On a sunny afternoon in Cornwall Okes took to the field minus several regulars including their influential centre partnership. The visitors also decided to shuffle their backline, but after last week's impressive home win they travelled confident of a first away victory. However a lackluster first half performance gave them to much to do in the second forty, and they ultimately came up just short as a result.

The home side, buoyed by their maiden victory last time out, came out firing down the slope and their set scrum caused Okes front eight early problems. Okes misfiring line out throughout the first period also contributed to lack of possession and subsequent attacking threat. There was little fluidity in the opening fifteen minutes from either side; Okes were mainly entrenched in their own half, and it came as no real surprise when the hosts opened the scoring in the 16th minute. Their scrum was again the architect, allowing number eight Rowley to bundle over on the side of a wheeled effort. The conversion was missed.

Okes travelling support hoped this score would awaken Okes from their slumbers, however that wasn't to be the case. Their defence, so physical and impressive last week at home, was hesitant and uncharacteristically flimsy throughout the first half. When Okes did get into attacking positions, the hosts were allowed to escape far too easily up the short side on more than one occasion. Approaching the half hour mark Okes conceded another penalty which was put into the bottom left corner. The ball was moved right but little looked on when home fly half Edwards decided to go blind against the grain. Unfortunately Okes defence was caught napping, and he skipped through some half -hearted tackles to cross to extend the home side's lead to twelve after winger Pearce's successful conversion. Things then got even worse for the visitors on 35 minutes. An Okes scrum on their own ten yard line saw the ball squirt out of the side. Home blindside flanker Lightfoot picked up the loose ball and the Okes defence was AWOL as he reached the line before being tackled, the referee deciding it was legitimate try, and at 19-0 after another conversion Okes were staring down the barrel. Then, just before the interval, the Okes finally roused themselves sufficiently to reduce the arrears. Richie Friend, at centre this week, kicked a penalty to the corner and via the resultant driving lineout, flanker Dean Abrams grounded the ball to give the Okes a sniff. Friend landed a nice conversion and the sides turned around with the Okes twelve points in arrears.

The Okes regrouped and changed personnel, emerging for the second forty with a rejigged backline. The visitors immediately looked more purposeful and threatening. Much like the Exmouth away trip, they went on to dominate possession and territory during the second forty. However a combination of missed chances, strange officiating and stoic home defence frustrated them. In fact the Okes thought they had scored from another early catch and drive rumble, prop Rob Dugard appeared to score but the ref again thought otherwise. Home winger Pearce also prevented a certain score , a deliberate knock on preventing a clear overlap within the home twenty two. Amazingly no card was brandished and another chance was gone. However with Dan Fogarty now restored to fly half and pulling the strings nicely,plus Buster Francis outstanding in his hybrid flanker/hooker role, the Okes were in the ascendancy. They came close several times during the third quarter but couldn't quite close the deal, until the dam finally broke on 60 minutes. The ball was spread wide after several phases and the ball found its way to front rower Tom White lurking on the left wing. He had the fairly simple task of diving over for his first try since returning to his hometown club to make it 19-12.

The hosts had so far been confined to their own half , although another contentious penalty award on a rare excursion into Okes territory allowed Pearce to extend the hosts lead to 22-12 on 66 minutes. The Okes finding themselves two scores behind again with the clock also against them. They continued to press though, and with five minutes remaining another attacking foray stretched the home defence once more. In a carbon copy of his earlier score, Tom White again found himself wide left and with a neat step inside crossed for his brace, and Okes third try, to reignite visiting hopes. The conversion was wide but it was now just a seven point ball game. As the dying seconds arrived Okes were again in the home twenty two and pressing after attacking from deep. However yet again they were pinged for holding on in a promising position and the hosts booted the ball off to end the contest.

Yet again another away opportunity that slipped away, the Okes need to replicate their home form on the road to climb the congested league table. They cannot afford to be so flat from the off next week when Maidenhead visit for the very first time. Hopefully the return of absentees and a boisterous home support can spur the Okes towards another memorable home victory, KO will be 2.30 PM. ...."Come On you Okes!"