Western Counties West

Okehampton 29

Torquay 19

THE home side did just enough in this typical end of season encounter. The hot sun and rock hard pitch also had a significant influence, as the hosts failed to find any real fluency.

Torquay arrived safe from relegation and played their part in a feisty encounter, that despite being scrappy, still managed to fully entertain the sizable sponsor's lunch crowd.

Oke kicked off with the wind playing towards the clubhouse end. They took an early lead through the reliable boot of skipper Tom Powell, who potted his first penalty of the afternoon after only three minutes. Torquay's bulky pack were already showing their potential threat though, and after they missed an early penalty chance, they twice crossed the Okes' try line only to lose the ball in contact. Powell made the seasiders pay for their profligacy, as he slotted another penalty after 12 minutes to give the Okes an early six point cushion.

Okehampton's defence was not up to its usual standards, missing key men Sam Turner and Dean Abrams; it leaked a soft try at the end of the first quarter, as the Torquay inside centre waltzed through the Oke midfield untouched. The conversion went over and the visitors were worthy of their 7-6 lead.

Oke needed a spark, and soon found it in ever willing scrum half Joey Bruce. The number nine demonstrated typical quick thinking and trademark pace, as he took a quick tap penalty and bolted in between the uprights. Powell converted, and the Okes were in front once more. However, the home side never looked fully convincing in defence, and were soon trailing once more after errors in the middle of the park, allowed Torquay to camp in the Oke 22 yard line. A try via a peel off the fringes of a rolling maul soon followed as Oke failed to hold onto their lead. The conversion made it 13-12 after 25 minutes.

Powell soon restored the Okes' lead with another three pointer but once more it was Torquay's rolling maul that did the damage and Oke were unable to stop its considerable momentum down the slope and James Norrish came up with the ball to claim the try that saw Torquay into the interval with a 19-16 lead.

The Okes' scrum threatened first as the second forty kicked off. Tom Powell was again the beneficiary as Torquay infringed after 45 minutes to bring the scores level at 19-19.

Five minutes later Torquay made an error of judgment and Oke were awarded a scrum on halfway. The ball went left where stand-off Gareth Espin scooted through a gap to fly in under the posts, giving the home side a seven point lead. Powell added the extras and nonchalantly added three more ten minutes later to make things more comfortable for the Okes at 29-19 with a quarter remaining.

The scoring chances then dried up and the game became increasingly fractious.

The last throes of the match were largely forgettable. The home side and crowd were not too bothered though as the curtain came down on the latest league campaign with another win.