OKEHAMPTON Argyle manager Richard Washburn has declared that his side have now “certainly turned a corner” in their 2025/26 campaign.

The South West Peninsula season began for them with four defeats on the bounce and eight in the first nine, a far from ideal way to get underway.

A more recent run of three consecutive wins, between October and November, is the evidence to support Washburn’s claim.

With “the club on the right path now”, Washburn assured that “the league position has to improve” heading into the second half of the season.

At the time of writing, Okehampton are 12th in the Premier East division and, whilst Torrington AFC and Teignmouth AFC are hot on their heels, they themselves have the likes of Ilminster Town, Crediton United and Honiton Town in their sights.

There are just 11 points between sixth-placed Torridgeside AFC and Teignmouth in 14th so there is plenty of scope for the landscape to shift.

From an Argyle point of view, the slight concern would be the games played column. They have played the most thus far, tied with rock-bottom Axminster Town and ninth-placed Honiton on 17. Meanwhile, those around them have played 13 or more, which could see some catch them up and others move further clear.

This isn’t a concern for the Argyle manager though with their target being crystal clear: “We look at the fixtures that we lost and we’re looking to now reverse them around in our favour, targeting each team play we move now for the second time and we can get the three points.”

At the same time, Washburn was very frank in his assessment of the opening weeks of their campaign.

“There were some dark days. Even myself, I was sort of doubting myself one or two times if I’m honest with you. The journeys home were tough, I’d be scratching my head but football is really good, there’s always another game.

“I’m quite good at refocusing on the next game and the players, mentally, have learned from that.

“There were players who were struggling and were probably questioning their own decisions and they won’t say this now but they would have learned so much from those early games. It was tough as a group but they’re a good group, a really good group of players.”

On several occasions, the scorelines didn’t match the performances. Two trips to South Devon to face Newton Abbot Spurs and Bovey Tracey AFC ended in defeat, from which the Argyle players will have felt hard done by. Frustrations were especially high after undeservedly shipping four to Bovey.

This was a common theme across the board as well: “The opening eight or nine games, the league table didn’t represent how we were doing. It was tight margins, we were always losing games by the odd goal.”

An unsettled and uncertain squad in the opening weeks made life difficult for Washburn and co but once the group became more established and more familiar with each other, it paid dividends.

Reasons for optimism are evident now and in the words of Washburn, “As I’ve said and keep saying, the boys have turned a corner and they don’t fear anybody.

“They showed that in the Vase game against Sturminster. Sturminster knew they were in a game and every team we play now will know they’re in a game. We’re not easy to pick off.”

Looking into particular fixtures of importance and to go away to rivals Crediton United and win by three goals to nil is some achievement. From the outside looking in, that was a notable result and the same can be said for the Oke team.

“When we have a talk as a group we quote the Crediton game, away in the derby, that level of football, desire, mentality and strength with a clean sheet and scoring goals, plus the discipline.

“That’s the level we’ve set ourselves now and we won’t let that drop.”

Washburn continued, “Okay, we’ve played teams in and around us but they’re fighting for points just like we are. Sometimes that can be difficult, playing those types of games.”

As alluded to there, they’ve picked up points primarily against sides in the bottom half but that can create a foundation to build off, putting five past Bishops Lydeard and Axminster hopefully boosting the Argyle confidence levels going into an intriguing winter period.