After two losses in away matches, Ottery St Mary returned to Strawberry Lane and recorded a terrific home success over Plymouth Petanque Club, writes Dave West.

With the visitors having suffered just the one defeat prior to the match, the Otters hoped for a good start and they got just that thanks to a convincing 13-3 win in the opening triples for Dave West, Del Hansen and Jamie Richardson – the latter playing in his first league match.

The second triples also went the way of the home side John Thatcher, Peter Smith and Paul Puddicombe, winning 13-6.

The opening doubles underlined just how ‘on-form’ the home players were as John Thatcher and Paul Puddicombe recorded a whitewash success at 13-0!

In the next game, Dave West and Peter Smith were in a spot of trouble at 7-1 down, but six points gained on one single end levelled things up before the Ottery pair went onto record a 13-7 win.

In the remaining doubles Del Hansen and Jamie Richardson also came from behind to win 13-9.

It all added up to a superb 5-0 home victory for the Otters which keeps them top of the table.

The home side’s members provided a welcome buffet lunch after the match.

Plymouth thanked them for the hospitality together with a lesson in how to play petanque! The return match between the two clubs will be at Plymouth in September and by chance it will be the last league match of the season, and they promised to try harder in no uncertain manner!

This was a classic response that demonstrates the friendly rivalry in which the sport is played.