Ottery St Mary completed a busy September with a 4-0 Wednesday night success over Kingsteignton in a game played under the Washbrook Meadow floodlights.

It’s testimony to the talent in the squad that Otters’ boss Billy Rouse has put together that they have reached the end of the first month of the campaign sitting top of the table – this after seven games in 25 days!

Pete Grover continued his rich vein of form and opened the scoring in the very first minute with a great finish after linking well with Liam Carey.

The lead was doubled when, after more pressure, a set-piece delivery by player-boss Billy Rouse was met by skipper Teirnan West who saw his initial effort blocked, but he reacted ahead of anyone else, to tuck the ball home.

There was an element of good fortune about the third goal, scored by Daniel Gills with his shot finding the net after being ‘fumbled’ by the visiting glovesman.

That left the Otters leading 3-0 at the break and, early in the second half it was 4-0 with Rouse again responsible for an assist, this time his free-kick being turned home by Grover, netting his sixth goal of the season in the process!

Liam Carey was unfortunate not to be on the scoresheet as he spurned a couple chances, but he was a constant thorn in the Kingsteignton side on his return from holiday.

Ottery boss Billy Rouse said: “We produced our best football of the season in the first half of this game.

“We were dominant and played some real scintillating stuff.

“If it wasn’t for some great goalkeeping and some ‘ordinary’, not to say ‘slack’ finishing, the score line would surely have been greater.

“Credit must go to Kingsteignton for they never gave in and finished the game strongly, “I’m sure they’ll make it difficult for some sides this season.”

The win means that Ottery stay top of the Scott Richards Solictors Devon League South & West table.

What’s more, the points tally as the team prepare for the start of a busy October – they travel to Totnes & Dartington on Saturday – this season’s Ottery team has already passed the total number of points last season’s Otters banked from an entire campaign!