Rugby: Okehampton open league campaign with victory.

Report supplied by Okehampton RFC

First up for the Oke’s as they tried to avoid second season syndrome, were a bulky North Petherton side who were themselves looking for consolidation after an earlier promotion of their own. A courageous performance by a very young Okehampton side, shorn of several regulars for varying reasons, ultimately saw the home side to a gritty and deserved opening day victory.

A decent crowd saw Okehampton elect to play up the incline with the aid of a slight breeze in the first half. Despite giving away several stones and inches up front, the young Oke pack started brightly and supplied enough ball for the home side’s lively backs to create some early openings. In fact it was the Oke backs that struck the opening blow, after a good period of pressure; quick ball was moved to the right and versatile right winger Kev Dennis, newly promoted from the Colts, crossed for the opening try. Fly half Carl Poynton sweetly slotted the extras.

Petherton lost a prop through injury and they continued to make basic handling errors despite the near perfect playing conditions. They already seemed to be struggling for mobility in the hot conditions and their main form of attack was the rolling maul, punctuated by the occasional foray around the fringes. Oke continued to front up and played the majority of the attacking rugby in the first half. They were rewarded before the interval with a penalty from the prolific Poynton who demonstrated his growing maturity throughout the game with his astute tactical kicking from hand.

So the home side had a ten point interval lead but knew they would need another score to feel their lead was significant enough. The second period began and it became a war of attrition as the visitors took the lion’s share of possession. The Oke defence was solid though and Pethy failed to have enough cutting edge to fashion a breakthrough. Oke didn’t win enough ball to really test the visitors’ defence out wide in the second half, and what chances they did create failed to bring the score that would ultimately put the game out of reach.

Having soaked up considerable pressure Oke did mange to breach the visitor’s twenty two entering the last quarter, and once more it was Poynton who stretched the lead with a simple penalty potted from bang in front of the uprights. Petherton had a last push for a score as the game entered the final quarter. Oke held firm though, and as the visitors’ desperately flung the ball wide looking for a score that would bring them into bonus point territory; ace poacher centre Luke Honeychurch snaffled the interception and ran the length of the field unopposed for the final score. Poynton converted and there was barely time for the game to restart.

In summary then, a fine win by a understrength youthful side against larger opposition, four welcome points on the board, and a good warm up for the visit of a highly fancied Truro side who travel up the A30 for next week’s home match, K.O 3pm.

Pictures of the game here