Friendlies

Okehampton 1

Ottery Crickets B 0

Okehampton entertained Ottery Crickets in their last friendly before the league start this weekend. Oke should have took confidence from the way they finished the previous game against Tavistock but the first half of this encounter saw the home side struggle to put any kind of passing game together.

Returning goalkeeper Andy Harvey produced a stunning reflex stick save to deny the visitors.

Oke rarely threatened at all but the hosts did have a Mark Parsons goal disallowed and excellent defending from Sam Spry and stand-in right back and man of the match James Rogers kept the away side out.

Okehampton looked a much improved side in the second half and more balanced in their midfield, they started to dominate possession and looked a lot more threatening. Brett Lawson picked out Josh Speak whose flick from the edge of the area went just over the bar.

Greg Williams found Andrew Paterson whose effort went just wide before Williams cut the defence open to find Chris Luxton, who slotted home past the despairing goalkeeper.

Paterson then turned provider finding Parsons unmarked in the area, but his touch goalwards rebounded back into play off the post before being cleared to safety.

Okehampton never looked under pressure at the back in the second half which was a testament to how well the midfield improved their performance in the second half.

n This week Okehampton travel to play Minehead, push off at 2pm.  

Ottery Crickets B 1

Okehampton A 4

OKEHAMPTON started the better with quick passing and good movement made the home team chasing the ball and it was not long until the visitors took the lead.

Jake Lloyd scored, getting onto a rebound from a short corner. Lloyd soon doubled the score after a good solo run before driving the ball into the net.

Lloyd then turned provider with a good through ball to Josh Balsdon who scored a neat reverse sweep to make the scores 3-0.

After scoring the third, complacency crept into the Okehampton side, giving the ball away cheaply and losing their shape which allowed Ottery Crickets into the game and they eventually got a consolation goal when the home side outnumbered Okehampton's defence leaving the Ottery striker free on goal.

The goal would only prove to be a consolation as just moments later Okehampton found the net for the fourth time after a superb 30 yard pass from James Speak found Adam Cockayne free to tap the ball in.

There was time for Ottery to have one more chance on Okehampton's goal but were denied but a superb diving save by keeper Pete Sim.

Oke men of the match were James Speak and Josh Balsdon. 

This was a good result for Okehampton against higher league opposition and will hope more of the same in the league.