The seconds took on OPM’s first in the Counties 2 Tribute Devon league down on the Keyham pitch, We were top of the table and they were in ninth place. When we played them away it was not easy, we did win but only by 6~28. So I think we were expecting a game that we would have to work hard to win.

And so it proved to be. By half time we went from 12~14 to them to a slender 19~14 lead.
The first try came on minute six, there was no clock so the timings are a little rough.
Sam Fincham made a break from our own half down the street side halfway across their twenty-two he did a net step inside to wrong-foot the defender and then ran in to dive over about halfway out from the post. The conversion went wide. 5~0.
On ten minutes OPMs Matt Smale missed a penalty kick. but four minutes later were awarded a penalty try in the bijou clubhouse corner, Ethan Millard who made a valiant tackle to prevent the score right at the corner flag was adjudged to have tacked high and collected a yellow card for his efforts. They took the lead with this score, 5 ~7.
A few minutes later we won a penalty, went for the lineout which we won, and mauled for the line but were stopped on it, a pause then suddenly Yanni Costas picked up and dived low through the paused players to score. Tom West converted. 12~7.
On twenty-six minutes a pushover try to OPMs with Matt Gigg touching down, their pack was well on top in the scrums and had little difficulty going over, the conversion by Matt Smale was good, and that took back the lead.12~14.
Right on half time we stole the lead back, we were attacking and had got over their line then fly hacked on towards their posts, Sam Fincham gave chase, can’t remember if he dribbled it over the line but in any event he dived for the ball over the line, the OPM defender pushed him off before he had a chance to touch it down so we were given a penalty try, and they collected a yellow card. So at the whistle, we had just taken the lead back from them at 19~14.
It was a really close game with the lead chasing hands a number of times. Their pack was well on top and on the first scrum took the ball from our put-in with a strong drive.
The lineouts were even, with both sides losing one or two.
We looked dangerous out wide but unforced errors prevented us from making much of our speed advantage.
The second half kicked off with us playing towards the dockyard end.
Ten minutes in and a penalty to OPMs kicked by Matt Smale to close the gap to two points at 19~17.
Five minutes later a penalty to us that was kicked by Tom West to pull slightly further ahead at 22~17.
Around here Yanni Costas was helped off the pitch with an ankle injury of some sort. Hopefully not too bad.
We were making hard work of it but that was in part due to OPM's defence and play in the loose, we just did not seem to relax in to the game and use the advantage of the 3G and our outside speed.
I had lost track of the time at this point of the game. We were under pressure on our line, holding them up on one occasion. But then we broke out with Tyler Busfield starting the move with Billy Sutton taking it on, Toby Lean had a fast straight run with the ball before giving it to Charlie Groves, over the line he sidestepped a defender to go in under the crossbar. Tom West converted., and for the first time we had a reasonable lead of twelve points.29~17.
In the scrums we had started to increasingly disrupt the OPMs pack probably through fitness, pushing them back and round but they were still able to get the ball away but it was becoming messy.
We won a penalty in front of the posts and not far out but just when we on the sidelines thought they would take the three points they didn’t, they tapped and went and Isaiah Akinrowo went over under the crossbar supported by Toby Lean. Tom West converted. 36~17.
We on the sidelines thought that that was it for OPMs, not that they had given up but simply because we had gained confidence in ourselves, relaxed and used our greyhounds to run at them.
Billy Sutton, who had come off the bench to replace Dylan Daley, good to see him back after a period injured, scored when we were attacking halfway across their twenty-two, we had a couple of penalties that we ran from. on the second Billy had the ball, saw the gap, tapped and waltzed through. Tom West converted. 43~17.
To end the game A last attack down the street side put Sam Fincham away to score by the flag. The conversion missed and that was it.
A good win in the end, the first half and were were a little stiff, the second half saw lots of fast running, Toby Lean showing off his pace down the middle. Matt Richard weaving at speed in attack.
OPMs put up a good fight for most of the game, perhaps kicking long too often, their forwards showing well and it makes me wonder why they are not higher up the table.
Thanks to Ryan Yeoman for turning out on a gloomy and slightly damp afternoon to referee the game, he could have been in town Christmas shopping, or nodding off to sleep on the sofa.

The win keeps us on top of the table over Torquay by a couple of points but having played a game more.
The second team.
1. Yani Costas.
2. Ethan Hilland.
3. Josh Martin.
4. Tyler Busfield.
5. Kyle Felton.
6. Isaiah Akinrowo.
7. Josh Cumberland.
8. Ethan Millard.
9. Dylan Daley.
10. Tom West.
11. Elliott Lupson.
12. Toby Lean.
13. Matt Richards.
14. Sam Fincham.
15. Charlie Groves.
16. Billy Sutton.
17. Ellio Brasso.
18. Jon Mason.

The Management.
Dickie Duffield and Andy'Happy days' McBeath esq

Photos of the seconds game by Mike Yeats, are not the best on account of the lack of good light and having to use a 50 mm lens to get the exposure speed.
DSRFC II v OPM.H.Dec23