Okehampton 1st XV 42pts

Ivybridge 1st XV 6pts

THE latest home game for the Okes was the epitome of the 'game of two halves'. After a first forty that was a stodgy as the conditions underfoot, Okehampton came alive after the interval to produce the kind of rugby they are really capable of, but have failed to demonstrate for many weeks.

Against a mid table Ivybridge side, relegated last season, Okehampton won the toss and elected to play against the slope. The home side were enforced into a change outside as a late withdrawal resulted in back rower Tom Mcgratton having to play on the left wing. Both sides made errors aplenty in a fairly dour first forty, although surprisingly Ivybridge were holding the upper hand in the set scrums at this time.

Okehampton did manage to produce one fluent passage of play in the first half, as their forwards made inroad towards clubhouse corner. When the ball was recycled and moved left, a looping Kevin Dennis breached the visitor's defence for a well worked score. Fly half Carl Poynton, having a good day with the boot, added the conversion.

Ivybridge were competing well at this stage though, and they deservedly got off the mark with a well struck penalty from outside half Bradley. The number ten was to add another goal before the interval to reduce the deficit to a single point as the disappointing first half reached its conclusion.

The first forty gave no real clue as to what was to follow. With Captain Langbridge introduced at prop at the interval, Okehampton assumed complete dominance at scrum time. Using the slope and the boot intelligently, concerted early pressure eventually told for the hosts as scrum half Gary Sizmur dummied from a ruck; then sniped down the fringe to gleefully coast in under the uprights. Poynton adding the extra two.

Okehampton were gaining confidence and defying the sticky conditions with some fluent passages of play. It wasn't long before the third try arrived, this time it was flanker cum winger Mcgratton who was the beneficiary of good build up play, and an intelligent cross field kick from Carl Poynton. The fly half added the extras and the try bonus point that had seemed a distant dream in the first half, was now looming large. Next Okehampton piled on the pressure at a set scrum on the visitor's twenty two, driving them back all the way to their own try line until it collapsed. The ball was spun right by the backs and centre Gareth Espin, magnificent in defence all match, sped through a gap for the bonus point score. Inevitably Poynton converted.

Okehampton were now in full flow, try number five was perhaps the best of the bunch. An overlap was created and winger Rob Fishleigh sped down the right flank, an intelligent inside pass to the supporting Sizmur allowed the scrum half a clear run to the uprights. Poynton added conversion number five to make the score 35-7 in the gathering gloom.

Ivybridge refused to lie down though, and aided by the sin-binning of home centre Kevin Dennis, they camped in the Okes' twenty two and threw wave after wave of attacks at the home side. To Okehampton's credit, led by the ubiquitous Espin, they defended magnificently. Their efforts in defence were then rewarded as Mcgratton hacked on a loose pass and showed good pace, plus no small amount of footballing ability to control, and then gather the loose ball for the final score. Poynton added the last conversion and another home victory was in the bag.

The second half showed why this has been a frustrating season at times, despite the promising results. Okehampton have always been capable of producing this kind of performance and hopefully this will give the side the confidence to take this form forward into the second half of the league season.