Today I travelled to Washbrook Meadows for the Ottery St Mary versus Galmpton Gents game in Division One East. I was expecting a feast of goals - and I have to admit that I thought that high-flying Galmpton would rip apart the lowly Otters. I did see a goal-feast - but the game was decided in the south Devonians' favour courtesy of a contentious header in injury-time.
Galmpton won 4-3 and I heard one of their party say it was their most ugly win of the season.
The ground has a hard-surfaced car-park, and a training pitch is used to accommodate more vehicles. There is a tidy social club, access to which on matchdays is only via the pay gate to the game. Admission was £2.50 which included an excellent programme which boasted a blue cover and featured items such as information about Galmpton, statistics, team line-ups and a report on a game involving Ottery under-11s.
The pitch has a steep end-to-end slope. At the bottom - lower - end is the social club and along one side is a quaint, old grandstand and the dugouts. The ground has floodlights and plenty of hard standing.
Trees line a lot of the ground - and behind the trees which provide the backdrop to the top goal is another pitch on which a game (I am not sure if this was an Ottery second-string fixture) was taking place. After the final whistle in that game, the players changed in a building - which resembled a small cricket pavilion - beyond the bottom end of the 1st XI pitch.
The Peninsula League match saw Ottery play down the slope in the first half, which ended 2-2. All these goals came between the 15th and 30th minutes, the hosts going ahead twice.
The Otters regained the lead on the hour but Galmpton equalised with about 12 minutes remaining.
Torrential rain fell during the closing stages but the match looked to be heading for a draw, which would have been the fairest result. However, the Gents scored a dramatic, late goal to pinch the points, even though Ottery claimed their keeper had been fouled.
Once again I cannot fault the groundhopping experience so I shall give Ottery ten out of ten today. The facilities are excellent for this standard of football, I enjoyed the programme and the game was a cracker. The attendance was around 40.

6th Feb 2010

Ottery St Mary 1 Liverton United 4

Brad Cooke scored the only goal for the 10 man Ottery after Harry Mills had been harshly sent off. The otters battled well in the first half and Liverton made them pay although the score line did flatter the away side.

2nd Jan 09

Bickleigh 5 Ottery St Mary 8

An incredible result at Happy Meadow this afternoon as the Otters got the new year off to a flyer. Nick Murrey Scoring 5 , Niall Martin, Brad Cooke and Joe Hawes getting the others.

Report to follow.

Happy New Year

From Everyone at Ottery St Mary F C

roberts

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