POOLE TOWN 1 v 0 PAULTON ROVERS

Rovers played their first away Southern League Premier at Poole Town.

A scrappy game was sealed on 44 mins. with a strike by Bournemouth loanee Josh O'Hanlon a £80000 signing from Irish side Linfield.

Paulton started well with Jon Davies prominent and Poole responded when O'Hanlon was caught offside.

Brandon Barnes ran at the home defence with the giant defence Michael Walker stopping him as he bore down on goal. Steve Devlin cracked a drive held by Paulton keeper Kyle Phillips as Town pressed.

The goal followed a disputed corner which Rovers defence failed to clear and the Irishman nearly saw the shot saved by Phillips as the ball entered the net.

Poole were on top on the early stages of the second half with Devlin testing Phillips and O'Hanlon ploughing a lone furrow seeing the Paulton keeper saving first a shot then a header.

In the last 15 mins. Barnes was dismissed for a flaying arm on Poole sub Luke Roberts.
Rovers applied pressure with home keeper Nick Hutchings tipping over the bar from a Davies volley. Then Nick McCootie broke on the right with his shot hitting the side netting.

In the dying minutes sub Mike Bryant should have scored for Paulton meeting a cross unmarked but headed narrowly wide with the goal at at his mercy.

Paulton Rovers - Kyle Phillips (C), Stuart Tovey (sub Mike Bryant 63 mins.), Jordan Walker, Tom Seary, Scott Brice ©, Brandon Barnes, Marcus Mapstone, Ashley Williams, Ollie Knowles, (Elliott Gibbons 82), Jon Davies, Nick McCootie,

Subs not used - Callum Hinder, Josh Jeffries, Keiran Baggs

Man of the Match - Steve Devlin (Poole)
Paulton man of the match - Jon Davies

Entertainment 3 out of 5