PLAYER-manager James Taylor struck twice as Team Solent opened their defence of the Southampton Senior Cup with a hard-earned 2-1 win over Hampshire Premier League high-fliers Otterbourne.

Taylor brought himself off the bench to cover for a first-half Mark Jordan injury and netted a 49th-minute diving header from Jim Orvis’s cross.

Dan Strange hit back for the Otters on 72 minutes, but Taylor had the last word six minutes later, pouncing at the back stick after Matt Sheedy’s cross had deflected into his path.

It was 40-year-old Taylor’s fifth goal of the season for his Sydenhams Premier charges – all of them scored as a sub.