Report by Simon Freeman
In a battle of the top two Petherton produced a solid performance and put in their best defensive performance of the season against an adventurous Okehampton side.
The first ten minutes of the game belonged to the visitors as they attacked with pace and skilfully moved the ball around the pitch. The pressure was finally relieved from a clearance kick, which took Pethy just inside Okehamptons half. From the lineout the outstanding second row James Cox managed to get the ball in to Jervis Manapenu’s hands who sent Russ Williams down the middle and after a couple of quick plays the ball was in the hands of winger Jamie Adams who scrambled his way over the line in the corner. The conversion was missed (5-0)
This encouraged the big Okehampton forwards to change their approach and take the shortest route and attack around the fringes. Petherton not for the first time held firm and kept their shape.
In the 20th minute an attacking lineout on the halfway line gave Pethy the opportunity to attack out wide, the ball was moved sharply along the backs and after sucking in the visitors defence a clever chip over the top by Lloyd Williams and with the defenced stretched to the limit James Carter won the race for the score. Harry Roberts successfully converted (12-0)
Okehampton raised the tempo again and forced Petherton into conceding a succession of penalties and within the space of three minutes the visitors had spurned the opportunity of six points as their normally reliable kicker had an off day with his boot fortunately for Pethy. The last ten minutes of the half also belonged to Okehampton as they stretched Pethertons defence around the field again and just before half time they deservedly slotted over a penalty (12-3)
The second half began as the first ended with Okehampton in the ascendancy and stretching Pethertons overworked defence. Okehampton had three kickable penalties in the first ten minutes of which one was successful (12-6). Petherton reminded themselves of discipline in defence and keeping patient with the ball in hand. However, in the 54th minute the impressive Mike Coles was binned for not releasing in the tackle, which gave the visitors another shot at goal from thirty metres, which unfortunately for them was missed again. Petherton finally got themselves in to the second half in 62nd minute when from a ten meter lineout a rolling maul impressively managed to get the home side to the five-meter line and after the ball was shipped along the back line and through a couple of phases number ten Manapenu picked up and scored an excellent team try (17-6).
Petherton still playing with a man short continued to attack and in the 66th minute Elisara decided on bringing on all the replacements to bring a fresh impetus. Okehampton still believed they could take the game but missed a further kickable chance, which they were left to rue as in the 78th minute Number eight Aaron Gibbs picked up the ball on the halfway line and powered his way to the try line breaking four would be tacklers on the way and score under the posts, Roberts Converted (24-6).
A fine win against a team who will finish in the top three this season, however Petherton will feel fortunate that against the top teams in the division giving away kickable penalties the results will go the other way.
Next week Petherton are away to St. Austell.
Team:
1. Mike Coles (Coles 73)
2. Sam Williams
3. Simon Ranson
4. James Cox
5. Sam Butler
6. Matt Ranson
7. Matt Brown
8. Arron Gibbs
9. Lloyd Williams
10. Jervis Manupenu
11. Jamie Adams
12. Russell Williams (Palmer 65)
13. James Carter
14. Craig Goodwin (McNeillie 73)
15. Harry Roberts
Replacements
16. Kyle Prescott
17. Miles McNeillie
18. Ben Tracey
Tries: Jamie Adams, James Carter, Jervis Manupenu, Arron Gibbs
Cons: Harry Roberts (2)
