Toolstation Western League Premier table leaders Clevedon Town, in front of their largest crowd since April 2009, came away with a 3-1 win in the first North Somerset league Classico against Nailsea & Tickenham on Boxing Day.

In front of a crowd of 364 supporters, the first chance of the game came on nine minutes when Syd Camper’s powerful shot was deflected, and former Town goalkeeper Jason Mellor pushed the ball over for a corner which led to Freddie King’s shot being cleared.

The Swags went up field and home goalkeeper James Dunn was quickly out to foil another former Seasider Lucas Vowles. The game ebbed and flowed with two King shots cleared and Alex Camm’s run was stopped by Andy Head whilst Vowles landed a chip on top of the net for Nailsea.

Town began to dominate and Camm’s cross was cleared by Dan Cook with Sam Beresford poised and Glen Hayer headed just wide from Camper’s cross. 

But then a Nailsea long throw fell nicely for Cook whose shot flashed across the goal and just wide, with Sol Kent on hand to stop the next attack.

Another Town short corner saw Mellor save from Joe Teall’s header and then King’s shot from 20 yards, from Teall’s through ball, just missed the target. Clevedon finally made it count on 41 minutes when a great defence splitting Camper pass saw Beresford’s deft touch guide the ball past Mellor.

But the lead only lasted three minutes when typical of the game, Nailsea went up the other end and equalized when Oliver Carter’s cross from the right was headed home by Luke Osgood at the far post, so at half time it was honours even at 1-1.

There was an explosive start to the second half in a decisive three minutes which was to prove Nailsea’s undoing. First Lloyd Mills picked up a yellow card after tangling with Camm near halfway, then on 51 minutes Clevedon regained the lead when Beresford controlled a ball into the box on his chest to volley home for 2-1. 

Two minutes later the disaster was complete for Nailsea when Mills was shown a second yellow card for a tackle on the halfway line, and they found themselves a goal down and a man down.

Both teams reorganized, Nailsea bringing on Miles Hardidge for Harry Pruett and Clevedon swapping Harlee Vozza for Camm, and straightaway Vozza was in action bobbling a shot just wide and dominated down the right. 

But Nailsea worked hard to minimize the numbers disadvantage and try to pick something off on the break and they almost succeeded on 70 minutes when Dunn pushed away a Hardidge shot low down and Hayer was on hand to complete the clearance.

Clevedon made one last throw of the dice when Owen Punselie replaced Beresford and almost immediately it paid dividends.

A typical Vozza run down the right saw his shot from a narrow angle blocked, but Punselie was in the right place to smash the ball in from close in and seal the win which extended Town’s lead at the top to four points.