WATCHET let two points slip from their grasp on Saturday at the Memorial Ground when they were held to a draw by Paulton Rovers Reserves.

Leading 2-0 with ten minutes to go, the Red and Blacks appeared to be heading for their third league win in a row but were pegged back by two late goals.

Paulton fielded a much changed and more experienced side than the one Watchet beat quite convincingly earlier in the season, and they were unfortunate to go in behind at the interval.

As in their previous home outing Watchet struggled with their touch, passing and cohesion, and their work rate was not as high as at Cheddar.

After a settling-in period Paulton looked more like the home side for much of the first half in terms of possession and territorial advantage, with Watchet's only consolation being that they did not give their opponents much in the way of clearcut openings.

Apart from Nick Criddle showing his customary aerial supremacy from some long throw-ins delivered by Andrew Woodward and John Harris, the Red and Blacks seldom threatened.

Paulton's keeper had not really been extended when Watchet took the lead against the run of play as half-time approached.

Paul Raymond's pass forward bounced up on the edge of the area and Harris beat a defender and the advancing keeper to it to send a header into the vacant net.

Watchet improved after the break and at last looked capable of scoring goals from some constructive moves.

Harris drove an angled shot just wide of the far post after being played in on the right by Steve Wild and Lawrence Monaghan almost cashed in again on defensive uncertainty.

Darren Lyons immediately looked lively after coming on as substitute and he and Wild drove shots wide of the far post following build-ups down the right.

Just over midway through the half Watchet increased their lead when Monaghan's diagonal pass was not instantly controlled by Wild, but he retrieved the situation with a cross from the byeline which found Lyons unmarked to score with a downward header from six yards.

Once Steve Moore had made a fine save to deny Chard as he broke into the area, with Dave Spence mopping up the loose ends, it seemed as if Watchet were home and dry as the visitors appeared to have run out of ideas.

But an unexpected twist turned things around and it all went wrong for Watchet in the last ten minutes.

Firstly the referee ignored the linesman's flag, allowing Rogers to go through, and although Moore did well to parry his shot Chard netted from the rebound.

This gave Paulton the hint of encouragement they required and in time added on for stoppages they forced a corner which Watchet failed to deal with and Rogers turned to shoot through a posse of players and make the final score 2-2.

Watchet: S Moore, D Spence, M Clausen, G Trunks, A Woodward, P Raymond, N Criddle, M Knowles, L Monaghan, J Harris, S Wild; subs D Lyons, S Lobley and J Munro.

l Watchet take a break from league fixtures tomorrow when they are at home to Wrington Redhill in the second round of the Somerset County Cup (ko 2 p.m.).