Durham and Blackmore net trebles as Ottery U14s make winning start to 2020

Freddie Clarke in action for Ottery St Mary U14s during the win over Okehampton. Picture: STEPHEN UPSHER (Image: Archant)

Hat-tricks from George Durham and Jake Blackmore helped the side to their biggest win of the season to date and it means that the Otters start the year sitting second in the table, three points behind leaders Alphington, and with two games in hand.

The Otters were quickly into their stride and there were just three minutes on the clock when Sam Gleeson fired them ahead.

It was soon 2-0 for, when a Finn Upsher effort came back off the bar, Jake Johnson stabbed the ball home.

Okehampton looked to respond, but Fin Giles, deputising for Rowan Hewitt at the heart of the Ottery defence, made sure opportunities to get a sight of goal were few and far between!

Upsher was twice denied by fine saves before Johnson netted his second, heading home a Tom Bennett corner on 22 minutes. Four minutes later Blackmore got his first and the Otters went into the break with a 5-0 lead thanks to Freddie Clarke finish.

Durham replaced Johnson at the interval and quickly made it six and then, after an Okehampton defender turned a Sam Gleeson cross into his own net, Durham struck again to make it 8-0.

Ottery coach Addy Carpenter made changes, pushing the ever dependable skipper Fin Lashbrook up front and giving keeper Jack Hembrow a chance to shine in an outfield berth.

Ollie Milton made it 9-0 before Durham secured his hat-trick with a 25-yard strike before a late double from Blackmore wrapped up the scoring.

Boss Carpenter said: "The boys performed well and, a side of wanting a few more goals - we certainly could have scored more - I couldn't really ask for anything else from them."

This Saturday (January 11), the Otters entertain Crediton.