Paulsgrove 0, Otterbourne 1

OTTERBOURNE produced an excellent performance to win at highly-rated Paulsgrove in Sydenhams Wessex League Division 3 on Saturday, but it's not just the players in the first team that should get the credit.

"There's competition for places all round," explained manager Terry Chapman. "All three of our senior sides have won for two weeks running now, which is quite a rare occurrence.

"And there are plenty of players with first-team experience in the Reserves who are desperate to get back in the first team again.

"Overall, things look very rosy at the moment."

One of the reasons Chapman is so happy is the good form of youngster Jamie Nash, who has recently broken through from the Reserves and has plagued opposing defences with his pace.

On Saturday Nash set out his stall early on, skinning a defender to reach a Gareth Mead through-ball and set up Steve Trott, who fired over the bar.

Mead, Pete Kelly and James Bedford were effective in central midfield and with youngster Adrian Delanougerede equally impressive on the right flank Paulsgrove rarely threatened.

The hosts did cause problems from set-pieces and on the break, and Duncan Farmery produced one fine save to deny them, but Otterbourne had more than their share of the game.

The all-important goal came three minutes from time. Nash broke through on the right, and he crossed for Bedford to net his seventh goal in nine midfield appearances.

Otters could even have had a late second when Trott surged to the bye-line to tee up Nash. But the ball took a wicked bounce as the young striker shaped to shoot, and he was unable to find the target.