THE first West Somerset derby of the season saw Watchet Red and Blacks host Minehead AFC Youth in the Taunton and District U14s League Division 2, at the end of which it was the visitors who came out on top after a game that was closer than the score suggests.

Minehead looked the sharper from the off and within the five minutes, Jacob Fouracre rose majestically to head his first goal of the game from a lovely corner from Captain, Charlie Bonar.

Three minutes later  Casey Paxton slammed home a real poachers effort to double the lead and Jacob Fouracre then scored his second to make it 3-0.Watchet showed resilience to stem the flow and began to cause problems themselves.

Good build up play from the Red and Blacks was thwarted by a resolute back four for Minehead, with the central defence partnership of Theo Arkell and Harry Stone, getting excellent protection from, Sam Taylor-Pitkin in central midfield and Ethan Coburn and Ollie Tisbury working hard to stifle the wingers.

Just before the break Watchet got themselves onto the scoresheet to make it 3-1 at half time. The second half began much as the first, with Minehead getting a couple of early goals to settle them down, the first from Reggie High and then Jacob Fouracre scored his second hat-trick of the season.

Watchet again rallied and the game took on a more even feel with battles being won and lost by both teams all over the pitch. Both keepers looked sharp for some excellent stops and Minehead’s most potent threat seemed to be coming from Reggie High, with Sam Taylor-Pitkin starting to pull the strings in the middle of the park, while Watchet’s midfield worked tirelessly to create chances down the middle and the left wing.

On the hour a superb speculative effort from Aaron Parker went past the stranded Watchet keeper and looked to have sealed the win.

However, the home team had other ideas and almost immediately scored a lovely effort following some uncharacteristically indecisive defending from Minehead to bring it back to 6-2.

More good work from both sides followed and with 10 minutes left to play Charlie Bonar got the reward he deserved for his endeavours by scoring with a long range chip to make it 7-2.

In the dying minutes Casey Paxton scored his second goal of the game from close range following another Charlie Bonar corner to complete the scoring which in an 8-2 victory Minehead to claim the bragging rights. Despite many standout performances all over the pitch, Reggie High was awarded Minehead’s Player of the Match, for his skilful dribbling and well taken goal.