Drybrook Rugby Club

Okehampton R.F.C 23pts
Drybrook R.F.C 11pts

Drybrook were involved in a tight game in Devon where the home team got the breaks and won an exciting encounter.
Once again Drybrook will feel that they should have at least secured a losing bonus point, but in trying for more they conceded a try at the death which meant they left with nothing.
On a grey day in Dartmoor, Drybrook kicked off down the slope and monopolised the possession for the first fifteen minutes of the game. Three points from a Tim Stevenson penalty on eleven minutes was little reward to show for their early dominance.
Okehampton eventually began to come more into the game and earned a penalty from a driving maul which Friend converted to bring the scores level.
Drybrook then gifted the Oke’s a try when a pass was easily intercepted by the oppositions outside half, he passed to centre Rhys Palmer who beat the cover to score the game’s first try. The conversion from Friend was unsuccessful but the home team now held the advantage eight points to three.
The remainder of the half was fairly even with both teams endeavouring to run the ball in the tricky conditions. On the stroke of half time Okehampton attacked down the left-hand side.

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Kyle Frowen who was having an excellent game stripped the ball from the opposition and the away side looked to be in a good position to clear to safety. Not for the first time however the referee had a different interpretation of what a good turn-over looks like and awarded the home team a penalty. Friend converted from wide-out and the Okehampton team led eleven points to three at the break.
The second half could not have started worse for the visitors. They failed to deal with the kick-off effectively which led to an Okehampton lineout on the Drybrook twenty-two.
A catch and drive was initially halted but from the breakdown the home teams prop forward was able to barge over for a converted try to give his team a fifteen-point advantage.
To their credit Drybrook began to take the game to the opposition and were rewarded with a Stevenson penalty.
From the next attack it was Stevenson again who was the architect for the next score. A clever grubber kick through the oppositions defence, following a scrum, saw Olly Moore collect and dive over in the corner. This brought the score back to a seven-point margin and with thirty minutes to play the result was in the balance.
Okehampton down to fourteen players after

Friend had been sin binned were defending well, and this combined with some more bewildering decisions from the ref, combined to make things difficult for the visitors who were unable to capitalise on their one-man advantage.
Okehampton back up to fifteen were now putting pressure on the Drybrook defence. With time and opportunities running out the Drybrook team were forced to run from deep, a loose pass however enabled the home team to gather the ball and send in their winger for the score which secured the win, and denied the away team a losing bonus point.
Drybrook were left to contemplate a couple of lapses in concentration which cost them dear in what was essentially a very good game between two well matched sides.
Next week the Squirrels are at home to our old adversaries Weston Super-Mare in a game which is looking like a must win for the men in Green if they wish to stay clear of the relegation battle.

Drive on Dry !

Drybrook:  Moore – Roberts – Price – Large – Baldwin – Stevenson – Marsh – Bourne – Frowen – Watts – Greenway – Timmony – Hale – Addis – Jelf – Peaper – Daynes – Treherne.