kicked to the five-metre line and Hudson found West in the lineout which was driven over with Cox taking the score.

The Okehampton crowd erupted as the conversion split the uprights despite the try being in the corner. Totnes were down by one point with only eight minutes left, and try as they might they could not find a gap.

Sizmur drove his pack forward and ball was turned over and kicked to touch.

In the final five minutes Okehampton won a scrum in the 22; ball was whipped to Herrod-Taylor in the pocket and sailed over the bar for three points.

Totnes were a beaten side and Okelands resounded to cheers from the home supporters.

This week, league match away to Exeter Saracens. Meet at 9am.

South Molton U13s 5

Okehampton U13s 12

OKEHAMPTON?s strong tackling and solid defence against a large South Molton side won this game. Wing-forward Richard Friend often caught their half-backs with the ball and centre Jake Chisholm never missed a tackle.

Rob Long picked up from a ruck on the Okehampton 22, broke on the blind side and was too strong for the South Molton winger to stop him from scoring under the post. Tom Browne converted.

Full-back Rory Honeychurch attacked well and from a lineout on the South Molton 22 Long took the ball and ran through to score.

New boys Adam Clark and Alec Vincent both played well in a tough game.

Man of the match Richard Friend.