Ottery St Mary moved to the top of the Macron League Division Four table after a 3-0 home win over St Martins.

The result also delivered for the Otters a first clean sheet of the season, something that realty pleased boss Dave Fairweather who said: “The three points were good of course, but for me the clean sheet topped it all. We have spent the past month on how we defended when we don’t have the ball and, to a player, the lads all did their jobs on Saturday.”

The Otters boss continued: “I also feel a big factor in both the performance and result was the previous outing against Witheridge Reserves who gave a great display ion how a team playing as one will generally always see off a team that does not play as one and instead seeks to get results through the play of one or two ‘stars’.

“Eleven players working for each other for the same end is so much better and that’s what we saw against St Martins.”

Despite having eight of the first team squad unavailable, the Otters still managed to put the Saints to the sword and goals from Conner Lovering, Tom Bushby and Ben Rushton, sealed the three points.

Next up is Saturday’s meeting with a Thorverton side that are the only team in the division to sport a perfect 100 per cent record having won all four games they have played so far.

Fairweather says: “It is a massive game. We are through one third of our league matches already and now come up against a Thorverton sided that must be full of confidence.

“That said, there is no reason for us to fear anyone in the division. We are a young side and are, by definition, inexperienced, but sometimes that can work for you and I am expecting the real Ottery St Mary to turn up for Saturday’s game and hopefully, our faithful supporters will see a cracking game.”

The Otters have just Matt Daley and Shane England – both holidaying – absent from an otherwise full strength squad for the Thorverton game which kicks off at 3pm.

Ottery ladies were involved in a thrilling county cup tie on Sunday. The Otterettes went down by the off goal in nine.

Louise Ilsey scored another hat-trick and the other Otterettes goal came from Georgina Horn.