CAMBRIDGE CITY 1 PAULTON ROVERS 0

Rovers unbeaten run finally ended at The Glassworld Stadium in a fiercely competitive game against Cambridge City. The combination of a hard, bobbly pitch, a strong cold wind and some strange officiating ensured there was not much neat passing football on display in what was overall a fairly drab affair.

Rovers’ midfielder, Ashley Williams was perhaps a little fortunate to be given only a yellow card for what looked like the use of an elbow in a 5th minute aerial challenge. With the wind at their backs City had the better of the early exchanges as Chris Bacon fired wide when he probably should have done better. Rovers’ first threat came on 19 minutes when Stuart Tovey won the ball in midfield and his pass released Scott Wilson whose effort was blocked by a good tackle from Lee Chaffey. Sam Teale for Rovers and Duran Reynolds joined Williams in the book as both sides became frustrated. The visitors had a great chance to take the lead on 34 minutes as Jon Davies sent over a free kick from the right, which Scott Brice headed back across goal and Mitchell Page headed over the bar.

It proved to be a costly miss as two minutes later City struck to score what proved the only goal of the game. They worked the ball out wide to Ieuan Lewis on the right but his over hit cross eluded everyone, however on the other wing Josh Dawkin did well to collect and cross for Danny Kelly to send in a glancing header across goal and into the far corner of the net.

The goal seemed to inspire the hosts and they pressed for a further goal but were confined to a couple of long range efforts from home skipper, Buster Harradine and a shot from Kelly that went well wide after one of the few quality passing moves in the match. The referee somehow found 4 minutes of injury time in the first half and Rovers almost capitalised as Sam Teale got a header in from another Davies free kick that cleared the bar.

Rovers were better in the second half and from another Davies free kick Shayne Anson bundled the ball home only to given offside and to add insult to injury he picked up a facial injury that within 10 minutes forced him to leave the field. Worse was to follow for the visitors as on 76 minutes Liam Monelle went down following a blow to the head and following a 10 minute delay was eventually stretchered from the field. Rovers continued to press for an equaliser as Davies shot straight at the keeper, Williams’ claim for a penalty was ignored and from the second of successive corners skipper, Scott Brice, headed into the keeper’s arms.

The final action of the game saw Williams receive a second yellow card followed by the inevitable red, when caught in possession at the back.

Rovers: Kyle Phillips, Stuart Tovey, Sam Teale, Shayne Anson (Jordan Walker 66 mins), Scott Brice (C), Brad Abraham (Josh Jeffries 90 mins), Liam Monelle (Clayton Green 76 mins ), Ashley Williams, Scott Wilson, Jon Davies, Mitchell Page.

Referee: Chris Bodell
Assistants: Mike Mackey / Darren Fenner

Man of the Match: Buster Harradine (City

Match report: Andy Harris