The Sidmouth and Ottery (SOHC) men’s team had a Saturday to forget as they signed off for a festive break.

With the ladies teams all sitting out the match day – they, like the men, return to league action on the second Saturday of the New Year – the spotlight fell on the men’s teams with four of the five elevens in action.

Unfortunately, and for the second time this season, all four who played lost – the other time this happened was back on October 31.

The first team lost 4-0 at home to North Somerset and they have reached the festive break having won five, drawn three and lost seven of the 15 games they have played to date.

The second team went down 6-2 at Taunton and that means they have reached the halfway point of their campaign having won just the one league game, that an October 10, 2-1 Sidmouth success against Torbay. The second eleven has lost eight and drawn one of the nine matches they have played since that win over Torbay.

The third eleven lost by the smallest margin – beaten 1-0 away at Ashmoor A. The thirds have now won just once since an early October win at Dart A. That sole success was at ECVH B on November 14 and the team has not won at home since the opening league game of the season, a 3-2 win at Ottery St Mary over Ashmoor A.

The fourth team were without a game last week. Their first half season results have seen them win twice, once at home and once on the road and they have lost the other six games they have played.

The fifth team are the side who can be rather pleased with their results for they have played 10 games so far, winning four, drawing one and losing five. They were beaten 1-0 at East Devon last Saturday, a loss that ended a run of three games without defeat.