BIDEFORD 1 v 1 PAULTON ROVERS

Paulton drew at old rivals Bideford in a game where both sides created several chances and goalkeepers turned in excellent performances.

Rovers applied early pressure and Elliott Gibbons set up Rekko Best whose shot was tipped over the bar by home stopper Josh Colwill. However they went ahead on five minutes as a cross from Elliott Keightley found Jordan Ricketts who slipped the ball to Will Hailston and onto Best who drove the ball passed Colwill from 12 yards out.

Hailston then saw a snap shot saved by Colwill and on 15 minutes Best looked to increase his sides lead only for the keeper to bring off a last ditch save with his feet.

'Biddy' then began to get into the game as they targeted their veteran striker Kevin Squire. A deep cross from right back James Richards was headed on by Squire for Billy Tucker to cross and Matt Andrew to fire wide.

Sean Dowling should have levelled on the half hour as he disposed Josh Ford ran on to be one on one with Paulton keeper Andrew Hannah and then proceeded to blast over. What a miss!

Hailston responded with a dipping shot tipped over by Colwill only for Bideford to see headers from Dan Western, Matty Bye and Squire saved by Hannah. Andrew then cracked a shot that hit the cross bar with Hannah beaten.

Biddy had a great early chance as Tucker's volley was deflected into the penalty area and Rovers defenders were able to scrabble away.

Paulton then lost influential central defender Joe Chandler and had to reshuffle and this allowed Bideford to press with Squire and Downing heading wide and Hannah tipping the ball over the bar from yet another header this time by centre half Kai Fisher.

Rovers produced a good spell of attacking football as Hailston played a lovely ball out to on rushing right back Keightley who drove wide then left back Conor O'Sullivan outpaced Chris McGrath found Hailston who shot wide. Then James Byrne played the ball through to Best who brought a save out of Colwill on seventy minutes.

Just a minute later Bideford equalised as the ball was played into Squire who turned and beat Hannah from close range.

With both sides pressing for the winner it nearly fell to Paulton as Hailston turned after Kailan Gould's pass and his dipping shot sailed over Colwill and looked to going into the net, but clipped the cross bar and McGrath son of ex Manchester United and Republic of Ireland star Paul was on hand to thump the ball away.