Oakhampton 55 BARFC 12
From Richard Walsh
South West One (West)
Okehampton 55- Bridgwater and Albion 12.
After enjoying triumphing in the local derby last weekend, Bridgwater and Albion were brought back to earth with a jolt when they were well beaten at Okehampton on Saturday afternoon.
The Devon side were in the ascendancy from the off and took the lead in the first minute when Palmer scored a try which Friend converted.
On eight minutes Okehampton added to their lead when second rower Curtis scored a try which Friend again added the extras too.
The hosts kept coming forward and their next try came following a break down the left which eventually was worked to the opposite wing where skipper McGratton scored the first of his hat-trick of tries.
Despite being behind Albion kept on trying to mount attacks with Ollie Dunn dominant.
One such move started by Dunn saw the ball passed onto Luke Plummer and George Sluman before the skipper finished it off and Heal converted the try to get the visitors on the board.
For a period Albion retained the ball better and started to play their own game, but sadly it wasn’t long before Okehampton came on the attack again and in the 27th minute extended their lead when Friend slotted home a penalty.
Just after the half hour mark the home centre Palmer was released from midfield and ran through to score a try which Friend converted. In the remaining minutes of the first half Albion pressed hard but were unable to make inroads and the teams changed ends with the score 29-7.
The first 15 minutes of the second half were evenly matched with Dunn once again leading the Albion forward at any opportunity
However the Okehamton backs assisted by their back row produced a good move that resulted in their replacement Courtier going over for a try which Friend converted.
Albion weren’t done with however and in the 62nd minute, following a quickly taken penalty Lewis Plece, making only his second appearance, went over for an unconverted try, his first for the senior team.
Okehampton were quickly back on the attack and this time it was stand off Fogarty who went over a for an unconverted try.
The visitors were reduced to 14 men when Ethan Trebble-Westlake was yellow carded and during his absence McGratton scored two further triesboth of which Friend converted to make the final score 55-12.
This was a disappointing result and although Bridgwater and Albion kept going right until the end, Okehampton always seemed to have the upper hand.
Scorers- Ollie Dunn and Lewis Plece- Conversion- 1- Stuart Heal
Bridgwater and Albion- Tom Fournier D’Able, Dan Lang, Jay Owens, Luke Plummer, Lewis Plece, Stuart Heal, Adam Conybeare, Ollie Dunn (capt), George Sluman, Ethan Trebble-Westlake, Arron Kelly, Mike Saunders, Matt Ranson, Sam Adcock and Craig Blyde.
Replacements both used- Gavin Knight and Lewis Philips.
Category: Previews / Reports -XV
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