WATCHET’S first game in 2016 after a two-week lay-off due to bad weather saw them register their first draw of the season away to Bath side Odd Down Reserves.

The Red and Blacks deserved their point for a first half showing where they had the better chances, and they should have led at the interval before the home side hit back strongly after the break in an entertaining game on a tricky surface.

With Jamie Milton replacing the unavailable Matt Heywood, the Watchet squad had an average age in the early 20s and soon had the boost of an early lead.

Less than ten minutes were on the clock when a square pass across the back from an Odd Down defender was intercepted by Chris Sully, and he veered round the full back before hanging up a cross to the far post where Aaron Deeks arrived to volley into the roof of the net.

The visitors were showing few signs of rustiness , but they were soon pegged back to level terms when a free-kick driven in from the left rebounded conveniently for Odd Down’s Jake Turpin to fire home from eight yards out.

Watchet responded well to the setback with Milton having a long-range effort scrambled away by the keeper at full stretch and then seeing his on-target free-kick headed away by a defender.

Near post corners from Deeks also posed a threat, and when Sully flicked one on Eben Harding’s effort was blocked on the line before being cleared, then from a flag kick on the opposite flank Connor Jeromson headed over the bar from almost underneath it.

Deeks and Sully were both denied by well-timed last-ditch tackles as they made inroads into the area before the home side enjoyed a spell of pressure, with Watchet having to dig deep to withstand them as half-time approached.

The Red and Blacks still ought to have led at the break as a typical tackle from Ryan Strong led to him poking the ball into the path of Deeks, who did everything right as he eluded the last defender but placed his shot the wrong side of the upright as the keeper advanced.

Watchet were unable to recapture their earlier attacking threat in the second half and were forced to defend for lengthy periods as the Bath side attempted to turn the screw.

The Downers were guilty of a couple of glaring misses during their best patch, but apart from a superb reflex save from point-blank range which immediately followed Harding’s goal-line stop in a scramble, keeper Adam Bishop had few direct shots to deal with.

The young visitors were battling hard to stay in the picture as the pitch began to cut up badly as the earlier frost gave out, and as the half wore on they looked capable of scoring again themselves.

When Sully was upended on the edge of the box, Brandon Walsh saw his free-kick bypass the defensive wall only for a defender to head it away from the danger zone.

Ironically, the visitors seemed at risk from their own set pieces as Odd Down broke rapidly on more than one occasion to expose a lack of numbers at the back without taking advantage.

The Red and Blacks went close to snatching all three points near the end when a neat pass from Charley Clausen found Deeks inside the box, but the keeper came off his line to block the shot and honours ended even.

Watchet: A Bishop, L Rogers, J Milton, E Harding, B Robinson, C Clausen, C Jeromson, B Walsh, R Strong, C Sully, A Deeks, sub C Knight (used).

l Watchet’s tough run of fixtures continues tomorrow (Saturday) when second in the table Shirehampton visit the Memorial Ground (2pm).

After an unsteady start to this campaign, the reigning champions are right back in contention to hold on to their title with prolific goalscorer Scott Bamford back in their ranks, so the Red and Blacks will hope to have the experience of Matt Heywood back in defence.