WATCHET bounced back from their defeat at Bishops Lydeard last Tuesday to beat Bridgwater Town Reserves 3-1 at the Memorial Ground last Thursday.

After falling behind early on having looked the more likely scorers, they were eventually rewarded for their perseverance in trying to play football

In the first minute, a long ball down the middle found Aaron Deeks on the end of it but he was unable to direct his lob over the keeper on-target.

Soon afterwards Charley Clausen met Ben Robinson’s cross from the right with a well-directed header and it was creeping inside the post until the diving keeper touched it around the post.

The youthful visitors showed plenty of endeavour without posing much of a goal threat until they were awarded a penalty when Jamie Milton clipped Connick’s heels inside the box, and the Bridgwater striker scored despite keeper Adam Bishop’s valiant attempt to save.

The home side lost their way for a while after this, but getting their passes going again, Chris Sully teed up Brandon Walsh to crack a first-time 20- yarder against an upright.

Just when it looked as if they would trail at half-time, the Red & Blacks claimed the goal they deserved when an instant cross from the left by Aerron Clausen saw his brother Charley challenge bravely for it at the near post with his head and in the scramble that followed Deeks was able to force the ball over the line.

Given confidence by this, the Red and Blacks controlled the game for long periods in the second half with some patient possession.

Robinson unleashed a long-range volley which was not far away, and Deeks was inches from turning in a low cross from Eben Harding before he then stabbed the loose ball over the bar from a prostrate position.

The goal which put Watchet in front epitomised much of their play as the ball was worked smartly from one flank to the other and then back again, leading to the impressive Jason Worth releasing substitute Zac Ryder to cross low into the goalmouth where it fell for Walsh to fire goalwards and Govier’s intervention succeeded only in sending it into the opposite corner.

Following a brief scare at the other end, where Matt Heywood was generally in charge, Watchet then gained some breathing space with a third goal when Deeks benefited from exerting pressure to wriggle past the last defender, neatly sidestep the advancing keeper and calmly tuck the ball into the empty net.

Connor Jeromson went close to making the winning margin more emphatic with a ground shot which brought a full-length save from the keeper at the expense of a corner, and Ryder nodded just wide from Callum Knight’s cross.

Watchet: A Bishop, B Robinson, M Heywood, J Milton, E Harding, C Clausen, C Sully, J Worth, B Walsh, A Clausen, A Deeks, subs Z Ryder, C Jeromson, C Knight (all used).