REGIONAL 2 TRIBUTE SOUTH WEST

Teignmouth RFC 18 Okehampton RFC 31

OKEHAMPTON RFC visited Bitton Park for the first time in several seasons and came away with a five-point victory over their struggling hosts, reports Adam Holliday.

The visitors started on the front foot but failed to put any points on the board in the first 10 minutes. The hosts then punished two penalty offences from the visitors to take a six-nil lead after 11 minutes.

Okes’ scrum was now well on top though and they finally made their dominance tell with an opening try after 18 minutes. An initial break from fullback Leon Horn set the platform, then when the ball was recycled left from a ruck 10 yards out, Callum Arnold, having to play in the second row this weekend, powered over for the first Oke five-pointer.

The try went unconverted, but Okes were now gaining constant territory through their forward carries. The second try wasn’t long in arriving and again it was initiated with a Leon Horn break from deep.

This time, he raced up the left flank. Once the ball was moved right, a close-range ruck was formed from which fly-half Luke Simmons broke up the short side to make it 10-6 after 22 minutes.

Okehampton were now well and truly on top and camped in the home half. Luke Simmons intercepted a pass, and after he was tackled, a couple of forward rumbles followed, before prop Pat Nash picked up to cross between the posts. Simmons converted to make it 17-6 with seven minutes remaining of the first half. No more scores were forthcoming before the change-over as Oke failed to profit further from their superiority.

Teignmouth were proving difficult to shake off at the beginning of the second half with Okehampton themselves slow out of the blocks. As a result, the former reduced the arrears after Oke conceded consecutive penalties, allowing the home side to power over from a close-range forward rumble. The conversion was good, 13-17.

The visitors finally settled down and started to test the home defence in their own half. The bonus point try arrived after initial good work from centre Morgan Woods. When the ball was moved left it was that man Arnold who proved unstoppable once more to cross halfway out on the left. Simmons added an excellent conversion.

Okes fell foul of the referee in the last quarter with Sonny Luxton heading to the sin-bin as a result.

Home tails were now up as they sought valuable points in their battle against the drop. A second try for the hosts up the left flank, in the corner in front of the clubhouse, saw their hopes raised.

Now with only a six-point advantage, Oke needed to reassert themselves as the game neared its’ conclusion. They finally killed off home hopes with a last-minute try in the top right corner. Good interplay, and a Woods offload, produced an overlap for right-wing Rob Fishleigh who clinically took his chance to seal the result and a valuable five points on the road.

So, despite being forced into another raft of changes this week, the Okes did enough to get the job done. They now look ahead to a cup final next weekend against local rivals Crediton and whatever the line-up, it’s sure to be a cracking contest, kick-off is 2.30 pm… you would be mad to miss it.