An entertaing game with great displays of fast attacking.

With Okehampton in ninth position, this should have been an easy win, but lower teams sometimes can strangle to ability of a higher team, spoil their game plan and end with a closer result than it should have been, it happened when we played Ivybridge in November.
However, it didn’t happen today.
On an overcast afternoon that was dry for the most part but with a variable and sometimes strong breeze blowing from the northwest.
Okehampton kicked off to us with them playing towards the school.
For the first three minutes they kept us in our twenty-two, but eventually we broke free and won a penalty, Richard Goldsby-West kicked for a short lineout at the entrance corner, we took the lineout about halfway across their twenty-two and the pack mauled their way over the line at speed the Okehampton pack quite unable to slow them down.
Aiden Taylor the ball carrier as they tumbled over the line. The conversion went wide.
So on six minutes we were 5~0 up.
Eleven minutes and Okehampton had an excellent attack from their own twenty-two, with lots of good ball handling and getting to our twenty-two, one of their players broke free and was sprinting diagonally towards our posts, it looked as if he might score but Matt Neyle thought otherwise and got close enough to make a try saving dive and get hold of his legs to stop the move, for a moment, Okehampton had a couple more runs at our line getting to within a couple of feet but the move ended when they were penalised for holding on and we kicked clear.
On thirteen minutes clearing the ball from their twenty-two with a penalty they won the lineout but we stole the ball and set the backs running for Harrison Coonick to make the serious break and put Tom Davies away to go in under the crossbar for a try. Richard Goldsby-West converting. 12~0.

A couple of minutes later a third try, a penalty was kicked with pinpoint accuracy for a five-yard lineout, we took the ball and went for the line, were stopped and the maul broke up but we attacked again but then Mike Rickard took the ball and just made it over his face appearing just over the line under a couple of defenders. With the breeze blowing hard, Toby Knowles lay down and held the ball with the tip of his finger, the kick drifted wide. 17~0.
Twenty-five minutes and we won a penalty, and another very accurate kick by Richard Goldsby-West gave us a five-yard penalty, unfortunately we made a hash of the drive and they stole the ball and kicked out. We won the lineout and the forwards had an excellent drive over their twenty-two then to the backs who sped down the stand side for Toby Knowles to score. The Richard Goldsby-West kick went over. 24~0 after twenty-nine minutes.

Thirty-four minutes another catch and drive this time Okehampton managed to hold us up over the line.
To make up for it, four minutes later Harrison Coonick scored. Toby Knowles had a lovely run from outside their twenty-two but was stopped five yards out with try saving tackle, the ball was recycled to the backs and towards the clubhouse for Harrison to take the final pass, on their twenty-two he very slightly hesitated with a defender on his shoulder that also slowed the defender, but then he suddenly accelerated and left the defender trailing in his wake, he crossed in the entrance corner and on in towards the post scoring about halfway across. The conversion was missed. 29~0.
Right on forty minutes we scored the last try of the half. From the restart the ball went into touch and we won the lineout and played with towards their line, Harrison Coonick had a run and gave it to Dan Goldstone outside their twenty-two and he sprinted in to score at the entrance corner without the defence getting close to him. The conversion went wide. 34~0 at halftime.

We are looking impressive all round, the pack is well on top in any mauls, they are just on top in the scrums and the backs are looking as fast and dangerous as I have seen all season, their support play is really good.

And so the second half kicked off with us kicking to them.
We had two close-in lineouts but made nothing of them, on one they stole the ball from our throw.
On eight minutes we broke away from halfway with Andy Pond carrying down the middle of the field heading towards the posts, after all his hard work in the first half you could see his pace flagging as he went over their twenty-two and he was looking and hoping for some support, just inside their twenty-two he was tacked but made the ball available, I got the feeling he was secretly rather pleased to be tackled so he didn’t have to run any further. Oli Symons took the ball on then to James Hocking then to Mike Rickard and lastly to Toby Knowles who dived over with a defender holding on to him. The Richard Goldsby-West conversion went over. 41~0 after ten minutes of the half.
Okehampton had and won a scrum just off our line, put it to the backs and they looked as if they might score but knocked on in front to the posts. probably their best chance of scoring a try so far.
The wind had veered and was now coming from the school end.
The game slowed down for fifteen minutes, I think both sides puffed out a little. However, on twenty-five minutes Liam Jarvis scored a try. Okehampton kicked and ran at us and got into our half but we stole the ball and ran it back at them through three or four players with Liam Jarvis the final carrier going in at the school end stand side corner and a little way in. The Richard-Goldsby-West conversion went over. 48~0 on minute twenty-five.
The rain came in and those not under the stand got a real soaking because it was hard.
On minute thirty-five Okehampton got to our line and threatened to score, Shaun Crawford got a yellow card for something and from it, they tapped and went getting over the line close to the posts and were able to add the conversion. A well deserved seven points for their afternoon’s work.
They had a player yellow carded with about a minute to go so it made no difference to anyone.
The referee blew for full-time.
The Nigel Chivell memorial man of the match was Harrison Coonick, the award was presented by youth coaches and former players Steve'Shady'Lane and Aaron Webb.
In the end an easy win and with Barnstaple being beaten by Brixham by a point it keeps us in a strong third place only a point behind Barnstaple but with a game in hand.
Next week St Austell away who lie in eighth place.
The general opinion of the wet supporters on the clubhouse side was that the speed and good support of the backs was most impressive and the pack was looking strong.
Thanks to the under-11s under Sam Samuel who gamely chased after the balls kicked out and returned and dried them, they seemed to be enjoying the rain.

The First Team Okehampton.Home
1. Rikki Bentham. (vc).
2. Aiden Taylor.
3. Oli Symons.
4. Andy Pond.
5. Mike Rickard.
6. Liam Jarvis.
7. James Hocking.
8. Matt Gregory.
9. Dan Goldstone.
10. Richard Goldsby-West.
11. Toby Knowles.
12. Shaun Crawford.
13. Tom Davies.
14. Harrison Coonick.
15. Matt Nyle.
16. James McFarlane.
17. Ethan Millard.
18. Lewie Riley.
Head coach.
Ben Russell
Assistant. Rikki Bentham