Western Counties West

Exeter University 20

Okehampton 8

OKEHAMPTON RFC visited Exeter University on Saturday hoping to upset the unbeaten league leaders but were unable to find their way through the University defence.

The University team started strongly and ran through the Okehampton defence to score a try near the posts after five minutes. The conversion gave them an early 7-0 lead.

The Okes picked themselves up and Gareth Evans, who started at number eight, moved up to hooker to strengthen the front row of the scrum and this galvanised the pack to take on the University eight and began to push them back.

After 15 minutes their efforts were rewarded by a penalty from 30 metres. Following a kick ahead by fly half Rhys Palmer the University defence infringed at the resulting maul and Lewis Taylor slotted the kick over the posts to make the score 7-3.

The University team hit back within five minutes with a penalty of their own, also for an infringement at the maul, to make the score 10-3. Then just before half time defensive lapses again allowed the University backs free to score a try out wide to the right to make the half time score 15-3 to the home side.

The Okehampton pack's performance gave hope that the second half would be more fruitful. The University backs ran strongly but the Oke defence was stifling most of their efforts.

The second half opened with the Okehampton pack continuing to dominate the scrum, often pushing the University eight back, but on 50 minutes the home backs broke free following a quick penalty and scored a try to take the score to 20-3.

Oke's Pat Nash then came on at tight head for Ian Langbridge and Neil Perrott replaced Chris Knott. Okehampton played with 14 men for 10 minutes as back row Simon Cox was sent to the sin bin for an infringement at a maul.

The Okes, now playing with the wind, fought hard for possession but strong defence on both sides meant that neither team troubled the try line for the next 20 minutes.

A kick ahead by the Okehampton fly half Rhys Palmer gave them a lineout on the University five metre line and the pack pressed hard for several minutes. On 69 minutes this sustained pressure resulted in the pack powering over for a try by Neil Perrott to take the score to 20-8.

The Okehampton team continued to press hard for the rest of the game but were unable to increase their score. Resolute defence kept the strong University team at bay.

Apart from two lapses that cost them tries, this was a good defensive performance by the Okehampton team. The forwards' performance showed that they could live with any pack in the league and they deserved a better reward for their efforts. It was not a pretty game, but the high flying University team definitely knew they had been in a game!

Prop Nick Martin was named Oke man of the match for his front row efforts, a selection that reflects an overall good performance by the pack.

Pictures by Dave Potter