Axminster Reserves, favourites to win promotion in the first season back in Devon & Exeter League football, consolidated their position at the top of Division Two East with a 9-1 victory over East Budleigh 2nds.

Having come out of the league for just one season, Axe had to drop down a level on re-entry and with the squad that manager Dan Prettejohn having put together, Ottery St Mary 2nds look like the only club likely to challenge them for the Division Two title . Axminster beat them 4-2 when they met earlier in the season and so far this season Axe have knocked in 35 goals with only four against.

Axminster will be anxious for their Reserves to travel though the league to a place in the Premier East Division so the gap between first and second X1s is not so wide and it would seem the current squad are more than capable of achieving that.

Against East Budleigh, the Tigers came out of the blocks with all guns firing and stormed to 5-0 lead at half-time.

Manager Dany Prettejohn was disappointed they took their foot off the gas in the second half with the with sixth goal not coming until the 65 minute. But they put the game to bed with three more strikes before the final whistle. East Budleigh's consolation goals came late in the game.

Sam Winslade and Tom Edwards grabbed themselves a hat-trick with Axe's other goals coming from Ryan Vickery, James Girton and a first senior goal for 16-year-old Kyle Williams. Tom Edwards was named man-of-the-match.

This coming Saturday (October 31st) Axminster Reserves are at home to Cranbrook 1sts who are in sixth place in Division Two East with eight points from sixth games.