Petroc two

Teign ladies’ seconds 2

Oke ladies’ seconds 1

THE Okehampton ladies’ second team, who are top of their league, travelled to Dawlish to face Teign seconds, who are near the top of the next league up, to play in the Devon Trophy Plate competition.

Teign started with a bang and their fast forwards broke through and sliced through the Okehampton defence to put them one goal up in the first few minutes. Fears for the visitors that this could be the pattern for the match were allayed as Oke got into their swing and largely kept possession.

Both Oke player of the match Lucy Wiseman and Nicky Strawbridge carried the ball time after time into Teign’s defensive quarter but no-one could find the space for the finishing touch.

The visitors continued to control Teign’s break-outs. These remained dangerous and Oke’s Rachael Adams, having another excellent game, on one occasion threw herself bodily to prevent the ball passing the last few inches into the goal. Adams and left back Anna Luxton stopped several attacks and goalkeeper Daisy Morgan made several solo saves forced by the swiftness of the Teign attack.

At half time the game was still 1-0 to Teign but Okehampton knew that they had the upper hand and went back with confidence. However, another two lightening attacks by Teign swiftly pushed the score to 3-0l.

The visitors, though, continued to pile on the pressure. Zoe Curtis ran the ball up the right wing several times and then sent the ball across the circle, but nobody could quite make that last touch.

Okehampton had about ten attacking short corners, compared to two defensive short corners, but could not get the ball past the goal line. Elsa Frangleton, making her usual intelligent game, kept the pressure upon the left and feeding the ball on and creating pressure. It was when Oke was using its short passes that the team looked most in control.

Lucy Wiseman worked the ball down to Elsa Frangleton who crossed it to Nicky Strawbride, who tipped it past the goalie. Given another 30 minutes and Okehampton would have won the game; the opposition was exhausted and Okehampton just getting into its stride. Unfortunately, for the visitors, the final whistle went leaving Teign the winners.

Okehampton ladies seconds are next playing away to Sidmouth and Ottery fourths on January 6.