Oke Chiefs 32

St Ives (SW) 19

OKEHAMPTON got back to winning ways with a comfortable victory over fellow strugglers St Ives.

By the time the visitors took the lead in the 18th minute, Okehampton had already butchered two try scoring opportunities. Playing up the hill in the first half the home side started brightly and should have taken the lead in the sixth minute when Espin looked certain to score in Clubhouse corner but he chose to offload.

Ten minutes later four Oke players were clean through without a defender within ten yards of them but Craig Dennis made a hash of collecting the ball and a knock on ensued.

Dennis compounding his earlier error by throwing a pass that was accepted by the visiting thirteen, Craig Williams, who went in unopposed from 70 metres and then added the extra two himself.

Visitors regained the lead when their prop Aaron Bennett was accredited the unconverted score. Within a couple of minutes Searle slotted a penalty for hands in a ruck. Poynton came on to replace Seale after.

St Ives stretched their lead as the Okes failed to defend a catch and drive, prop Tyler Gendall with the grounding and Williams converting for 19–10.

Oke would have been relatively pleased to be only nine behind at the break but with the last play of the half Gary Sizmur ghosted through to score and Poynton potted the extras to bring the home side to within two.

The second period Johns and Abrams replaced Powell and Barkwell at the break.

Okes started to assert their authority at scrum time and it was through this route they took the lead for the first time with the play of the game.

The Hakes had an attacking scrum on the Okes' 22 but the home pack took one against the head and at great pace the ball shifted left as Joey Bruce found Craig Dennis wide out via Luke Honeychurch. Dennis outstripped the visiting defence.

With fourteen minutes remaining they bagged the bonus point when the hard-working George Trerise went over following a series of five metre scrums. This time Poynton converted and the Okes had a two score lead.

Things could have got a bit tense as home second row, Sam Turner, was binned for allegedly deliberately slowing the ball down but his team mates manfully repelled the immediate threat before Poynton eased the tension six minutes before time, slotting a penalty to take the score to 32–19.

Okes head towards this week's derby clash with Tavistock with another five points in the bag in the fight for safety and the prospect of a tense battle.