South West Peninsula division one East

Ottery St Mary 1

Okehampton Argyle 6

FOUR goals from striker Adam Mortimer with Darren Prouse and Steve Williams also adding to the score card gave Argyle their first points of the season in this mid-week clash between two sides struggling at the foot of the table.

Okehampton controlled most of the game and put in a welcome improved performance against a young Ottery side.

It took the away side 15 minutes to settle before Mortimer rose to head home a Chris Wills' corner. Wills playing wide on the left had an impressive first half with several delightful runs and crosses and caused the Ottery defence all sorts of problems.

Although well in command the Okes missed a couple of chances to go further ahead and against the run of play Matt Preece equalised for the home side on the half hour with a well-taken strike through a ruck of players after the defenders struggled to clear the ball.

This seemed to spur the home side on and for the next ten minutes put Okehampton under some pressure, but Saul Scarry was rarely tested in goal due to some below par finishing. The visitors though soon settled back into their rhythm and with the aggressive trio of Pitts, Squire and Entwistle controlling the midfield Mortimer scored two well-taken goals in two minutes just before half time to complete his hat trick.

Although the Otters started the second half brightly again, they were unable to create many chances against a defence in which the rejuvenated Kev Gill obviously relished. But the rest of the half belonged to Okehampton. Although the young Otters put in plenty of honest endeavour they could not handle a rampant Okehampton side, who were playing with a rare confidence and belief in themselves.

On 70 minutes Argyle increased their lead when Mortimer rose above the defence to head a Matt Sanders free kick wide of the keeper for his fourth of the evening. Within a couple of minutes Williams added to the score with a simple tap in after the goalkeeper failed to collect a high ball into the box. With five minutes to go substitute Darren Prouse added a sixth to complete a much-needed victory for Okehampton.

South West Peninsula League division one East

Liverton United 4

Okehampton Argyle 1

ARGYLE started the match the stronger and things looked promising, but the game was only five minutes old when their captain and outstanding defender Graham Soby fell awkwardly and injured his back.

The game was then held up for 40 minutes while an ambulance was called and Graham taken to Torbay hospital.

Three minutes after the resumption of play, Liverton won a free kick on the edge of the Okehampton box, and Liam Ford curled in a fine goal. Moments later, Argyle keeper Saul Scarry was injured in a collision with a Liverton forward and had to leave the pitch, unable to take any further part in the match.

Manager Stuart Cann, who had just come on to replace the injured Soby was forced to don the keeper's gloves and George Pitts came on to play in the unaccustomed position of centre-half, where he had a fine game.

Most teams would have folded in the face of such adversity, but Okehampton kept trying to pull something out of the fire. Steve Kinsey was having an outstanding game in midfield and worked tirelessly throughout. Adam Mortimer was always a threat up front, but was facing a centre-half who seemed to get away with climbing all over him.

In the second half Argyle were desperately unlucky not to equalise when a beautifully weighted pass from Ed Squire sent Adam Mortimer clear of the defence only for his shot to fizz just wide of the post. Then on 70 minutes, Darren Prouse turned the Liverton defence inside out on the right of their box, and was brought down by Stefan Chubb. Fittingly Steve Kinsey stepped up to fire home a perfect spot kick.

However five minutes later, Liverton's Terry Mitchell rose above Argyle's defence to head home a cross from the right and soon after Stuart Bowker repeated the treatment by heading home a left wing cross.

The final result certainly did not reflect the amount of pressure exerted by Okehampton and credit is due to the whole squad for the way they battled against adversity.