2013-01-12

Wednesday 26th December 2012
Minehead’s refusal to roll over to Watchet,
even with two players sent off after 40 minutes,
saw them take all three points from this
explosive local derby, with a Stefan Phillips penalty
12 minutes from time separating the two
teams.
Minehead should have taken the lead in
the first minute, when captain Mike Mullen misskicked
from 6 yards out in a crowded goalmouth.
A long throw caused Minehead problems shortly
afterwards but after blocking a few shots the ball
was eventually cleared.
Then Minehead drew first blood, when a
sweeping incisive move from deep in their own
half exposed Watchet. Matt Cracknell found Lee
Smyth who in turn released Luke Webber on the
left flank and his inch perfect cross was buried
expertly by Minehead’s inform goalscorer Guy
Burns, to put the visitors one up with 19 minutes
played.
With tackles getting stronger and more
reckless by the minute the referee lost any control
on the match that he may have initially had
and Watchet got back into the match on 35 minutes.
Minehead captain Mike Mullen was booked
for remonstrating about the referee’s failure to
spot repeated breaches of the laws, and from the
indirect free kick well inside the penalty box, the
ball was passed sideways to Lee Nunn who fired
home strongly from 10 yards, whilst the Minehead
keeper was unable to attempt a save having
been blocked out of the action by a home player.
Minehead’s tempers now regrettably
snapped, and within a few minutes a high challenge
by Chris Yeates which felled two Watchet
players, ignited a 20 man mass brawl on the
touchline in front of the majority of the large
crowd. Fortunately a punch did not appear to be
thrown by either team, though with so much
going on one could easily have been missed.
When sensibility returned some minutes later
both Chris Yeates and Minehead substitute Martyn
Phillips had both been sent off.
Minehead AFC - (Errea Somerset County Premier League) Page 8
WATCHET TOWN (1) 1 MINEHEAD (1)2
Fortunately half time soon came and the
10 minute break seemed to calm things down,
and the second half became a dour struggle with
neither side seeming capable of getting the ball
out onto the wings where the heavy conditions
were less restrictive. Minehead’s defence, in
particular central defenders Mike Mullen and
Paul Smyth stood firm. Tayler Maddock was restricted
to long shots, of varying quality, and Tom
Sparks only broke clear once but the opening
came to nothing.
The final twist of the dice came a few
minutes after Minehead brought on their second
substitute Aaron Deeks, a former Watchet favourite.
Having been put through by a fine Damion
Redman pass, Deeks pushed the ball passed
the keeper, only to be unceremoniously brought
down by Adam Bishop, whose momentum
caused the collision. Being the last player, a red
card was likely, but a yellow was shown allowing
Bishop to remain on the pitch for the penalty
kick. However blues top scorer Stefan Phillips
confidently slotted home to give Minehead their
first victory over the red and blacks since August
2010.
It was hard to tell how many players had
been booked, as the referee only appeared to
show cards twice through the whole of the
match, however to add to the two sent off Minehead
are likely to have had four other players
booked, with Watchet’s players faring somewhat
better. Had a stronger referee been officiating
things may have been quite different. Whilst you
cannot condone players’ tempers, this was a
feisty local derby and it was always going to need
a strong referee.
Minehead: K Wilkins, C Newbold, M Cracknell.,
M Mullen, P Smyth, C Yeates, S Phillips, L Freeman,
L Smyth, G Burns, L Webber
Subs: A Deeks (10,75), D Redman (8,67) M Phillips
(Not Used), R Gurnett (3,80)
Att: 180 (Estimated)