Paulton Rovers 3-2 Shortwood United

A brace by Rovers number 9 Jack Ball helped Paulton Rovers pick up all 3 points in a must-win encounter against Shortwood United.

Shortwood got out the blocks quickly and after just two minutes, Jack Freeman fired home a powerful left foot shot to give the away side an early lead.

Rovers began to settle into the game, and got their deserved equaliser after 8 minutes when lovely link up play between Dale Evans and Liam Monelle led to Monelle pulling the cross back to Jack Ball who glanced the volley home leaving the keeper with no chance.

Paulton began to dominate possession and were aided further in the 30th minute when Shortwood were reduced to ten men after a high tackle by Samyan Ismail left the referee with no option but to produce a straight red card.

It was only 4 minutes into the second half when Rovers made the extra man count and again it was man of the match Dale Evans involved, crossing in from the right where Jack Ball produced an almost carbon copy finish of his first goal to give Rovers the lead.

With 10 men Shortwood rarely getting out of their own half, a third goal came for Paulton when yet again, Evans whipped in a dangerous cross and it was the diminutive Liam Monelle who out jumped the Shortwood defence to power the head home.

What should have been a comfortable final minutes of the game for Paulton turned anything but as Freeman bundled home a second for Shortwood giving them hope to grab an unlikely point, but they couldn't find a further breakthrough leaving Paulton to take all 3 points.

Man of the Match: Dale Evans
Attendance: 104