OLD Techs coach Shaun Bedford-Smith praised his team’s heart and character after they retained the Lockie Cup.

Techs had finished as runners-up in Devon Two, the David Butt Memorial Trophy and the Devon Junior Vase.

And it looked like they once again might miss out on a winners’ trophy when they trailed DSHOB 21-8 at the break in Wednesday night’s Lockie Cup final.

But they dug deep and eventually triumphed 31-28 in a physical encounter at the Rectory.

“We did show massive character,” said Bedford-Smith.

“We had lost by two points on the Saturday (in the Devon Junior Vase final) and then found ourselves 21-8 down half-time, but still came back to win. That just shows the character of this side.

“They really showed massive heart.

“Also our fitness told. Once we got it to 21-21, people were saying ‘they’ve scored more tries so they (DHSOB) will win’, but I knew we would go on and win it because of our fitness.”

He added: “It must have been a good final for people watching.

“To be fair, DHS played a great game. They really put everything into it and made it a great final.”

Beford-Smith told his team at half-time that they had to get back to basics.

“The game-plan was not to kick loose ball at them as they are going to run it back,” he said. “They have got big runners and we were giving them ball and almost playing their game a bit.

“At half-time we just said ‘let’s get back to basics, let’s pick-and-go and drive it and make some ground and give the ball out when we have to and not just for the sake of it’.

“We just had to start working our way up the pitch. We know we can do that with our pick-and-go game and we knew if we did that they would give penalties away.

“But, like I said, there is a lot of character in this side. We’d lost two other cup finals, only one on Saturday, we’d lost Paul (Ansell with a broken arm) and we also had at least six players who would be pushing for places missing, but got the win.”