Ottery St Mary 2nds and the ‘great escape’ - how can it be achieved?
Dan Flower digs out a yorker during the Ottery St Mary 2nd XI win over Bradninch 2nds. Picture STEVE BIRLEY - Credit: Archant
So how do Ottery St Mary 2nds escape the drop out of the Tolchards Devon League C Division East?
The Otters head into the final round of matches in the 18 game season sitting just outside the bottom three - sitting one point better off than third bottom Bideford 2nds and two better off than third bottom Countess Wear.
What's more, with just 10 points separating second bottom Countess Wear from fifth placed Bradninch it means that no fewer than five teams go into the last day of the season unsure as to which division they will grace in 2020!
In terms of the final day games:
Bradninch (currently fifth on 197 points) entertain champions North Devon, who have won every game they have played this season; Woodbury & Newton St Cyres (currently sixth with 195 points) host a Sidmouth III side that is guaranteed of finishing as the divisional runners-up.
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Ottery St Mary 2nds (currently seventh with 189 points) travel to Bideford 2nds (currently eighth with 188 points) and Countess Wear (currently ninth with 187 points) travel to face an Upottery 2nd XI who are already assured of a bottom spot finish and the Glebe Park men are resigned to starting next season in the F Division East. As to who will join Upottery in the lower division really is anyone's guess!
In the reverse fixtures of the final day matches, Bradninch got 10 points in losing at North Devon; Countess Wear picked up 20 in thrashing Upottery; Bideford picked up 20 to Ottery's eight when the pair met in East Devon and Woodbury & Newton St Cyres banked nine in losing at Sidmouth III. 'IF' those result were repeated on the last matchday of the season then the final table would read:
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5th Bideford 2nds 208
6th Countess Wear 207
7th Bradninch 207
8th Woodbury 204
9th Ottery 197
10th Upottery 92
However, for Ottery, the mission is clear, win at Bideford and match the points total of Countess Wear and they will be assured of finishing outside the bottom three.
