Honiton 31, Okehampton 17 With the first XV having no game the spotlight fell on the Honiton 2nd XV as they took centre stage on the main Allhallows pitch, writes Tom Churchward.

Fresh from the previous week’s fine home win they were in buoyant mood.

Okehampton pitched up set to provide a sterner test than the game seven days earlier having already beaten the Lacemen when the teams met earlier in the season.

Under the watchful eye of veteran Richard Woolacott who was standing in for the absent skipper Churchie he elected to play up the slope for the first half.

Conditions were dry which was a welcome change but underfoot conditions made things heavy going for all concerned.

Despite this both sides showed good intent and for the first 15 minutes things were pretty even as the ball was spun around.

Honiton eventually broke the deadlock when good recycling saw the ball spun across the back division and Patrick Polish showed a clean pair of heels to out strip the defence for an unconverted try.

This score was the start of a purple patch for the Lacemen and with a couple of tries for winger Martin Keep and one for Aussie fly half Lochie Robinson Honiton reach half-time with a commanding 24 nil lead.

With the slope advantage now in Honiton’s favour things didn’t look good for the visitors and with another early try scored by Mat Baily the game was dead and buried and a trashing looked on the cards but credit where credit is due, the opposition dug deep and got right back into the game with a couple of well worked tries.

Honiton were perhaps a little guilty of taking their foot of the pedal and it was this complacency that allowed the opposition to get a foot hold. The visitors scored a further late try which meant they won the second half but their fight back was all too late and Honiton still ran out comfortable winners.

With several new faces making debuts, Honiton recording back to back wins and the sun coming out, Honiton’s second stream rugby is starting to look brighter.

On Saturday both senior sides are in home action with the senior fifteen entertaining high flyers Crediton and the seconds welcoming another moorland side in Tavistock