Devon & Exeter Senior 1 League North Tawton 2 Okehampton 1st 6 THIS local derby was played in a really determined spirit by both teams. North Tawton were determined to make things difficult for Okehampton and played the better football during the first 45 minutes, but it was Okehampton that scored first on 35 minutes. Steve Williams showed a great turn of pace to get in behind the full-back and square the ball back for Steve Kinsey to score from close range. North Tawton responded well and equalised from a corner just before half-time. The second half got underway with North Tawton playing down the slope. With the wind behind them they took the lead within five minutes of the restart. Okehampton were forced to make a change when their left back Kevin Gill picked up an injury. Okehampton opted to play three at the back and push substitute Mark Burdus into midfield. This seemed to turn the game on its head and Okehampton were soon level through Steve Williams after Chris Wills played a superb ball down the right flank. North Tawton pressed again but were denied on several occasions by some alert goalkeeping from Daniel Malcolm having to play a bit of a sweeper?s role behind a defence of Graham Soby, James Williams and Chris Wills. Okehampton?s third goal came when Steve Kinsey cleverly chested the ball into Adam Mortimore?s path and he hit an unstoppable shot into the far corner. Okehampton dominated play for the last 20 minutes and everyone wanted to get on the score-sheet. Robert Sandercock played a good ball in to Mortimore for his second goal. Shaun Sandercock saved well from Mortimore only for Steve Williams to knock in the rebound and make it five for Okehampton. The best was saved for last when Mortimore received the ball with his back to goal and somehow juggled it around to fire in Okehampton?s sixth and complete a superb hat-trick. Devon & Exeter Senior One League Willand Rovers 0 Okehampton 1st 5 OKEHAMPTON maintained their unbeaten run in the league with this splendid result. Okehampton started well and soon put Willand under pressure with some good possession football, but found the young Willand goalkeeper difficult to beat in the early exchanges. Adam Mortimore opened the scoring. Mortimore added a second just before the interval when the ball rebounded off the Willand goal after a defensive mix up. Playing under floodlights for most of the second half Okehampton ran Willand ragged. Mark Burdus marshalled his defence well and this allowed Mathew Mortimore, James Williams and Chris Wills to carry the ball out and link up with a very lively mid-field of Mathew King, Phillip Evans, Steve Kinsey and Robert Sandercock, Young Mathew Mortimore scored Okehampton?s third goal when he picked up the ball in his own half and jinked his way into the Willand area, unleashing a shot that deflected past the keeper. Adam Mortimore completed his second successive hat-trick. Okehampton?s fifth and final goal came when Phillip Evans picked out Mathew King on the right wing. King rounded his marker, finding Robert Sandercock in the space to convert. Okehampton travel to Newtown this week.
