DIDCOT TOWN 1 PAULTON ROVERS 0

Rovers’ play-off hopes probably ended with this defeat in a disappointing performance on a hard bumpy pitch that made it difficult for either side to put together many passing moves.

The visitors almost went ahead in the opening minute as Ryan Gay’s cross from the right was just cut out by a defender at the near post and from the resultant corner Scott Brice headed wide. However it was the home side who began to dominate with Richard Pierson going close with a header from a free kick and some desperate defending managed to block a shot from Jamie Heapey. On 15 minutes Rovers managed a good break and Craig Loxton set up Ben Osman for a shot from a tight angle that home keeper Jon Beames did well to push out for a corner. The visitors now had a decent spell as Beames did well to cut out a Lacey cross from the right and produced a fine save from Gay, although the young striker was adjudged to have controlled the ball with his hand. In the 24th minute Rovers worked a short corner from the right and Loxton’s cross found Lacey, but he volleyed over the bar.

Town should have taken a 34th minute lead as Harry Halls cross from the right picked out Steve Davis beyond the far post but he failed to hit the target. Halls almost turned provider again just before half time but this time his cross was headed wide by Heapey.

After Gay saw a saw from the edge of the area blocked, it was Town who once again took the initiative after the interval with Rovers’ keeper, Kyle Phillips, diving bravely at the feet of Danilson Vicente. Having exerted some pressure it was no real surprise when the hosts went ahead in the 61st minute as Rovers failed to deal with a ball down the Didcot right and Halls was able to cross to the near post where Ancelot Odhiambo showed great control before slipping the ball past Phillips and into the net.

Manager, Mark Harrington, responded with a triple substitution and Rovers suddenly looked a different side with Lacey spurning a great chance to restore parity just 2 minutes after conceding as his pace took him clear, but he failed to hit the target. In a virtual repeat of the same move this time it was substitute, James Billing, who was guilty of the miss. The home side’s only real threat in the closing period came on 80 minutes as Davis sent over a cross which Jack Allward opted to chest rather than head and it fell to Vicente who volleyed over.
Rovers were denied a point their overall performance hardly warranted by two excellent saves from a previously underworked Beames. Firstly it was Osman who crossed from the right beyond the far post where substitute, Lee Bryant, was denied what would have been his second goal in successive games, coming off the bench, as his header was pushed away and then with 2 minutes remainingof normal time it was Billing who sent in another header, this time from a Lacey cross, which suffered a similar fate.

Despite 5 minutes of added time Rovers failed to salvage even a point as the home side gained revenge for a 3-1 defeat back in December.

Rovers: Kyle Phillips, Stuart Tovey, Lee Davidson (Jack Allward 62 mins), Ben Osman, Marcus Mapstone, Scott Brice, Josh Jeffries (Lee Bryant 62 mins), Craig Loxton, Dan Cleverley (C), Ben Lacey.
Subs not used: John Smith, Jon Harvey.

Rovers' Star Man: Stuart Tovey.
Referee: Robin Cox
Assts: James Bird / Kieran Bailey

Attendance: 118