Intermediate cup

Okehampton 21

Penryn 13

THE Okes just managed to come out on top in this stop start cup affair. Cornish rivals Penryn gave as good as they got, and a repeat of Oke's recent clear cut league victory was never likely.

As opposed to recent weeks, Oke actually came out of the blocks the quicker and were soon first on the board. Player coach Gareth Evans caught the away defence napping, as he picked up from the base of a scrum 20 metres out to scoot home virtually untouched. Gary Sizmur added the extras and Oke were 7-0 up after barely three minutes.

Perhaps this lulled Okes into a false sense of superiority, as they spent the next ten minutes firmly on the back foot, as Penryn monopolised possession through their bulky pack ,which was well suited to the sticky, heavy conditions.

Oke did manage to break out once and it looked like Luke Honeychurch would score after a kick ahead, but the cover caught him just short and the chance was gone. Penryn swiftly responded to this let off and reduced the arrears through a penalty by stand-off Salisbury; one of numerous penalties against the Okes during the first forty minutes.

The Okes then moved the ball through the team's hands on several occasions to test the Penryn defence which looked susceptible out wide. A half break was carried on by the pack midway through the half, and a powerful rolling maul ensued. It gathered unstoppable momentum and Oke prop Nicky Martin emerged from the pile up to claim Oke's second try. Sizmur converted to make it 14-3 and the home side were more than ten points ahead, despite seeing much less of the ball than the visitors.

Penryn came again though and as Oke were penalised once more, they drove towards the home line. This time Oke's defence could not hold out as a surge around the fringes brought a try for the visitors' pack. The conversion was missed to make it 14-8 and with the benefit of the slope to come, it was perhaps the visitors who were the happier at the interval.

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first, as Oke's strong defence frustrated the Penryn pack who continued to attack in the tight channels. Oke made changes but could not win enough ball to create the crucial next score.

With 20 minutes to go they took a short line out to the front. The ball went back to powerful hooker Booth, who ran down the five metre channel to score in the bottom right corner.

The missed conversion allowed Oke a narrow one point lead entering a nervy last ten minutes. This got even tenser after Gaz Evans saw yellow, to leave Oke one man down as time ticked away.

Penryn threw everything they had at the home side but Oke held firm, and were eventually awarded a scrum on their own 22 line. Neil Perrot, at number eight, picked up and fed scrum half Joey Bruce going blind. The elusive nine ran up the clubhouse touchline and found winger Rob Fishleigh in support on his inside. The prolific winger had just enough gas to outstrip the defence, and crossed for a super score which sealed the victory for the men in maroon and amber. Sizmur converted for good measure, and Oke saw out the seconds that remained relatively untroubled.

An open classic this certainly was not, but the Okes will be grateful for the win and a chance to pit themselves against a Coney Hill side flying high in the equivalent Western Counties North league.