Somerset League KO Cup Quarter-final
Watchet Town 2, Clutton 2
(Clutton win 4-2 on pens)

FOR the second time this season, Watchet went out of a cup competition after a penalty shootout when they were pipped from the spot at the Memorial Ground last Saturday. 

They fell 2-0 behind to their promotion-chasing Division One East opponents midway through the first half and were reduced to 10 men with over 20 minutes remaining.

But the Red & Blacks had the better chances to have won the tie in the 90 minutes before suffering the disappointment of another unsuccessful nerve-gripping finale.

The visitors made the livelier opening before Watchet began to create chances beginning with a sweeping move which saw Aaron Deeks and Chris Sully help the ball on inside the area to an unmarked Tom Sparks, but he poked his shot over the bar from 12 yards as a defender closed in. 

Sparks then acrobatically hooked wide when Jamie Milton nodded down a Deeks corner and Charley Clausen’s effort was blocked after he had cleverly made inroads into the box. 

Deeks cut in from the right to have his left-foot drive diverted over his own bar by a diving defender’s head before Clutton took a firm grip on proceedings with two quality strikes from the edge of the area within five minutes of each other. 

Matters might have been even worse for Watchet when an audacious chip came back off their bar prior to Deeks engineering an opening at the other end only for the keeper to deny him by saving with his boot.

The lifeline the Red & Blacks craved then arrived when Deeks delivered a corner into the danger zone and Charley Clausen rose to make it 2-1 with a firm downward header.

The home side might even have gone in at the break on level terms when Deeks found another route down the middle but the keeper was equal to the task again as he parried away his shot on the run.

Watchet tried to keep the momentum going at the start of the second half and it was not long before things were all-square following another corner from Deeks. 

Clutton were unable to clear as Charley Clausen challenged and it fell at the back post for Milton to drill his shot into the net.

Having rescued the situation, Watchet took their foot off the pedal for a spell and the visitors regained some initiative by pressing forward. 

Ben Robinson’s long-range effort had the Clutton keeper scrambling across his goal to push the ball away but he made a better save soon afterwards to foil Deeks once more after Milton’s chipped pass had found the striker dribbling into the six-yard box.

The referee then surprised most people by producing a straight red card for Jason Worth’s challenge near halfway by the touchline and Watchet were up against it again. 

To their credit, the Red & Blacks buckled down in front of another vociferous crowd and went closest to claiming a late winner when Sparks sent substitute Eben Harding racing away on the left only for the keeper to enhance his man of the match claims with a crucial block to send the tie to penalties.

Clutton had the advantage of going first in the shootout and, although Bishop saved one kick, his counterpart stopped two so, despite Milton and Charley Clausen being successful, Watchet’s fifth was rendered unnecessary as the visitors won through.

Watchet: A Bishop, R Strong, M Heywood, J Milton, B Robinson, J Worth, C Sully, C Clausen, A Clausen, A Deeks, T Sparks. Used sub: E Harding. Not used: C Jeromson & B Jones.

TOWN can return to the top of the Somerset County League with a win at home to Middlezoy Rovers on Saturday (ko 3pm).

The club are holding a Sponsors and Past and Present Players’ Day from 2pm till late with all those concerned invited to attend.