Western Counties West

Wellington 41

AFTER losing at home to North Petherton in their previous match Okehampton's pro-motion hopes were over and the players failed to produce any kind of performance against a mid-table Wellington side.

Shorn of five regulars, the Okes usually resolute defence crumbled to concede seven tries on a hot sunny afternoon in Somerset.

The Oke started slowly and were 10-0 down in the first 15 minutes after two soft scores following undefended number eight pick ups on the blindside of five metre scrums. The Wellington kicker failed to convert either score.

From a rare attack up the slop the Okes scored with a Carl Poynton penalty to briefly reduce the arrears. The firm pitch resulted in an open game but both defences looked fragile and the Okes were next to crack as a charge down clearance resulted in another unconverted score from the hosts to make it 15-3.

Okehampotn then produced heir best move of the match as the ball was fed to Luke Honeychurch. Playing on the left wing, he cut an angle through the home defence to cross for a fine solo score. Poynton added the extras so the Okes were only five points in arrears on the cusp of the interval. Unfortunately they failed to reach the interval without conceding again. Another try up the short side right on the whistle, with a conversion to boot, saw Oke training 22-10 at the break.

With the slope, but against the breeze Oke kicked-off the second half looking to narrow the deficit. The boot of Poynton hit a well struck penalty goal to make it 22-13.

Once again though Oke conceded up their fragile right flank and were chasing the game yet again.

With 15 minutes of the second half gone, the Okes were back in it as their scrummage drove their host back over their own line at scrum time, forcing them to concede a penalty try. Poynton converted close the gap to 27-23.

The Okes brought on South West Colt Tom White in the front row for his full debut. Injuries forced more changes and the hosts upped the pace.

The Okes wilted in the sun and conceded two more soft scores in the last quarter.

The final whistle blew on a disappointing afternoon, and the Okes travelled home with three league games and a cup final remaining in their season.