PAULTON ROVERS 1 v 1 LEAMINGTON

(Above) Paulton caretaker player/manager Aaron Brown

Second placed Leamington make their first ever visit to Winterfield Road and Paulton who gave their best display of the season were undermined by poor officiating and a late Leamington equaliser.

Rovers made a bright start to the game, using the left-hand channel to good effect.

Before long, the promotion chasers began to take control and brought the first save from Ben John when Lee Chilton's long-range effort was comfortably held.

Robert Ogleby and Ben Mackey then combined for the latter to swing over a dangerous cross that John punched away.

Paulton threated sporadically, most of the time on the break. Set-pieces also offered them chances, including a Jack Allward free-kick that was headed wide by a diving Mullings.

Five minutes later Ben Bament slipped to the byline but could find no red shirts with a low centre.

Leamington keeper Tony Breedon also juggled a cross under pressure from Mullings and Kyle Tooze, although a foul was called against the Paulton pair.

The visitors almost went ahead on 27 minutes after Rovers allowed a high pass to drop for Mackey in the box.

The ball was knocked back to the feet of Jack Edwards, who struck the upright with his first effort and blazed his second over the goal.

But Paulton ended the half strongly. Steve Williams sent in a long free-kick that was nodded past the post by Josh Ford, while Tooze teased Ben George and delivered a dangerous cross that Breedon held.

While Leamington looked the more polished outfit, Rovers were far from outclassed in a first-half punctuated with five bookings – mostly debatable – for home players.

There was more endeavour early in the second period from Paulton, with Josh Morgan-Williams and Tooze linking up, although the latter's cross would end up on the roof of the net.

However, Leamington would soon have another golden opportunity to open the scoring when the ball squirmed through to Mackey.

John charged out to block his initial shot, with the rebound volleyed wide by Chilton from the edge of the box.

After Tooze wasted a corner at the other end, the visitors then struck the post for a second time as Lee Moore's placed effort dribbled onto the upright, the rebound falling kindly for Rovers.

And yet it was Paulton who went ahead ten minutes into the second half. Bament beat three players on a forward run and worked the ball across to Tooze on the left via Morgan-Williams.

The winger's cross went to the back post for Bament, whose ball across the face of goal was thundered in from five yards by Mullings.

Rejuvinated, Rovers took charge of the contest, with only a fine Breedon save from Tom Knighton keeping them out.

The Leamington threat had not totally dissipated, and they came close to levelling when they struck the crossbar and saw Josh Ford head off the line within five seconds.

Paulton continued to carry the greater threat, but were unable to turn their possession into goals.

Morgan-Williams was off target with a couple of attempts, while Richard Taundry sent a Leamington free-kick over John's goal.

Mackey almost found himself in with a run at goal, but a pair of defenders tracked back to curtail the danger.

Leamington should have equalised with nine minutes to go when a Chilton cross was headed over by the unchallenged Mackey.

The game almost broke into farce when, following a Tooze foul on Oulton, Mullings and Tooze were sent to the floor by Leamington players as tempers frayed.

But Oulton would have the final say, skipping through the spine of the Paulton team and a host of challenges before calmly slotting the ball past John.

Entertainment 4 out of 5

Star man of the match Ben Bament (Paulton Rovers).