Somerset County Premier Division
Watchet Town 0, Staplegrove 1

WATCHET came a cropper last week when they lost at the Memorial Ground for the first time this season.

The result was even more remarkable considering Staplegrove had two players sent off in the first half.

The visitors took an early lead and, despite having two men red-carded, defended with organisation and determination to deny a Red & Blacks outfit which on the day was not good enough to break them down.

There was a warning sign of what was to come in the opening minutes when Jamie Dingle had a ‘goal’ ruled out for offside.

It was a brief respite for Watchet as, soon afterwards, Luke Desave was allowed plenty of room to cut into the area.

When when Adam Bishop fumbled his shot, Alexis Piper was on hand to tuck home the loose ball.

Staplegrove were sharper in most things they did and were winning more than their share of the challenges.

Watchet struggled with their passing and showed little in the way of attacking promise, even after Jay Cross had been dismissed for a flying lunge on Charley Clausen.

Full-back Connor Shopland almost marked his debut when he spotted keeper Lloyd Alley off his line and his floater from 40 yards required some frantic backpedalling and a tip over the bar.

Things should have been made harder for the visitors when Luke Oliver was also given his marching orders for comments made to the official, but the only other save Alley had to make prior to the break was from a downward header from Charley Clausen which did not trouble him.

After Watchet had survived another scare at the start of the second half when a Staplegrove header came back off an upright, they were encamped in their opponents’ territory.

The visitors provided stoic resistance, defending as though their lives depended on it and the Red & Blacks lacked the guile to unlock them with more possession than they knew how to utilise.

The route down the middle was a bottleneck of numbers and the option of going down the flanks did not produce the required quality.

There were shots blocked in the crowded penalty area but, generally, keeper Alley was not seriously tested.

Twice, Aerron Clausen saw efforts comfortably held, Tom Sparks, Aaron Deeks and Jason Worth all tried their luck unsuccessfully and Charley Clausen was unable to direct his header on target when sub Cameron Sanford got behind his marker to get in a decent cross.

In the main, Watchet left just one man back to cope with lively lone striker Piper but they remained unable to make their numerical advantage count.

Youngster Sam Bruford came on and stole in to roll the ball inside a post only to then see a linesman’s flag raised for offside.

And, in the last minute, Alley made his one real save of the half by turning away a close-range toe-poke from Charley Clausen to complete a bad day at the office for the home side.

Frustratingly, a win would have sent them top as Nailsea & Tickenham also dropped points.

Watchet: A Bishop, C Knight, M Heywood, C Sully, C Shopland, M Bailey, J Worth, C Clausen, A Clausen, A Deeks, T Sparks. Subs: C Sanford & S Bruford (both used).

Staplegrove: L. Alley, J. Cross, L. Desave, J. Dingle, C. Edwards, N. Izzard, J. Martin, J. Quick, D. Ryan, L. Oliver, A/ Piper. Subs: P. Horton (80 mins), M. Quick (65), D. Short (65).

The Red & Blacks will be hoping for a vast improvement this Saturday when they entertain Bridgwater Town Reserves in the league knock-out cup (ko 1.45pm).