Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Wednesday 26th December 2<strong>01</strong>2<br />
Minehead’s refusal to roll over to Watchet,<br />
even with two players sent off after 40 minutes,<br />
saw them take all three points from this<br />
explosive local derby, with a Stefan Phillips penalty<br />
<strong>12</strong> minutes from time separating the two<br />
teams.<br />
Minehead should have taken the lead in<br />
the first minute, when captain Mike Mullen misskicked<br />
from 6 yards out in a crowded goalmouth.<br />
A long throw caused Minehead problems shortly<br />
afterwards but after blocking a few shots the ball<br />
was eventually cleared.<br />
Then Minehead drew first blood, when a<br />
sweeping incisive move from deep in their own<br />
half exposed Watchet. Matt Cracknell found Lee<br />
Smyth who in turn released Luke Webber on the<br />
left flank and his inch perfect cross was buried<br />
expertly by Minehead’s inform goalscorer Guy<br />
Burns, to put the visitors one up with 19 minutes<br />
played.<br />
With tackles getting stronger and more<br />
reckless by the minute the referee lost any control<br />
on the match that he may have initially had<br />
and Watchet got back into the match on 35 minutes.<br />
Minehead captain Mike Mullen was booked<br />
for remonstrating about the referee’s failure to<br />
spot repeated breaches of the laws, and from the<br />
indirect free kick well inside the penalty box, the<br />
ball was passed sideways to Lee Nunn who fired<br />
home strongly from 10 yards, whilst the Minehead<br />
keeper was unable to attempt a save having<br />
been blocked out of the action by a home player.<br />
Minehead’s tempers now regrettably<br />
snapped, and within a few minutes a high challenge<br />
by Chris Yeates which felled two Watchet<br />
players, ignited a 20 man mass brawl on the<br />
touchline in front of the majority of the large<br />
crowd. Fortunately a punch did not appear to be<br />
thrown by either team, though with so much<br />
going on one could easily have been missed.<br />
When sensibility returned some minutes later<br />
both Chris Yeates and Minehead substitute Martyn<br />
Phillips had both been sent off.<br />
Minehead AFC - (Errea Somerset County Premier League) Page 8<br />
WATCHET TOWN (1) 1 MINEHEAD (1)2<br />
Fortunately half time soon came and the<br />
10 minute break seemed to calm things down,<br />
and the second half became a dour struggle with<br />
neither side seeming capable of getting the ball<br />
out onto the wings where the heavy conditions<br />
were less restrictive. Minehead’s defence, in<br />
particular central defenders Mike Mullen and<br />
Paul Smyth stood firm. Tayler Maddock was restricted<br />
to long shots, of varying quality, and Tom<br />
Sparks only broke clear once but the opening<br />
came to nothing.<br />
The final twist of the dice came a few<br />
minutes after Minehead brought on their second<br />
substitute Aaron Deeks, a former Watchet favourite.<br />
Having been put through by a fine Damion<br />
Redman pass, Deeks pushed the ball passed<br />
the keeper, only to be unceremoniously brought<br />
down by Adam Bishop, whose momentum<br />
caused the collision. Being the last player, a red<br />
card was likely, but a yellow was shown allowing<br />
Bishop to remain on the pitch for the penalty<br />
kick. However blues top scorer Stefan Phillips<br />
confidently slotted home to give Minehead their<br />
first victory over the red and blacks since August<br />
2<strong>01</strong>0.<br />
It was hard to tell how many players had<br />
been booked, as the referee only appeared to<br />
show cards twice through the whole of the<br />
match, however to add to the two sent off Minehead<br />
are likely to have had four other players<br />
booked, with Watchet’s players faring somewhat<br />
better. Had a stronger referee been officiating<br />
things may have been quite different. Whilst you<br />
cannot condone players’ tempers, this was a<br />
feisty local derby and it was always going to need<br />
a strong referee.<br />
Minehead: K Wilkins, C Newbold, M Cracknell.,<br />
M Mullen, P Smyth, C Yeates, S Phillips, L Freeman,<br />
L Smyth, G Burns, L Webber<br />
Subs: A Deeks (10,75), D Redman (8,67) M Phillips<br />
(Not Used), R Gurnett (3,80)<br />
Att: 180 (Estimated)