South West premier

OKEHAMPTON RFC 27

IVYBRIDGE RFC 11

OKEHAMPTON ruined Ivybridge’s unbeaten start to the season with a committed, physical performance, making it three wins from three at home this campaign.

The visitors arrived at the showground for the first competitive fixture between these sides in six years.

The assembled crowd hardly had time to take their places when the hosts struck in dramatic fashion and crossed for the first try after less than one minute.

Ivybridge lost possession shortly after the kick off and Okes pounced, quickly spreading the ball right to left through the hands of their lively backline. Deft hands released winger Brandon Horn into space down the left flank; he drew the last defender perfectly and found ever willing fly half Dan Fogarty, running a fine support line on his outside. The Oke’s number ten scampered over to stun the visitors, making it seven nil to the hosts after Richie Friend’s successful conversion.

The visitors showed their character as they took advantage of yet another loose Okehampton kick off receipt, setting up camp in the Okes twenty two. The hosts failed to contain Ivybridge at a seventh minute scrummage, resulting in visiting number eight Northcott grounding a wheeled pushover effort. Fly half Grieveson, on his 200th appearance, was wide with the conversion.

Immediately from the restart Okes upped their defensive intensity — tackles became increasingly forceful, and the hosts began to gain increased possession but they just were not clinical enough and as a result chances came and went throughout the remainder of the first 40 minutes.

The visitors’ defence was holding firm, but increasing infringements brought a yellow card to a member of their engine room. Okes gained a couple of attacking scrums, but moved the ball away early and the attacks were snuffed out by the dogged Ivybridge defence. The visitors were also forced into replacements as the heavy collisions took their toll and at half time were trailing by a two points.

In the second half, Ivybridge had the slope in their favour and they started brightly, an early penalty via the reliable boot of Grievson giving them the lead for the first time in the match.

Oke’s Richie Friend potted a penalty chance on an afternoon where the Oke full back boasted a 100% success rate. The visitors then lost their own number 15 Briant to injury, almost immediately after the restart, after attempting to stop Okes increasingly impressive left winger Brandon Horn. Okes ramped up the pressure during the next period and Ivybridge were forced to concede another kickable penalty. Friend’s sights were now fully locked on, and it flew through the uprights to increase Oke’s lead in this tight encounter to five points. A decent margin, but one that was short lived as Okes were unable to secure the restart. Another penalty resulted, Grievson potting it to reduce the arrears once more.

Now into the last 15-minutes, Oke’s runners came to the fore. Joey Bruce came in at nine and upped the tempo, Richard Bolt moved to ten and found increasing gaps. Rhys Palmer and Ryan Lee carved out openings up the Oke’s right flank with gathering purpose as the visitors began to hang on.

At 70-minutes Ivybridge were down to 14 as they ran out of fit replacements. The hosts secured the lineout and tried to soften up the visitors around the fringes. Eventually sucking in the green defence sufficiently, they wisely shifted the ball left and when it reached Brandon Horn on the overlap he made no mistake, racing over for a try. Friend added the extras from the far touchline. Okes were now attacking from all over the field and they sealed the deal with a superb team score in the 77th minute. Cutting loose from deep inside their own half after a turnover, the ball was shipped right where Ryan Lee cut loose on the overlap. Great support and interplay ensued with Joey Bruce, finally feeding Dan Fogarty on his inside before gleefully diving over in front of a delighted clubhouse corner. Friend added the extras.

Ivybridge were on the attack in the last minute, however, more strong Oke’s defensive resolve ensured a final turnover to finish the contest.