League and Devon plate semi-final

Okehampton U16s 33

Ivybridge U16s 10

OKEHAMPTON produced a stirring second half performance to secure a place in the Devon Plate final.

It was an enthralling first half as both sides sparred for supremacy in a game that was end to end between two evenly matched sides.

The home side finished the half the stronger but they were kept at bay as both defences dominated. At half-time the score remained 0-0.

Okehampton came out strongly with captain Ryan Gross determined to lead from the front. He looked to have scored following a typically bullocking run but was adjudged held up and the referee went back for a previous penalty. Gross took the ball on the crash making good yards before the ball came back and Conor Stevens cut a great line to go over unopposed next to the posts, Lewis Taylor converting.

Five minutes later the home side doubled their lead with Stevens turning provider as he produced a great break before offloading to Oli Francis who timed his pass perfectly to allow Lewis Taylor to run in under the posts and convert his own score.

Back came Ivybridge and for a period they were dominant with only some superb scramble defence from the Okes keeping them at bay; this was epitomised by Dan Vinnicombe with a try saving tackle on the visitors number eight when he appeared to be clean through.

However Ivybridge did score, when their outside centre, a thorn in the Okes' side all afternoon, cut through for an unconverted score. Minutes later Ivybridge had reduced the deficit further with a second try, with the Okes adding to their own demise through poor ball retention followed by loose tackling to make it 14-10 to the visitors.

From the restart the resilient Oke side Francis charged down the visitors' clearance before gathering and go over. The game was put beyond doubt when Stevens cut another great line to crash through and touchdown despite some close attention. Taylor adding the extras.

Rhys Palmer made a clean break and timed his pass to Francis perfectly for the try and Taylor duly potted the extras to put the result beyond doubt.

This was a fine all round display to win a place in the plate final on April 21 against either Newton Abbot or Exmouth.