Stunning Start for the Otters
The first two months of the Devon Football League could hardly have gone better for Ottery St Mary, as they enter lockdown proudly sitting top of the South & West Division.
After a positive pre-season, the Otters laid down an impresive marker by trouncing Kingsteignton Athletic 5-1 on the opening weekend. It was a great result against a side dominating the division when the first lockdown came into force.
The fabulous form continued with a 6-1 defeat of Watcombe Wanderers under the floodlights at Washbrook Meadow. Ashley Small grabbed a brace and there were further goals from Jordan Burrows, Liam Carey, Dan Gill and Connor Swingler. It was certainly no fluke, as proven by an 8-1 demolition of Waldon Athletic in the next outing and Torbay clubs left thoroughly haunted by a trip to this corner of East Devon.
The Otters dropped their first points of the campaign in a 1-1 draw with Okehampton Argyle, another side enjoying an inspired start to the season. If that was considered a possible break in momentum, Billy Rouse’s team was quickly back on the bike, winning 3-0 at Bere Alston with a brace from Peter Grover and a Ryan Burrows’ strike.
Ottery then showed they can still win when not finding their top form, battling past Plymouth Argyle Development with a 2-1 victory. The normal rhythm returned with a 4-0 win in the return fixture with Kingsteignton. Grover scored in the opening minute and the lead was doubled by Teirnan West notching from close-range. Daniel Gills and Grover completed the win.
Totnes & Dartington were swept aside with a 3-0 triumph and another clean sheet for the impressive Jacob O’Callaghan, as the Otters stretched to a four-point lead at the top. Grover bagged another brace in the 3-0 win over Paignton Villa and Lakeside Athletic were next on the menu, easily defeated in a 5-0 success. Ottery ended their superb sequence with a 2-1 victory at Roselands and will resume with a four-point lead over Buckland Athletic Reserves, the only side boasting a 100% record in the division.
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