WATCHET kept alive some cup interest last Saturday when they beat Division One East leaders Brislington Reserves 2-0 at the Memorial Ground in the League Knockout Cup for Premier and First Division teams.

In a scrappy encounter, there were few clear chances created from open play and it took an early free-kick and a late penalty to decide the issue in the Red and Blacks’ favour.

A hesitant-looking Watchet side with positional changes were slow out of the blocks, and it was the confident Bristolians who made the early running, forcing a number of corners.

These were defended solidly by the home side, who then took the lead from their first meaningful foray forward.

Tom Sparks was upended just outside the visitors’ penalty box and Chris Sully stepped up to curl the free-kick perfectly beyond the defensive wall and just inside the far upright out of the keeper’s reach.

Instead of settling them down. this seemed to have the opposite effect on Watchet, whose ball retention and reading of situations left much to be desired, and for once their workrate could also have been at a higher level.

All of this gave Brislington every encouragement to stay in the game, but the interval arrived with little further activity at either end.

The Red and Blacks showed a slight improvement in the second half with the more constructive football, but it was a day when the final thrust was found wanting.

The visitors continued to compete enthusiastically, but their attacking intentions invariably floundered before they were able to test Adam Bishop, whose handling was unflustered throughout.

Midway through the half, Watchet went close to doubling their lead when a long throw from Jamie Milton was played back out to him for a fiercely-driven first-time cross which Aaron Deeks killed instantly before firing towards the roof of the net from 12 yards, only to see the visiting keeper take off and produce a flying tip-over.

It was a rare opportunity for spectators to applaud, and soon afterwards Charley Clausen’s threaded pass found Sully just inside the area, but this time his left-foot shot did not have sufficient bend as it passed the wrong side of the post.

Sparks was unable to make proper contact as he pivoted for an attempt from close range before any late fears of another penalty shootout were allayed by a second home goal with less than ten minutes left.

Deeks somehow kept control of the ball as he wriggled his way in along the left byeline and when his feet were whipped from under him the referee had no hesitation in awarding an obvious penalty.

After dusting himself down, Deeks calmly sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot to send his team into the next round, where they have been drawn at home to Bridgwater Town Reserves on December 10.

Watchet: A Bishop, C Jeromson, M Heywood, J Milton, R Strong, A Clausen, C Clausen, C Sully, I Lowe, A Deeks, T Sparks, subs M Bailey, C Knight, S Bruford (all used) .