REGIONAL 2 TRIBUTE SOUTH WEST

Okehampton RFC 20 Teignmouth 29

OKEHAMPTON RFC fell to defeat at the hands of Teignmouth and it was an unsurprising one given that they were down to the bare bones this week, reports Adam Holliday.

Injuries and unavailabilities plus a players’ trip to Prague, organised for this originally blank weekend, meant Okes were struggling for players. They competed throughout but came up short against a Teigns side fighting for survival.

Okes began down the slope and struck early with a Luke Simmons penalty. Teigns responded and using their direct tactics, they scored an unconverted try of their own from close range.

Okes scrum was decent but with both hookers away it was not a surprise that the lineout was an ineffective mess throughout. The hosts did regain the lead at the quarter-hour mark. Saul Holliday, playing at number eight, picked up from a five-metre scrum and forced his way over. Simmons converted to make it 10-5.

Despite winning plenty of ball, Okes lacked any cutting edge throughout, not a real shock given their makeshift backline. The visitors were more clinical and using their forwards to batter around the fringes from close range, they scored two more copy and paste tries to go in at the interval with a 19-10 advantage,

Okes lost Sonny Luxton to injury in the first forty and brought all subs on as injuries mounted. They still had plenty of ball but Teigns took their chances as they added another penalty and yet another forward drive score to stretch their lead to 19 points at 29-10.

The home side rallied in the last ten minutes to gain two more scores of their own, but it never looked like they would snatch a win. Firstly, Callum Arnold powered over, but the bang in front conversion crucially bounced back off of an upright. Then a Simmons crosskick allowed Oscar Bridger to score in clubhouse corner.

Although under pressure the visitors, held out for a valuable win in their fight against relegation whilst Okes’ poor run continued. Although, with such mitigating circumstances, there will be no panic.

Meanwhile, there was the reverse fixture amongst the 2nd teams with Okehampton prevailing away from home, winning 19-10 at Teignmouth.

1st XV players can't return soon enough to get the Okes back to winning ways. Next Saturday sees the visit of another side battling the drop in the form of the Newton Abbot All Whites, for a 2:30pm kick-off.

Avoiding defeat just once prior to Christmas, Newton are enjoying something of a resurgence at the moment having secured results in three consecutive games.

January began for them with a defeat to Cullompton, they then followed this up with a 33-7 win over Truro, a 24-24 draw with Wadebridge Camels and the latest, a 33-33 draw with North Petherton, all taking place on home soil at Rackerhayes.

All Whites remain at the foot of the Regional Two Tribute South West table but are now joint on points with Truro and are just two behind local rivals Teignmouth, so they are doing all they can to give themselves a fighting chance of staving of relegation.

Newton will be hoping that Okehampton remain short-handed whilst the Okes will be keen to bounce back.