The Okehampton men’s hockey team faced Yeovil on Saturday, with high expectations although slightly nervous against a team who just a few weeks back had held top spot in the league.

This was going to be a tough one, but Okey felt that they could use their home advantage in their favour. Yeovil however had different ideas and were well drilled and organised both in attack and defence, and Sam Jones in the Oke goal was soon in action with some decisive saves. It wasn’t long before Okey found themselves 0-2 down – an unusual position this season for the team. But with half time approaching, they exploded from the midfield with Miller and Liversidge providing a number of attacks resulting in a through ball to Maxa, a clumsy challenge in the Yeovil defence sending him to the floor, and a penalty corner was finally awarded. From this, an Okehampton routine corner resulted in the deficit being closed to 1-2, with Maxa placing the ball in the top corner.

Pumped up from the restart, Okey screamed forward with a goal from Ed Howard, to level and the chance to continue Okey’s winning start to the season looked on the cards.

Yeovil rallied and the phrase ‘the next goal will decide the game’ was all too important now. Penalty corners both ends, coupled with great midfields duels from AP and Jake Griffiths, finally saw the deadlock broken with Yeovil capitalising on two opportunities, to take what appeared to be a winning position at 2-4.

Okey continued to push and with two minutes to go Liversidge and Watson desperately drilled the Yeovil goal before Jake Griffiths knocked in the third goal. At 3-4 down, a comeback seemed on the cards and another home win to add to the sides remarkable unbeaten run of 19 home wins in a row at the ‘Stade de Gers’ but sadly it was not to be the home team’s day and the unbeaten run came to an end.

A disappointing first loss for the team, but they must now regroup for a trip to Cornwall to play Duchy 1s and then another critical game at home against top of the table Isca.

The Men’s 2s will meet Truro this Saturday at 12.15pm at the Okehampton College pitch when all supporters will be welcome.