Singular soccer side's incentive (4)

I believe the answer is:

spur

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'incentive' is the definition.
(an incentive spurs someone on)

'singular soccer side's' is the wordplay.
'singular' becomes 's' (abbreviation sometimes used in dictionaries).
'soccer side's' becomes 'pur' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
's'+'pur'='SPUR'

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(Other definitions for spur that I've seen before include "Strong incentive" , "Stimulate" , "Incite to action" , "Impetus" , "Cowboy's goading instrument" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

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