Ottery St Mary manager Billy Rouse has said he ‘couldn’t be happier’ following his team’s great start to the 2020-21 season.

The Otters, who scored a late equaliser in Wednesday night’s 1-1 draw at home to Okehampton Argyle, are unbeaten in four starts so far in this new league season which leaves them sitting proudly top of the Scott Richards Solictors Devon League South West Division table.

Rouse said: “The lads have applied themselves really well and it’s showed on the pitch.”

It is a remarkable start for Rouse and the team considering the manager was only appointed in the summer and the squad has undertaken a major overhaul.

Rouse added: “I have said before, it [joining the club] was an unknown so I didn’t know what to expect.

“I always backed my Cronies lads and I’ll do the same here at Ottery. However, at the moment it’s just a great start. We have to keep on building.”

One aspect of Ottery’s start has been their goalscoring with them notching a superb 19 in their first three games.

Rouse said: “It’s been pleasing to knock in some goals, especially from subs who have been influencing the game, but realistically I’d take a 1-0 win all day long.

“We had two tough fixtures in Kingsteignton Athletic and Watcombe Wanderers, so it was great to see us get the goals that our performance deserved.

“Waldon Athletic are in transition, but credit to our lads we made it really difficult for them.”

Speaking on the eve of their match against Okehampton Arglye, Rouse said: “Oke are a side who I fully expect to be near the top of the table come the end of the season so it’s going to be a very tough fixture.”

The games come thick and fast for the Otters and they are back in action tomorrow (September 19) when they travel to Bere Alston United.

Bere are 13th in the early standings having lost both of their opening games, but with a 60-mile journey between the two clubs, it is more than just the opposition Rouse has to worry about.

He said: “It’s a long journey for us and although they’ve lost their opening two games, it has been by small margins so they will be tough to break down.

“Points will be dropped by all teams throughout the season but our journey home will be much sweeter if we manage to get three points!”