Ottery St Mary Reserves went down 8-0 at Ashwater and so they continue to sit bottom of Fresha League Division Eight without a win of any sorts to their name this season.

However, boss Dave Fairweather remains remarkably upbeat. He says: “We have to remember we are a reserve team and therefore we are rarely going to be able to field a consistent team as the senior side (Ottery first team) quite rightly, call up players as and when. That said we try and work hard in training and put the emphasis on ball possession – something that I feel is very important. It is also a huge thing for me that players enjoy what they are doing. Last Saturday (the 8-0 defeat to Ashwater) was typical of how things are going for us right now. For the first 20 minutes we were so much in the contest that we were actually the better side. Then we ship a goal to a set-piece and, within 10 minutes we are four down and its then game over! That has happened before this season and, with such a young side – the average age of our back four at the moment ifs 19 – it’s very much down to a lack of experience or defensive ‘nowse’. Heads got down very quickly when you are a younger player and everything seems to be going against you. It would nice if we could get ourselves in front in a game for I think we would then see a very different Ottery St Mary Reserve side.”

Tomorrow (October 24), the Otters second team entertain K&M Polonia at Washbrook Meadow (3pm).

Fairweather says: “It’s a game we can win – aren’t they all – or at least the lads should always be of the mind set at kick-off that they are in a game that they can win. I just hope we can get that all important first goal!”

An Ottery win tomorrow would end a run of six straight defeats this season in which time they have conceded 24 goals and scored just three – one of which came in a Fresha League game!