Otters all set for Bill Slee Cup test at Halwill

Ottery St Mary suffered a 3-1 defeat in their Macron Devon and Exeter League Division Three match at Otterton.

Ottery St Mary suffered a 3-1 defeat in their Macron Devon and Exeter League Division Three match at Otterton.

Corey Ringer (sponsored by VA Garments) scored the Otters goal and there was an impressive shift put in by Tom Badcott (sponsored by Nationwide Rentals), making his debut for the team and playing out of his regular position.

Ottery boss Dave Fairweather said of the defeat: “Sadly, without wanting to sound like a cracked record, it’s a case of ‘same old/same old’ in as much as yet again we have paid a heavy price for a combination of errors at both ends of the pitch. I know what is wrong – it is a confidence thing and the only way to improve the confidence is to play your way out of it.

“It is disheartening for defenders when front men miss gilt-edged chances, but equally it is also disheartening for front men when defenders make basic errors.”

He continued: “Players don’t do it on purpose, but we really do need to show greater awareness at both ends. So often players will watch a ball being challenged for and not be thinking of the second ball or where they perhaps should be if the ball breaks a certain way. Hopefully the issue will register soon with enough of the players to enable us to take control of matches and get a run of wins under our belts.”

The Otters are back in action tomorrow when they visit Halwill for a Bill Slee Cup tie (2pm).

Fairweather says: “We have unfinished business with the Bill Slee Cup, which we reached the final of last season [that final game was actually played a couple of weeks ago when the Otters lost 4-1 to Kentisbeare]. They [Hawill] play in the division above us and so it’s a tough game, but we coped well with similar tests in the cup last season and I am looking forward to seeing the team wash last Saturday’s mistakes out of the system!”

There was better news for Otters followers with regard to the Under-18 side, who were emphatic 11-1 winners when they entertained Brixington Blues at Washbrook Meadow. Harry Churchill led the scoring honours with four goals and George Penman bagged a hat-trick.

The other Ottery goals came from Ben Rutter (2), Callum Crow and Caleb Earley.

In other Ottery news this week, the club announced the confirmed signings of two more players, one for the men’s team and one for the ladies’ team.

Centre back Adam Brook, who moved to Ottery midway through last season, has confirmed he wants to stick around and this season he will be sponsored by The Purple Company and the Otterettes have completed the signing of Bex Wilson, who will be sponsored by Exe Gins.