Okehampton 12 - Crediton 32

MAGNIFICENT March brought the second winners trophy in the space of a couple of weeks following the success of the Quins at Torquay in the Second XV Shield.

This time it was the turn of the First XV to take centre stage with victory in the Devon Senior Shield at Okehampton and thus retain the Trophy that we won two years ago (it was not played for last season).

The Showground at Okehampton has been a happy hunting ground for us this season having won there in the league and retain the Frank Webb Cup in doing so followed by this Senior Shield victory which helped banish all memories of last week’s defeat at Wellington.

The loss of influential skipper and fly half Ollie Avery-Wright on the morning of the game through illness was a bit of a blow but Josh Davey, in his first First XV game for five weeks having been out through injury proved a more than capable deputy.

We began really well, playing against a strong breeze and up the slope and we took the game to the hosts.

Ball retention and dominating territory soon worked to our advantage with the Okey defence penalised for offside, Josh Davey duly slotted the kick for a 3-0 lead after just four minutes.

The exercise was repeated six minutes later and we were ahead 6-0.

Okehampton responded strongly and were now taking the game to us with their big forwards carrying hard, but our defence remained solid and matched the Okehampton physicality, man for man.

It took the home side almost half an hour to work any position in our “22” and we were penalised for not retreating 10 metres at an Okehampton free kick.

Opting for a scrum, Okey controlled possession and ended with a forward drive over the line for a converted try and a one point lead.

Just when it looked as though we would reach the interval with a one point deficit, we struck for our first try.

We pounced on a loose ball and after several phases, fullback Freddie Blackburn went over for an unconverted try for an 11-7 interval lead.

Soon on the attack and within six minutes of the restart the game was all but over.

Winger Josh Woodland was the first to score after some good interplay between backs and forwards and this was soon followed a Matt Arnold try after great work by Blackburn who was hauled down metres short of the line after a good break. The ball was recycled and Arnold brushed off a couple of tackles to score.

Davey converted both and we were suddenly 25-7 ahead.

Defences dominated for a while but on the hour, Okehampton cut the deficit with a second try. Winning a lineout their forwards carried hard before spreading wide for the winger to go over in the corner for an unconverted try.

Inspired by their score, Okey took the game to us, upping the physicality and tempo but our defence always looked in control.

With play entering the final moments we set up several phases putting pressure on the home defence before releasing the ball to centre Josh Goldman who ran a good line to break the home defence and score, Davey added the extras to complete a relatively comfortable and thoroughly deserved win.

We have now appeared in the last three finals of the Senior Shield, losing 21-36 at Devonport in 2022 followed by a 30-24 victory against Ivybridge in 2023.

Likewise, the Quins have appeared in the last three Second XV Shield Finals with two victories, Okehampton 22-15 in 2023 and Torquay 43-7 a couple of weeks ago. Topsham did get the better of us in 2024.

Paul Harris