Ottery St Mary are gearing up for their new Devon Football League season with a run of pre-season fixtures.
The Otters have played three friendlies in a week starting with a 6-3 win at Liverton last Thursday (August 20).
Goals from Ashley Small, Danny Pym, Matt Webb, Charlie Cox and a brace from Ryan Burrows secured the win.
Manager Billy Rouse said: “We dominated the game but credit to Liverton who scored an absolute worldie from just inside our half which shocked us a bit and we let them back into the game.
“However, we weathered the storm and then ran out worthy winners.”
Following the win, they then travelled to Elmore Reserves on Saturday (August 22) and again secured a high-scoring victory of 4-1.
Ashley Small was the star man having scored a hat-trick whilst Jack Hobday scored the other.
On Wednesday Small continued his rich vein of scoring form with a brace in a 3-1 win at Joma Devon & Exeter League Premier Division outfit Colyton.
With the first day of the new season now rapidly approaching on September 5, tomorrow (August 29) sees the Otters play their last pre-season fixture when they host Alphington.
Speaking of the challenge of coming to grips with a new league, Rouse said: “I’m new to this league but the football circle is small and it’s nice to know a couple of people down in the South Devon area that know that league.
“However, it’ll be more a case of asserting ourselves on the game and trying to be the dominant force whilst highlighting and adapting to any threats or tactics the other teams have.”
Both the development team and the reserves have also been in action with two games each.
The development team were 3-2 winners against Bradninch Reserves thanks to goals from Ben Rushton, Jaimie Jeffries and Dan Welch. They then fell to a 3-1 defeat on Tuesday (August 25) at Cullompton Rangers Reserves.
The reserves drew 0-0 against Paignton Villla followed by a 6-0 win over Teignmouth.
Ottery St Mary’s first team start their 2020/21 Devon Football League South and West Division campaign on Saturday, September 5 when they travel to Kingsteignton Athletic.
Their first home game of the season will come four days later when they host Watcombe Wanderers on Tuesday, September 9 at 7.30pm.
The Otters face a busy start to the new season with seven games in the opening 25 days.
They follow that first home game, the midweek meeting with Watcombe Wanderers with two more home games, entertaining first Walden Athletic (Sep 12) and then Okehampton Argyle (Sep 16). They then travel to Bere Alston (Sep 19) before hosting PAFC FITC Development (Sept 26) and they finish the month with a visit to Kingsteignton (Sep 30).
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