South West one

Kingsbridge 9

Okehampton 10

THE Okes ground out another win at High House, just doing enough in a typical end of season encounter.

Okes arrived at High House bathed in sunshine, a stark difference to home conditions where the pitch was unplayable. Rain did arrive in small quantities during the 80 minutes but had little impact on proceedings.

The visitors began up the slope and into the wind but were slightly off the boil in the early exchanges, conceding two kickable penalties in the first six minutes. Fortunately for the visitors, home fly half Newman was off target with both efforts and was immediately replaced as kicker from that point onwards.

The Okes began to settle but in truth they never reached any great heights throughout, perhaps with half an eye on the upcoming Devon cup semi final. In truth It was a typical end of season encounter; the Okes safe in mid table and Kingsbridge already doomed to relegation, and as a result it became a stop start affair with defences on top and very few clear cut try scoring opportunities.

Okehampton did enter Kingsbridges’ 22 as they found their feet but were foiled by a misfiring lineout, an area where the Okes struggled to secure clean ball all afternoon.

A quarter of the match had passed when the first points went on the board. It was the hosts who struck first, another Oke penalty at the breakdown allowing home full back Banfield an easy shot from right in front to make it 3-0.Then, five minutes later, came the one real piece of quality attacking play in the whole match.

The visitors had a defensive scrum in their own half and off the back broke number eight Tom McGrattan, showing great pace and power he carried deep into King’s territory before being hauled down. The ball was recycled and taken on by fullback Gareth Espin, before another attacking ruck, at which the hosts were short of cover, allowing scrum half Joey Bruce to step and snipe his way over the tryline for the ultimately decisive five pointer. Richie Friend slotted the extras and the Okes now had a lead they would not relinquish.

The Oke scrum was once again in the ascendancy, and after 31 minutes it set the platform for Bruce to release Espin once more, but the full back’s pass went behind winger Luke Honeychurch and the chance was gone.Then, entering the last throes of the half, Kingsbridge gained a penalty for an Oke no arms tackle,while playing the advantage rule they attempted a drop goal , and it flew over via the boot of Banfield to make it 7-6 with the half nearly over.

Okehampton regained possession from the kick off though and forced a penalty of their own. Once more Richie Friend was accurate from the tee to give the Okes a four point cushion at the turnaround.

The visitors had the conditions in their favour in the second forty but failed to use them effectively. Play became scrappy and with the line out still misfiring, Okehampton failed to secure enough set piece ball. When ball was provided the visitors made several line breaks, but either ran away from support, or found the support too distant to carry the move onwards and through enough phases to crack the home defensive line.

It was not until the 61st minute that the Okes got themselves into a position to stretch their lead. A five yard scrum was awarded and after forcing another penalty, the visitors chose to scrum again. This time they drove the home side back over their own line, but in the act of grounding the ball a knock on was called and the hosts escaped again.

Kingsbridge gleaned encouragement from their let off and they applied pressure in the Okes’ 22 as the match entered the last six minutes. Oke were forced to defend manfully as the host battered away around the fringes, in close proximity to the Okes tryline. The ref then awarded the home side a penalty bang in front, and to most onlookers surprise, the hosts decided to opt for posts. Banfield potted it but the home side still needed another score in the few minutes that remained. 

Okehampton managed to see out the last remnants of the game without any major worries and secured another valuable away victory to keep their recent impressive run of results intact. Much like last week against Bideford it was not pretty but effective by the Okes; any win is a good one after all.