PAULTON ROVERS 0 SHOLING 0

For the second time in four days an under strength Rovers held a play off bound side to a draw. This may have lacked the goals that made Saturday’s match such a thrilling encounter but the match was far more entertaining than the negative score line would suggest.

The home side began brightly enough but the first real chance fell to the visitors in the 6th minute when Rovers were caught in possession, wide on the right and skipper, Byron Mason, crossed to the far post where, the unmarked Adam Stride, failed to direct his header on target. Sholing came close again on 19 minutes with a good passing move down the left, which saw the ball switched across to right back, Kevin Brewster, but home keeper, Kyle Phillips got down low, to his right, to make the save.

Rovers suffered a further blow as Josh Jeffries was forced to leave the field with an ankle injury with only 20 minutes played. Phillips then produced another fine save to deny Nick Watts and then a minute later Rovers almost took the lead when Ben Osman sent in a free kick that Sholing keeper, Mike Hookway, did well to push away diving to his left. Rovers had their best spell of the game so far as Lewis Fennemore did well to get a header clear from under his own bar from an Adam Mahdi free kick and then with 5 minutes of the first half left Hookway produced another fine save from Craig Loxton following a quickly taken corner on the right.

The second period was again fairly even, Phillips diving bravely at striker, Lee Wort’s feet in the 59th minute before Ryan Gay found Hookway with a good turn and shot from the edge of the penalty area. Play continued to switch from end to end as Fennemore sent a 20 yard shot just over the bar and Rovers’ defender, Stuart Tovey, produced a great run and cross from the right but there was no one in the danger area to convert the chance. With 20 minutes left, a neat passing move from the visitors set up Byron Mason for a shot from just inside the area but Tovey timed his tackle to perfection to block the effort.

Sholing should have grabbed the points with a quarter of an hour remaining as a back pass to Phillips saw him slice his clearance and then Tovey likewise failed to get the ball away and with only the keeper to beat, Watts somehow failed to hit the target.

Rovers had the final chance 2 minutes from the end as a Loxton corner dropped to Jack Allward but his shot was cleared off the line and both sides settled for a hard won point.

Rovers complete their 2011/12 programme with an away trip to Cinderford Town.

Rovers: Kyle Phillips, Stuart Tovey, Jack Allward, Ben Osman, Lee Bryant, Josh Jeffries (Lee Davidson 20 mins), Adam Mahdi (Ben Bicknell 54 mins), Craig Loxton, James Billing, Dan Cleverley (C), Ryan Gay.
Subs not used: Ben Lacey, Nick Bunyard, Scott Lewis.

Referee: Matthew Rushton
Assts: Qaisar Iskander / Colin Pink

Attendance: 124

Match sponsor was Quality Solicitors FDC Law with branches in Midsomer Norton, Frome and Keynsham.

Two regular supporters Andrew 'Shifter' Hill & Paul Lynch will be match ball.

The match was recorded by Ian Nockolds from Somer Valley FM 97.5 (Click here and then 'Listen Live') which will go out on air next Tuesday at 6-00 p.m. when Paulton manager Mark Harrington will join Ian live in the studio.

Ian presented the station's man of the match sponsored by Sainsbury's Midsomer Norton to Paulton defender Lee Davidson.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. PLEASE SUPORT ALL THOSE THAT SPONSOR PAULTON ROVERS F C[/b]