Facing a stiff breeze and a sloping pitch the Seasiders grabbed a potentially challenging test at newly promoted AFC St Austell by the scruff of the neck and apart from two second half lapses totally dominated from start to finish and simply blew the home side away. Learning from defeats at Shepton Mallet and Amersham Town they took control from the start and never looked back.

The home side struggled to quell Clevedon’s early attacks and conceded two early free-kicks just outside the box, but both Freddie King’s efforts were blocked by the wall and when the second was deflected to Glen Hayer his shot was deflected to Joe Tell who fired over.

Ten minutes in, Harrison Coker on his debut, sent Cam Steer through and his cross was tipped away by home keeper Andrew Collings, but Sam Beresford put the follow-up over. A slip at the back presented the home side with a chance but Callum Kingdon was on hand to clear the shot from George Marris off the line.

Clevedon continued to control the midfield and Glen Hayer sent Teall through, but Oscar Bridgman’s shot was blocked. Coker was taken out from behind as he burst forward and then a great spell of passing saw Bridgman foiled by Collings on the half hour.

Clevedon needed a goal to capitalise on their pressure and it duly arrived on 40 minutes. Freddie King was brought down on the edge of the box and dusted himself down to bend the free-kick round the wall and in despite Collings getting a hand to the ball.

Another exquisite move sliced open the St Austell defence just before half time was finished when Glen Hayer’s ball into the box saw Henry Westlake’s clever back-heel find Sam Beresford who repeated the feat, and his back-heeled pass set up Freddie King to guide in number two. Added time almost brought a third when Westlake burst forward beat two defenders, but Collings was on hand to hold the final shot above his head, so Clevedon marched off with a comfortable 2-0 lead.

Needing to consolidate their lead at the start of the second half Clevedon were caught flat-footed as St Austell pulled a goal back with their first real chance of the game. A ball in from the right eventually fell to substitute Kyle Marks to score from close range.

Undeterred, a good response saw Clevedon hit back and Steer’s low cross into the box was just too far in front of Teall and then Bridgman powered down the right and tried unsuccessfully to catch Collings out at his front post. But Bridgman’s next dash forward ended with a good cross to the far post which saw Coker leap to nod in his first Seasiders goal and make it 3-1 on 52 minutes.

The alert Collings saved again when Steer’s corner almost curled straight in at the front post in a strong gust of wind. Just after the hour the Seasiders brought on George King to pull the strings in midfield on his return to the club in place of the tiring Coker.

A rare St Austell break saw Liam Eddy fail to get a touch to a ball from the right which went through to keeper James Dunn and on 75 minutes Clevedon showed them how to do it when Teall’s through ball sent Beresford clear to unselfishly set up Freddie King for a simple tap-in for his hat-trick to put the Seasiders 4-1 up.

Teall was then replaced by Harrison Kyte who straight away was put in on the left only to see his shot deflected by Collings’ outstretched leg. But a minute later on 77 minutes the Seasiders did score again when Hayer put Bridgman in down the right and his cross found the unmarked Beresford to score the Seasiders fifth.

Clevedon continued to ring the changes and Elliot Nicholson’s dangerous cross was well held by the diving Collings and George King saw a shot deflected away. Then with two minutes to go Clevedon were caught out again at the back when Martín Duff’s cross from the right was headed in by Liam Eddy. Straight from the restart Eddy headed over from an identical move and then in the last minute Neil Slateford fired over.

Clevedon regained control in added time and successfully saw off any further danger to see out a satisfying victory and a final score of AFC St Austell 2 Seasiders 5.

Seasiders Man of the Match: Freddie King – a well-deserved hat-trick in a great 90 minutes, well supported from midfield and a strong display from Henry Westlake.

Clevedon Town Line-up:

1. James Dunn
2. Oscar Bridgman
3. Syd Camper (c)
4. Henry Westlake
5. Glen Hayer
6. Callum Kingdon,
7. Harrison Coker - Goal on 52 minutes
8. Joe Teall
9. Sam Beresford - Goal on 77 minutes
10. Freddie King - Goals on 40, 44 and 75 minutes
11. Cam Steer

12. Caleb Selway replaced Glen Hayer on 86 minutes
14. Elliot Nicholson replaced Oscar Bridgman on 78 minutes
15. James Tait replaced Cam Steer on 67 minutes
16. George King replaced Harrison Coker on 62 minutes
17. Harrison Kyte replaced Joe Teall on 76 minutes