SHOLING 0 PAULTON ROVERS 2

Rovers fifth successive league win and their fourth without conceding a goal, took them into third place in the table.

It didn’t start too well for the visitors as Jack Allward was booked in the opening minute fur pulling back an opponent and from the resultant free kick taken from wide on the right skipper, Kevin Gibbens, sent in a header that produced a fine save from Rovers’ keeper, Kyle Phillips. Gibbens then sent strike partner, Lee Wort, away down the left and Nick Dunn got in a great interception to clear the danger. Rovers weathered the storm as Dunn and Adam Mahdi had chances but failed to find the target.

The game was quite open with play flowing end to end as Craig Loxton twice went close for Rovers and Byron Mason and Iain Seabrook were off target for Sholing. One of the most encouraging signs for Rovers is the blossoming partnership up front between skipper, Dan Cleverley and Jamie Taylor and twice it was the former who set up opportunities but Taylor’s fine efforts just cleared the bar.

However Rovers were not to be denied and they finally made the breakthrough in the 34th minute as an excellent passing move down the right ended with a fierce drive from Cleverley, near the left corner of the penalty area, flashing across the keeper and finding the bottom corner of the net.

Having gone close a minute earlier when Lee Bright’s header from a free kick went just wide, the hosts almost levelled in the 36th minute as a sweeping move saw Seabrook’s shot superbly saved by Phillips. However it was Rovers who ended the first half strongly forcing successive corners that reaped no reward.

Rovers may have expected some reaction from their hosts after the break but they looked comfortable despite Sholing pressing for the equaliser and Mahdi had a shot well saved by keeper, Lee Webber, as Rovers broke with purpose. The home side went close in the 66th minute as substitute, Jamie Austin, sent a header wide of the far post from a long throw in on the right.

It proved to be a costly miss as on 70 minutes the lead was doubled as Sholing needlessly conceded a penalty as a Rovers free kick, taken deep in his own half by Phillips, looked to have picked out Taylor but a defender clearly pushed him in the back and the referee in a perfect position had no hesitation in awarding the spot kick. Loxton stepped up to fire the kick home.

Tyronne Bowers sent a free kick over the visitors bar and Marcus Mapstone had to make a good near post interception to deny Austin but Rovers held on comfortably to grab a deserved three points.

Rovers: Phillips, Price, Allward, Dunn, Mapstone, Brice, Mahdi (Bridges 90 mins), Loxton, Taylor, Cleverley (C), Jeffries.
Subs not used: Stone, Tovey, Gwinnett

Referee: Adam Nunn
Assts: Paul Collyer / Nigel Sykes

Attendance: 120