Western Counties West

Okehampton 9

Camborne 15

THE Cornish visitors boasted a large and experienced pack, and came eager not to slip up in their pursuit of promotion. The youthful home side ultimately came up just short in a fiercely contested battle on a muddy pitch that prevented the sort of open expansive game that Oke prefer.

Playing up the slope, the home side were slow out of the blocks and in less than ten minutes the fired up visitors took the lead. They elected to kick a penalty award for touch, took the lineout cleanly and the ensuring maul was driven clinically across the line for the opening score; fly half Mankee slotted the extras.

The Okes regrouped and gained territory, the forwards began to attack around the fringes and a penalty was awarded. Fly half Mark Scrivener slotted over a difficult kick in the sticky conditions and the lead was just two points.

The Camborne pack continued to show good ball control when in possession and it wasn't long before they extended their lead after battering away at the Oke line; the scrum half sniped through it on the blind side to cross and take the score to 12-3.

The home side then awoke from their slumbers. The pack began to drive forcefully and a rare foray up the right almost brought a score for winger Rob Fishleigh who was tackled just short. More home pressure ensued and another successful Scrivener penalty brought the score to 12-6 at the interval.

With the elements in the second period, the Okes sensed another upset over fancied opposition. It seemed a distinct possibility when Scrivener added another fine penalty with a strike from wide out on the left to reduce the arrears. The Okes turned the screw in the set scrums and were fully committed in the tackle — neither side gave an inch as it turned into a fierce war of attrition.

The Okes lost flanker Robinson to a yellow card and the visitors absorbed the home pressure. Camborne's scrum half was also sent to the sin but despite the numerical advantage, the conditions prevented much fluency and scoring chances were at a premium.

In the dying minutes, Oke became over zealous at ruck time and gave away a simple penalty chance that Mankee accepted to take the lead out to six points. The Okes tried manfully to create a winning score in the little time that remained, but it was to no avail as the visitors held out for a vital victory in their quest for South Western league rugby next season.

The Okes can hold their heads high as they gave Camborne a real scare in conditions that were the opposite of what they'd have wanted.