Ottery St Mary petanque team played their penultimate match in this season’s Devon League campaign when they went down 3-2 in their meeting with Isca at Strawberry Lane.

The Otters made an unusually poor start as they were beaten in both opening triples.

John and Rose Thatcher, playing with John Manley, were edged out 13-12 before Derek Hansen, Jamie Richardson and Pete Marles were beaten 13-10.

That all left the Otters needing to win all three of the doubles ties to bag an overall win and consolidate their position at the top of the Devon League table.

They made the ideal start as John Manley and Pete Marles recorded a 13-7 success.

The overall match score was then levelled up at 2-2 as John and Rose Thatcher claimed a 13-8 success.

It was all down to the final double with regard to the match outcome. Sadly, for the Otters, despite leading at one stage 11-8, Derek Hansen and David Thomas were hit by their opponents powering back with a five point end to snatch the game 13-11.

The Otters did bank two points from the match to maintain their splendour lead and their final match in the league campaign will take them away to Plymouth.