Western Counties West

Truro 13

ANY trip to the Duchy is always tough but none more so than a visit to perennial promotion chasers Truro and the fact that Okehampton came away with four points is testament to the performance they put in.

The Okes made four changes from the side that beat Newquay the previous week but it was the sight of Matty Dennis returning at full-back and the prolific Rob Fishleigh on the wing that excited the travelling support.

During the opening exchanges the Okes fronted up well as both sides looked to gain the upper hand, the best chance coming from a half break by Luke Honeychurch that could not quite be capitalised on. When Truro attacked they were met by sterling defence from the visitors and probably the best display of tackling they have shown this season — to a man they would not let the home side through.

Okehampton opened the scoring in the 17th minute when after a period of Truro pressure they turned over the ball in their own 22 and the ball was fed to Matty Dennis, who reclaimed his own delightful chip before making good ground and feeding Griffith in support. He carried on the momentum, off-loading in the tackle to lock, Perrott who with a deft chip to the corner saw Rory Honeychurch win the chase to dot down wide out. Kev Dennis's well-struck conversion was pulled just wide but the visitors were up and running.

The home fly-half reduced the arrears in the 23rd minute when Okehampton were penalised for not rolling away and he calmly slotted the resulting kick.

The game became increasingly feisty and physical with no quarter asked for or given as play moved from end to end. The Okes were holding their own at the breakdown against a much larger pack with the resurgent Griffith and the influential Perrott at the centre of all things good for the Okes. The encounter had become somewhat fractious but Okehampton held their slender advantage until the fourth minute of injury time at the end of the half when their only real error of the whole game, a poor clearance kick in to midfield was followed up by a lacklustre chase and missed tackle to allow the home side to cut a swathe through the Okes defence and the try was scored beside the posts for the simple conversion to be potted.

So an entertaining first half came to a close with the home side having a 10-5 advantage.

Two minutes into the second period and Okehampton had the chance to close the gap when Truro were penalised for hands in the ruck but the penalty attempt fell just short.

When Okehampton conceded a successful penalty eight minutes later for pulling a maul down the game looked to be going away from them. From the restart though, the Okes increased the intensity and a five-minute period of intense pressure culminated in the home winger, Trescothick being binned for an illegal tackle and Kev Dennis slotted the penalty to put Okehampton back within a score.

With five minutes remaining the Okes were awarded a penalty in midfield which they kicked to touch. Their resultant line-out ball was confidently taken by Alford and quick ball ensued, through the hands of the back-line and winger Rory Honeychurch completed the move in the corner to level the scores at 13-13. The conversion attempt dropped agonisingly wide of the posts but all was to play for with three minutes to go.

Truro were awarded a penalty for an alleged punch as the influential Friend was binned at the same time but the home fly-half kicked wide. Following the ensuing 22 drop out Truro mounted another attack but a loose pass was anticipated by Luke Honeychurch and he set off for the line; he held off the home winger before releasing inside to the supporting Fishleigh to complete the score under the posts. Kev Dennis knocked over the straight forward extra two and Okehampton had a seven point lead going in to the last minute.

This was easily Okehampton's best performance of the season as to a man they played with an increased intensity and physicality to outplay their hosts for long periods.