A FAILURE to put the ball successfully between the uprights cost Okehampton victory in a match they should have won as they returned home with just a solitary losing bonus point to show for their efforts.

It is a disappointing three defeats on the trot now for the Okes, albeit the previous two in mitigating circum-stances; half a side missing at Drybrook and up against a class university outfit last Saturday. However, this was a game that Oke should have wrapped up after leading for most of the match and outscoring their hosts by three tries to two.

Okehampton trailed 3-0 after five minutes but soon established an attacking threat on a dry afternoon and an excellent surface.

There were errors aplenty in a scrappy opening quarter, but after resisting some early home attacks the Okes began to make headway through their lively backs plus locks Sam Turner and Karl Pearce, who both contributed some barnstorming carries. Eventually the  home defence became stretched to its limit, and bang on the half hour mark the Okes created enough space wide on the right for full back Kieran Lee to cross in the corner. Richie Friend’s conversion was snatched left in an ominous foretaste of what was to follow for the Oke kickers.

The Okes were now in the ascendancy and securing more ball than they had seen during recent matches. Another score looked increasingly likely as the Oke forwards carried well and their backs probed in the wide channels.

The second Oke try followed after 37 minutes when the backs combined well again down the left flank, allowing winger Brandon Horn to force his way over the whitewash to make it 10-3 after another missed conversion. Little did the Okes know how important these kicks would eventually prove, as their dominance at this point made a close finish look unlikely. There was still time for another Oke missed kick at goal before the break, this time from a penalty, but when the half time whistle sounded, a 10-3 lead and the wind in their favour in the second forty, Okes seemed relatively in control.

What followed was a terrible first ten minutes of the second half as some kind of rugby torpor seemed to sweep over the visitors. A slight drizzle descended and the hosts were quick to take advantage of the Okes’ hesitancy.

Firstly, a standard catch and drive try from an attacking lineout reduced the arrears before disaster struck the Okes on 49 minutes.

A defensive Oke scrum, who were in control and the ascendancy for the majority of the match, was wheeled and  a mix up at the base allowed the hosts to steal the ball and shift into centre field where the Okes were caught napping allowing a simple run in under the posts. The conversion made it 15-10 to the hosts with half an hour remaining.

Okehampton were forced to regroup and reassess. impressive flanker Dean Abrams returned to the fray after a head injury and the visitors threatened once more as they entered the Keynsham 22.

Player coach Martin Harrison-Browne was in the vanguard with strong charges in the wide channels and a typical offload from the maroon and amber’s number eight found Rhys Palmer running a fine support line, and the lively Oke centre scampered over to tie up the scores. FInally Okes found a successful kick as the conversion gave the visitors a two point cushion entering the last 20.

Okehampton brought on replacements from the bench but were soon penalised for coming in at the side and the home kicker made no mistake to regain the lead for the hosts after 68 minutes.

The Okes now had to come again and went onto dominate the last ten minutes as they strove for the winning score. The home defence scrambled admirably after several Oke breaks looked certain to result in  a score, each time a visiting attacking scrum ensued and the Okes scrum advantage looked sure to tell. Unfortunately the Okes were foiled by a lightning, channel one hook but recycled and the home side went offside in desperation, giving the Okes a penalty kick to win the match. Midway out on the left, replacement Oke fly half Luke Simmons pulled his attempt and the Okes’ chances were gone.

The hosts saw out the seconds remaining and the Okes went home with just a bonus point rather than the four they should have secured.

So not the result the Okes had hoped for, but next week brings the perfect opportunity to rectify things with the first league encounter against old rivals Launceston for many a year.