North Devon

Barbarians 0

Okehampton Colts 55

WITHOUT a merit table game this weekend Okehampton were grateful to Wayne Reed for organising a game against a North Devon Barbarian Colts team.

South Molton RFC hosted the game and it provided the visitors with an ideal opportunity to run with a side comprising nearly all first year colts.

The home side had a useful looking pack of forwards that more than held their own at scrum time and also proved astute at the breakdown forcing the smaller Okehampton forwards to have to work hard to secure clean possession.

It was in the back line that Oke held the real advantage and the game was barely a minute old before the ball was worked wide for Jordan Petherbridge – having a spell on the wing, to go over for the first try.

This set the tone for much of the rest of the game. Centres Giles Heard and Luke Dennis were combining to run some great lines in mid-field and with good ball distribution from Billy Searle at ten in the first half and Jordan Petherbridge in the same slot in the second half, the Okes back line were moving the ball slickly through hand to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Tries from Searle, Petherbridge, Dennis and Kieran Lee together with a contribution from the forwards with scores from Liam Sampson and Pat Nash most of which was complemented by an excellent kicking performance from Petherbridge saw the Okes run out comfortable winners.

While a win is welcome the real purpose of this game was to keep lads in some parts of Devon playing and enjoying rugby while also giving valuable game time to a number of the Okehampton squad.

Wayne Reed's efforts in establishing and encouraging the North Devon Barbarians squad is to be applauded and it is hoped that other clubs will support the venture with fixtures as well as a return fixture at Oaklands later in the season.