IVYBRIDGE dug-in when needed to close-out a 29-21 win over visiting Okehampton.

The Bridge had turned around 22-7 up at half time courtesy of tries from Adam Lilley, Charlie Teague, a penalty try plus a conversion and penalty from Harry Newman-Wild.

Okehampton chipped away at the deficit in the second half and with four minutes left on the watch were only eight points down. A second try by Teague, converted by Newman-Wild, ensured the Bridge were never behind.

Ivybridge shut-up shop when it mattered, which delighted coach Steve Atkinson.

“We went up by 15 points in the later stages of the game and I thought we were going to cruise in, but wasn’t to be,” said Atkinson.

“Okehampton came back and we had to really control the last couple of minutes.

“I said to the lads I was really proud of how they managed the last five minutes of play and saw the game out.

“I was really happy with the lads’ performance and another five-point win at home, which is exactly what we want from every home game this season.”

Atkinson is overseeing a rebuilding programme at Cross-in-Hand as a predominately young squad is nurtured following relegation from South West One last season.

The direction of travel is clearly in the right direction – three wins in four starts on the way to second in the table – but there is always work to be done.

“A few errors, and a bit of game management from the younger lads in our attack, let Okehampton creep back into it when we turned the ball over,” said Atkinson.

“We seemed to be in control for the most part especially – in defence – and it does seem to be getting better, which is really positive.”

Ivybridge are away to fourth-placed Tiverton this Saturday.