WATCHET lost out by the odd goal in nine when they entertained Channel Islanders First Tower United in a Somerset Senior Cup first round tie on Saturday.

In a see-saw encounter, the Red and Blacks recovered from a 4-2 deficit to take the match into extra time, and the prospect of a penalty shoot-out was looming when the Jersey side booked their passage into the next round with the winning goal in the 115th minute in gruelling conditions.

With Paul Raymond suspended and Lawrence Monaghan and Pat Dorrington injured, Watchet gave a first senior start to 16-year-old Mark Waygood as well as including three 15-year-olds in their squad.

Heavy overnight rain had put the game in doubt, and even though the surface water was cleared prior to kick-off, conditions were tiring and conducive to errors.

Defensive mistakes at both ends throughout were almost inevitable and helped add to the entertainment value for the large crowd of spectators.

Watchet drew first blood by taking an early lead. From Mark Clausen's long throw, Nick Criddle outjumped the keeper at the near post to nod the ball into the goalmouth where Dave Ridge placed his header beyond the covering defenders into the top corner.

First Tower were level almost immediately when sloppy home defending and failure to close down their best player led to him firing low into the net from ten yards.

Watchet regained the lead when David Ruddy's block tackle in midfield sent the ball spinning into the penalty area for Darren Lyons to control and send a shot wide of the keeper and just inside the far post.

The visitors' reply was again instant and in similar fashion with a carbon copy finish from the same player, who then missed an easier chance to put his side ahead before the interval after manoeuvring the opening himself.

The initiative slipped away from Watchet in the early part of the second half as First Tower scored twice to take control.

Watchet were punished for defensive errors on each occasion with Steve Moore left exposed, and it would have been worse soon afterwards but for a fine reflex save from the keeper following a free kick.

Criddle shot wide after Lyons had teed him up before the Red and Blacks' teenage substitutes played a large part in their revival.

Soon after coming off the bench, Stuart Cowling crossed for Jamie Munro to record his first senior goal with a looping header over the keeper.

Munro then applied a crisp finish to a sweeping move, only for a linesman's flag to rule out an equaliser.

The experience and tireless efforts of Steve Wild and Robbie Hopkins kept Watchet going forward and they were rewarded with less than five minutes of normal time remaining.

Criddle rose to nod down a long ball and Ben Saddington was in the right place to record his own 'first' by forcing the ball home from close range to make it 4-4.

The full-blooded commitment continued in extra time, even if the number of scoring chances lessened.

The one which mattered fell First Tower's way near the end, and fittingly the game's outstanding player skipped around a defender and Moore before slotting home from an acute angle.

Watchet: S Moore, W Merrick, D Spence, M Clausen, D Ruddy, M Waygood, R Hopkins, N Criddle, D Ridge, S Wild, D Lyons, subs S Cowling, J Munro, B Saddington, K Dodd, D Knight.

l Watchet face the daunting prospect of a visit to Shirehampton tomorrow with Rob Hopkins joining Lawrence Monaghan on the doubtful list.