FOLLOWING defeats in their pre-season friendlies, a threadbare Watchet Town 11 suffered a similar hammering to last season when they visited Nailsea United for their first game of the new campaign in the Premier Division of the Uhlsport Somerset County Football League last Saturday.

The visitors were no match for their title hopeful hosts who finished third last time out, losing only once in the league and were cup winners in one competition and runners-up in another.

Watchet almost provided an early shock when an audacious long range effort from fully 40 yards by Charley Clausen saw the keeper stranded off his line but the ball came back out off the crossbar. It proved to be only a prelude to largely one-way traffic which saw Nailsea build a 5-0 lead by the halftime break.

Another ruthless burst of penetrating raids and smart finishing took the score to 8-0 before Watchet rallied briefly with Charley Clausen curling home a free kick from 25 yards and Billy Jones nodding home from Jari High's inviting delivery from the left.

New keeper Jack Harding made some good saves as the visitors strove to keep the scoreline below last season's 11-1 drubbing but a ninth goal was added in the closing stages before a header from point blank range from a last minute corner thudded against the bar as Watchet were spared the ignominy of conceding double figures again, albeit with more than half their line-up lacking experience at County League level.

Watchet Town: Jack Harding, Olly Webber, Harry Crossman, Charley Clausen, Jari High, Aerron Clausen, Billy Jones, Alfie Cox, Lewis Clavey, Benji Gant, Chase Clausen.

The Red & Blacks continue their tough opening of away games with a visit to last season's Division One champions Congresbury, who did not play last weekend, with more players unavailable.