Western Counties

Okehampton first 21

Newquay Hornets first 6

OKEHAMPTON were at home for the first time in over a month and enjoying a creditable 12 points from three home games and eight away.

The Okes won the toss and played against the elements in the first half – up the slope and into a strong breeze but acquitted themselves well from the start and went ahead in the sixth minute. From a scrum in centre field, number eight Sam Turner picked up at the base and fed Richie Friend who made a good break before great supporting play from Luke Honeychurch and full-back Gareth Espin fed Rob Fishleigh on the wing. He was caught by his opposite winger but from the resulting melee in which Okehampton had good support, Fishleigh showed great hands to pick up the loose ball at pace for a free run in to the line and dot down under the posts, leaving fly-half Poynton with the easiest of conversions.

At 7-0 up, the Okes were battling hard against the elements against a fiercely competitive Newquay outfit but over stepped the mark around the fringes to concede a penalty in the 13th minute which the Newquay scrum-half, Sam Cullen, duly converted to reduce the arrears.

Okehampton continued to show a great team spirit against the elements and their much smaller pack continued to punch above their weight to take the game to Newquay in the tight. This was to prove the platform for their second try when after a powerful scrum on the visitors 22 was moved sharply through good hands in the backs to Luke Honeychurch who shunned a two man overlap to straighten his line and break through a timid tackle to touch down.

The conversion was far harder than the first but Carl Poynton showed his prowess by converting with aplomb to make it 14-3 to the Okes.

The conditions were now deteriorating and although Okehampton continued to show great hands through the backs, both sets of forwards were showing no inclination to look after the ball during a period of scrappy rugby. This period culminated with Newquay reducing the deficit through a penalty converted by Cullen to leave it 14-6 at half-time.

The second period started with the conditions worsening as heavy rain blew down the pitch at Okehampton's backs. As a result, the Okes were able to pin Newquay in their own 22 for the first 15 minutes but this concerted pressure yielded no points as they met a stout, determined defence and after 20 minutes Newquay broke out through good tight play and Okehampton's indiscipline to create chances of their own.

Great defence on their own five-metre line, however, quelled the attack though and another good kick out of defence by Poynton who showed experience beyond his years with his tactical kicking, was knocked on by the visiting full-back to release the pressure. The resulting scrum was duly won and the ball spun out to Honeychurch, who again cut a great line before releasing Fishleigh. His burst for the line was halted when he was ushered into touch five yards out but this would result in another period of concerted pressure and following a five yard scrum, Harry Bushin crossed the line. Again Poynton converted.

So with 15 minutes left the points were already in the bag as the conditions continued to deteriorate and the game fizzled out into a midfield battle.

This was a good performance by the young Okehampton side who conquered the conditions far better than their opponents.