Wells City Res 1 Watchet 3

WATCHET’S second trip in four days to play a newly-promoted side resulted in another victory when they beat Wells City Reserves 3-1 on Tuesday evening.

Again the Red and Blacks held a single goal lead at half-time despite not being at their best, and then pulled clear of their opponents after the break.

They were again guilty of not keeping possession very well in the early stages, but they soon settled and broke the deadlock when a long-range thunderbolt from Ben Robinson rattled the bar and the ball reached Tom Sparks, who wriggled past two defenders before outwitting a third to plant his shot in off the far post.

The visitors had a golden opportunity to increase their advantage when the referee harshly gave a penalty for handball when a shot was blocked, but Aaron Deeks saw his spot-kick pushed aside by the diving keeper.

The home side enjoyed a spell of pressure leading up to the break and Adam Bishop had to make a decent save from a volley to keep the lead intact.

Watchet had much the better of the second half, and after Aerron Clausen had driven a first-time shot narrowly over the top following a flowing move, they doubled their tally after live-wire Sparks was upended just outside the area and Brandon Walsh lifted his free-kick over the wall and into the roof of the net with the home keeper motionless.

When Sparks was brought down again as he worked his way along the byeline, a second penalty was awarded and Deeks atoned for his earlier error by drilling the ball just under the bar.

A move down the right led to Deeks freeing the overlapping Robinson for a first-time cross on the run which Sparks sent straight into the keeper’s midriff, then Charley Clausen headed a Deeks cross over the bar before Wells cut the deficit to 3-1 when a shot from just outside the box took a slight deflection off Matt Heywood and beat Bishop.

Another attempt from outside the area had the Watchet keeper diving full-length to turn it away for a corner before arguably the clearest penalty of the night – with the referee later admitting he got it wrong – was turned down when Sparks was scythed down yet again as he bore in on goal.

Watchet: A Bishop, B Robinson, M Heywood, E Harding, C Sully, C Clausen, J Worth, B Walsh, A Clausen, A Deeks, T Sparks, subs C Jeromson, R Strong, I Lowe (all used).

l Tomorrow (Saturday) Watchet face probabl their toughest assignment to date when they visit Bath to play Odd Down Reserves.