Blowy and blustery at Bencoolen Meadow are not the usual ingredients for a try fest. The fact that the sides delivered a points aggregate nearing seventy points says more about their inability to defend adequately than anything else.

The match summed up Oke’s rollercoaster season so far in an eighty minute microcosm. At times with ball in hand they exploited space well and scored a handful of flowing tries. The downside was that they failed to realise you have to play as well without the ball as you do with it to win a game of rugby at this level.

Okes beginning was a mirror image of the opening minute of the Tavistock match as they took advantage of a knock on from the kick off, and worked the blind side to put away slippery winger Rob Fishleigh for the first of his hat trick of tries. The lead was short lived though, as for the first of many times during the match, Oke’s inability to defend a rolling maul proved their downfall when Bude ploughed over for their first, unconverted score. The end to end action continued apace as Oke were next to score when they regained their lead with a carbon copy try from the elusive Fishleigh.

Once more the visitors were unable to hold their lead for any significant time, as an identical rolling rumble from the Cornish hosts brought them level. There was still time before the interval for Oke to regain the initiative though, as from only their third venture into the home twenty two, fly half Carl Poynton kicked a simple penalty and the score was 13-10 at the break.

The second half, not for the first time this season, got off to the worst possible start for the Okes. Lax defensive work allowed the Bude left winger to cross for another unconverted effort and this was almost immediately followed by another from the home fly half who was allowed to waltz through untouched, under the posts, for a score that was converted to leave Oke trailing 22-13.

The tit for tat pattern of scoring continued unabated as Oke number eight Sam Turner found space on the short side and after a nice show of the ball, he stepped the full back to cross between the sticks for a try that Poynton converted to reduce the deficit to two points. Once more Oke failed to build on this score and as for much of the match they failed to put the ball into opposition territory to relive the pressure. This, and the regular gifting of penalties in their own half, didn’t help their cause. It seemed inevitable as the home backs again slipped through some slack defence for their sixth try of the afternoon to extend their lead to seven points.

Oke were still in this game though as it was obvious that they could create chances if they could win enough ball; but their lack of size and physicality in the forward encounters were preventing this. Also, the persistence with slowing down what ball they had by driving ponderously around the fringes was giving the Bude defence an easy ride. It was once more the Cornish side that struck next when their right winger barged over in the bottom right corner. As play entered the last quarter the hosts had pulled away to lead 34-20.

To their credit Okehampton never stopped trying to play their own game, and they scored the try of the match as good hands, support play, and incisive running from Gary Sizmur and Gareth Espin put fleet footed winger Fishleigh away for his third try which he finished superbly.

Nine points down and there was still hope; not for too long though as the rolling maul returned to haunt the Okes, and after the final Bude try was grounded it was 39- 25 with time running out. There was still enough time for replacement Brett Luxton to force his way over for a late score but ultimately Okes defending had cost them two points.

An entertaining game for the neutral but one that will have given the Oke coaches plenty of food for thought before the visit of high flying Camborne this Saturday. The Cornish side have been busy recruiting during the summer and the Okes will need to be at their best to return to winning ways.