Okehampton at home. Okehampton lie a place above us in the league so a close game was on the cards and in the end that is exactly what we got.
For forty minutes we were on the back foot for long periods, Their scrum was a great deal stronger than ours and it held us back somewhat, for the second forty we were not on top but snapping at their heels like a ratting Jack Russell to eventually get on top briefly, only to loose in the dying minutes of the game.
The game in a nutshell.
By half time we were seventeen points down and looking as if we could end up thirty points down at the final whistle.
We started the first ten minutes brightly after receiving the kick off and putting real pressure on Okehampton, we probably should have scored a seven pointer but for their good defence.
Matt Morrison had a lovely run at their line from well outside their twenty two but was stopped just short of scoring, a five meter line out take saw more attacks then the ball went down the line to the north side where Okehampton intercepted the final pass, made a few yards then kicked to touch.
After twelve minutes of us having most of the ball and all the territory they eventually got close to our twenty-two had a penalty kick but missed.
On fourteen minutes they scored their first try after attacking through the three quarters a number of times but well defended eventually they came off a ruck and slipped through the defence to the north of the posts at the entrance end the conversion was missed. 0~5.
Okehampton attacked again down the south touchline and with a two on one looked to be in for a certain try but for Luke Stannard who saved the day with a top class tackle allowing Jamie Shone to kick out the loose ball, unfortunately it just failed to make touch and they ran it back across the field to score in the north corner, conversion missed, 0~10.
On twenty nine minutes Matt Morrison made another good run out of our half, Okehampton tried an interception but the referee said they knocked it on, Matt Anstis kicked us to a five meter line out unfortunately Okehampton won a scrum on their line, they drove away and sent the ball out, we crowded their ball carrier and drove him and his mates back over their own line in the corner.
The resulting scrum to us five meters out produced nothing but another missed chance to score.
A long kick into their twenty two saw them try to mark it but the full back failed to catch the ball but scooped it up and ran nearly to our line then they went across the pitch putting us under pressure, we stole their ball but then gave away a scrum, with their scrum so much stronger than ours they walked us over our line for the number 8 to pick up and score. A simple conversion and the half time score stood at 0~17.
The second half held little prospect of things getting better but within two minutes we had scored and with it twenty one unanswered points, the forwards and backs both contributed to getting in to their twenty two and it was Matt Morrison who again run in close, from the five meter ruck Alex ‘six second’ Lambert took the ball and sold a dummy to the defence gave it to prop Curtis Reynolds who went over with a number of defenders hanging on, conversion missed 5~17 and home spirits rose.
Minutes later Matt Anstis added a penalty from outside their twenty two and south of the posts, 8~17.
Okehampton three more time came close to scoring on the last occasion we held them up on the south side school end.
Eighteen minutes and another penalty by Matt Anstis, 11~17.
With Okehampton going from looking a racing certainty to win to looking a little jittery we put on the pressure and on thirty minutes their No1 had a yellow card waved in his direction. Shortly afterwards the forwards put in a good drive for Rocky Young to be driven over and come up with a grin and a try to his name and with the grin the score stood at 16~17. Matt Anstis put over the conversion and with it the lead at 18~17.
Matt Morrison looked a likely try scorer coming in fast on the south side wing and well inside their twenty two to try and secure a ball that had gone loose, he tried to toe poke it on but missed it and over ran the ball, had he been able to pick up or tap it on a try looked guaranteed.
As it was Matt Anstis was able to add a penalty on thirty-six minutes to make it 21 ~17 with a few minutes to go.
Okehampton in one last hurrah stole the lead when they attacked down the north side were stopped short but managed to get the ball away and score and take back the lead, 21 ~22 with a missed conversion.
Services attacked one last time, the defence was tight and with this being just about the last play of the game and on forty minutes Matt Anstis tried a hasty drop goal but in apparant slow motion the ball went wide of the South post by a couple of feet, had the usual south westerly being blowing it might have drifted in and we would have won.
As it was Okehampton nurdled the ball about for the last seconds of the game till referee Marc Simon blew for full time.
A loss is a loss but from a first half where we looked like going down by thirty points or so to nearly winning and gaining a bonus point says much for the come back spirit of the players.
Next weekend is a free one.