Torrington Colts 3

Okehampton Colts 17

PLAYING into a stiff breeze, a much re-jigged Okehampton team took the game to the hosts and dominated early exchanges and it was only some unforced handling errors and a penalty for an indiscretion at the breakdown that allowed Torrington to clear their lines .

On a narrow pitch the Okes back line was finding it difficult break down a well organised home defence and further ruck indiscipline gave the home side an opportunity to open the scoring with a kick at goal which was squandered .

Fly half Sam Ewens started to push Torrington into the defensive third of the field with some astute kicking and following a scrum on the edge of the 22, the forwards took play on and hooker Stephen Paul , who had a fine game all afternoon, bludgeoned his way over the line for the opening score with Matt Johns adding the extras .

The second quarter saw the Okes lose some of the early initiative with the game becoming a scrappy, error strewn affair with neither side been able to assert any territorial or possession advantage . Torrington did enjoy a short period of pressure in the Okes' half and were rewarded with three points from a penalty that brought the half time score to 3-7 to the visitors.

The second half saw Okehampton controlling the game in most departments although the host's resolute defence was proving a difficult nut to crack. Buoyed by some sterling captaincy from Nathan Abrams who was leading by example from the front, the backs were starting to enjoy time and space for the first time in the game with scrum half Tom Fogerty putting in a great performance. Number eight Josh Bush who came on at half time making a welcome return from injury, was leading a back row with Dean Abrams and Henry Cooper on the flanks to pressurise the home possession into a number of turnovers .

The constant pressure told and after further sterling work by captain Abrams, centre Luke Dennis darted in under the post with Johns adding the extras together with a late penalty for the game to close out with a win for the Okes.