Ottery St Mary failed to score for the second successive Saturday when they drew 0-0 at Otterton, but Otters boss Dave Fairweather was able to enjoy a couple of big positives from the game.

He explained saying: “The biggest plus from the game was that for the first time this season I was able to sit back and enjoy watching the fact that what the lads delivered on the pitch was precisely what we had worked on in midweek training.

“The fact that Otterton only had two chances – and both were from set-piece situations – is testament to how well we kept our shape defensively.”

As for the other positive it was the fact that the Otters kept their first away clean sheet of the campaign with Ben Rushton, once again deputising for injured regular glovesman Hugh Court, doing the business between the posts.

So, was it a point gained or two lost? Fairweather said: “Given that we had seven players out and then lost two of the lads in the second half to over-zealous challenges, I’d call it very much a point gained.”

Things are improved this Saturday on the player front with the return of influentiaol duo Jake Allen and James Gosney.

With Court still likely to be out with his on-going shoulder injury, Ruchton will once again play in goal.

There is a doubt about skipper Matt Daly. On the Daly situation, Fairweather says: “Matt [Daly] is an extraordinary footballer. He’s the other side of 50 and yet I have not known him miss a single game in the eight years I have known him.

“He’s an example to all the younger players as to how long you can continue to play – and contribute – if you keep yourself in shape.

“Even now, at his grand young age, his desire to play and then commitment to the cause when he gets on the pitch, is second to none.”