Upottery Reserves played their final game of 2017 when they travelled to Silverton for a Macron League Division Six game and claimed a 4-0 success.

The previous meeting between the teams had seen the contest abandoned owing to an injury to a Silverton player that left the game being abandoned with Upottery 5-2 up.

There’s a slope on the Mid Devon club’s pitch and Upottery, on winning the toss, opted to play up the slope in the first half.

Silverton began well and only a smart save from Jake Welch – the Upottery glovesman scrambling the ball away from the goal line – denied them an early lead.

Upottery then took a foothold in the game and took a 25th minute lead thanks to a fine finish from Harry Leisk.

Shortly before half-time the score was doubled with a well-worked goal! It came after some neat approach play involving Owen McCreadie-Taylor and Cody Tratt-Skinner prior to a clinical finish from Brad Morris.

Five minutes into the second half Tratt-Skinner set up Jay Williams to make it 3-0. It was Harry Leisk who finished what he started as he used his pace to latch onto a precise through-ball to score his second of the game.

The final third of the match saw weather conditions . deteriorate and match referee did consider calling an early halt as both teams clearly struggled to get to grips with the elements. However, the man in the middle opted to battle on and the game went the distance.

The Upottery Man of the Match honours were shared between Adam Retter and Philip Derryman, but the whole team were worthy of the honour.

Manager Alex McCreadie-Taylor said: “We have found life tough in the higher division, but it’s a good challenge and, with new, young, talent joining the squad we can look to continue an upwardly mobile progress when the festivities are over and the action resumes in early January.”

He continued: “There has been a rise in morale of late, with a couple of great performances lifting everyone involved with the squad and I am very optimistic about our future.”