Western Counties West

Okehampton 28

Truro 27

ANOTHER home league win for the Okes, and another great game for the neutral spectator.

Playing uphill first on a mild October afternoon, Okehampton took an early lead through a Carl Poynton penalty after a good break by winger Luke Honeychurch. With visitors Truro also looking to move the ball wide, the game at times had a festival feel about it as Okehampton, often to their cost, decided to run the ball from all parts of the pitch.

The Okes made several clean breaks during the first half but failed to capitalise.

Mid-table Truro always causes problems for the home side when they arrive at the Showground, and played their part in a lively first period.

The Okes, with their lineout play improved, and their scrum going well, applied pressure that resulted in a loose clearance kick from the retreating Truro centre. Winger Honeychurch gathered the wayward kick and ran it back to start a move that culminated in supporting Kevin Dennis crossing by the sticks. Poynton duly added the conversion and the Okes had a ten point advantage but conceded a score right on the interval - converted by Truro fly half Reed.

The second half was a real rollercoaster. Oke fly half Poynton stretched the lead with a well struck penalty. Truro though had made significant personnel changes, and a tactical switch of Trescothick to winger from the flank began to bear fruit.

The visitors crossed for a try on the overlap up Okes right flank, converted this score to reduce the lead to 13-10. It was a relief when the hosts finally realised that to put the ball behind their opponents down the slope may prove a worthwhile tactic. A kick ahead bounced favourably and poacher in chief, winger Rob Fishleigh, hacked ahead, re-gathered and cantered in under the uprights. Poynton added the conversion to make it 20-10.

The home side were now in the ascendancy. Winger Honeychurch got his hands on an astute grubber kick ahead to seemingly seal the victory, despite the missed conversion.

Then things changed drastically. Oke made substitutions, and this disrupted their rhythm. Truro were still holding out hope though, and as Oke dropped off tackles, they spread the ball wide left with positive results. A procession of tries up Oke's right flank ensued. Winger Trescothick scored twice, both unconverted to reduce the arrears to five points, before Kevin Dennis slotted a penalty to crucially take the lead up to eight points entering the dying minutes.

In the last move of the match, for winger Trescothick notched his hat-trick and in turn gain his side two bonus points from defeat. The kick was added and Oke had won by the slenderest of margins. Six wins out of seven is a fine run of results for Okehampton.