WATCHET 2 CHILCOMPTON SPORTS 0

Watchet chalked up their 7th home league win in a row last Saturday when a goal in each half was enough to defeat Chilcompton Sports on their first-ever visit to the Memorial Ground. The Red & Blacks did not quite match their previous showing, but were still largely in control and again played some attractive football at times, whilst registering the double over opponents striving to get away from the wrong end of the table. The home side had the tonic of an early lead when Aaron Deeks drove in a wicked corner from the left and Connor Jeromson rose highest in a crowded goalmouth to find the back of the net with his head. Brandon Walsh drove a couple of efforts off-target and Ben Robinson’s long range shot was close to an upright as Watchet remained in control. It might all have gone horribly wrong for them out of the blue when a long punt forward from the visiting keeper sailed over the home backline and Matt Heywood pulled back the lively visiting captain just outside the area. The referee deemed it a yellow card offence and further punishment was also averted as the ensuing free kick was blocked by the defensive wall. Despite their opponents showing enough desire to indicate they had not just come for the ride, Watchet regained the ascendancy and a clever backheel from Deeks sent Robinson into the area only for the advancing keeper to make a fine save to keep out the marauding full back’s left foot attempt. The pattern remained the same both up to and after the interval with the Red & Blacks in charge without pressing it home in the final third. Watchet again kept the ball patiently with some accurate short passing, particularly down their left, which made the young Chilcompton side work harder than they would have liked after a slightly busier fortnight of matches than their hosts and inevitably he visitors ran out of a little steam as the game progressed. The Red & Blacks still required a second goal nevertheless and it came just after the hour following another bout of passing this time down their right leading to Chris Sully’s pass being flicked on by Charley Clausen for Deeks to supply Walsh inside the box and although his initial shot was blocked by a defender he swivelled to lash a left foot volley past the keeper. Apart from a few dangerous corners which Adam Bishop and his defence dealt well with Chilcompton posed less of a threat in the second half and at the other end Aerron Clausen with a shot and Jamie Milton with a header from a corner both sent efforts too high as the introduction of substitutes Jason Worth and Zac Ryder injected more pace into the home outfit. Twice they were near to claiming a third goal in the closing minutes when Callum Knight was denied by the keeper after robbing a dallying defender and then Eben Harding’s deep cross was turned back invitingly into the 6-yard box by Deeks, but Milton did not make firm enough contact with his sidefoot volley and the ball squirted wide.
WATCHET : A Bishop B Robinson M Heywood J Milton E Harding C Sully B Walsh C Jeromson C Clausen A Deeks A Clausen. Subs: Z Ryder J Worth & C Knight (all used).