AFTER a blank week, Watchet returned to action at home to Nailsea United on Saturday and on an afternoon when neither goalkeeper had a serious on-target shot to save, the wind was the only real winner in a goalless stalemate.

The Red and Blacks had more possession than their visitors, but their defending was better than Watchet’s attacking, with the eight-goal glut at Wells two weeks earlier seeming in the distant past when just one goal would have been sufficient to take all three points from this match.

Swirling gusts played tricks throughout and it was difficult to keep the ball down on a surprisingly firm surface for this time of year.

Despite this and a resolute, hard-working and well organised performance from Nailsea, the home side displayed a disappointing lack of creativity with goalmouth action rare.

Watchet might have had the chance of an early goal which would have made a difference when strong penalty claims were turned down in the first minute, when Aaron Deeks was brought down inside the area.

Then a neat interchange between Deeks and Tom Sparks proved a false dawn as the visitors generally kept Watchet’s strike force in check.

Full backs Ben Robinson and Eben Harding sent shots straight at the keeper, Jamie Milton’s effort was wide in a scramble following a corner, and Charley Clausen’s header from another Deeks corner went over the bar in what was pretty much the sum total of Watchet’s first-half attempts.

At the other end, keeper Adam Bishop was largely redundant ,with the home backline also remaining solid.

The second half followed a similar pattern with home players and supporters growing increasingly frustrated as Watchet were unable to make serious inroads into well-populated opposing territory.

In resisting the temptation to just launch the ball forward, the home side struggled to get into dangerous areas with Nailsea deserving some credit for forcing them to frequently pass the ball square.

On the rare occasions that Watchet got in behind their opponents, the cut back always seemed to find a defender in a position to clear.

Nailsea threatened briefly on the break, but the Red and Blacks were almost presented with the lead when an under-hit back-pass let in Deeks, but his snapshot to deflect away off the keeper’s shins.

Predictably, a set piece provided Watchet’s best other chance to break the deadlock, but Charley Clausen’s flick-on from Milton’s long throw was volleyed too high by Deeks from inside the six-yard box.

In the dying moments, Harding’s looping header was comfortably held by the keeper before the final whistle blew with the visitors much happier than their hosts.

Watchet: A Bishop, B Robinson, M Heywood, J Milton, E Harding, J Worth, C Sully, C Clausen, A Clausen, A Deeks, T Sparks, used subs R Strong and C Jeromson.

n Watchet’s stop-go season sees them having only one league fixture in November which starts tomorrow (Saturday) with which starts with a trip to Yeovil play Dorset Premier side Westland Sports in the third round of the Somerset Senior Cup (ko 1.45pm).

Damion Redman’s knee injury continues to keep him on the sidelines, but Mikey Bailey returns to the squad.