Merit table

Kingsbridge seconds 20

Okehampton seconds 27

MERIT table action returned with the long trip to High House to face a useful Kingsbridge outfit. Okehampton won the early fixture at Oaklands with the last kick of the game and this return proved to be equally as competitive.

The hosts showed early intent with some forceful forward drives which Oke struggled to contain; this extended to the set piece where the visitors were being driven back, although the experience of Steve Alford at eight managed to ensure possession was maintained .

Stoic defence meant that Kings were struggling to achieve any breakthrough and from a handling error Jordan Lee at 10 boomed a huge kick up field which stayed in play; scrum half Tom Fogerty showed great pace to follow up catching out sloppy defence to pounce as the ball crossed the line for the first score. Lee added the extras with a great effort from the touch line.

Predictably the hosts responded with further periods of forward domination with a useful back-row outfit proving a real handful and it was the King's pack that pulled back a try although the conversion was surprisingly missed.

Further pressure was being consistently repelled by the Oke defence although the hosts managed a penalty for a one point lead.

From a scrum five metres out from the Oke line came a game changing moment when the visitors' scrum dug deep to shove the attacking scrum off their ball and after the lines had been cleared, the line out was stolen leading to a penalty, which Lee scored to put Oke into a 10-8 lead until half time. Pressure was maintained with James Bird being denied a score after a fine touch line run by a last ditch tackle.

After surviving initial pressure early in the second period, the visitors played their way up field with some excellent interplay and continuity and were now gaining the upper hand.

Early in the half the Okes made a number of changes with Ian Perrot adding some welcome power and punch up front. Alford and Jack Barkwell were dominating proceedings in the lineout allowing the back line, well led by Lee, to look threatening with Brimacombe and Cox in the centre both asking questions of the defence.

From an attacking scrum Fogerty was fed by number eight Alford who in turn fed Steve Gove to break the tackle to dot down for a well worked try with Lee again adding the extras.

By keeping the ball moving with some good phases from all departments, play was being kept away from the marauding Kings' back row and with play being taken deep into Kings' territory, scrum half Fogerty showed his opposite number a clean pair of heels to cap a smart piece of work; Lee duly converted.

The hosts forced a late period of pressure that eventually brought its just rewards when their hard working 8 forced his way over to emerge from the pile to claim the score with the conversion being the final act of the match.

This was a good game of rugby that was excellently refereed between two committed sides with the Okes overall balance across all departments getting the upper hand over very capable opposition dominated by forward power.

Oke welcomed Dan Quinn for his first game for the Okes, who put in an excellent shift in the front row against powerful and experienced opponents.