PAULTON ROVERS 3 HUNGERFORD TOWN 3

Rovers, bereft of both first choice central defenders due to suspension and reduced to 10 men just before the break, put in one of their finest performances of the season to earn a deserved point from play-off bound, Hungerford Town.

The game could hardly have begun much worse for the home side’s makeshift defence as they conceded in the 2nd minute. Town took a corner from the left, which went beyond the far post, but the ball back in saw Rovers’ keeper, Kyle Phillips, make a great, point blank save from Scott Davies’ header only for the ball to drop kindly to the feet of Reece Fleet, who was left with a simple tap in.

The hosts responded well without ever really threatening Chay Morris in the visitors’ goal and Town almost doubled their lead in the 13th minute but Phillips produced an excellent save as he touched Mark Draycott’s 20 yard volley over the bar. The game flowed from end to end as both sides created numerous chances. Diak John’s in-swinging corner from the right in the 22nd minute looked to be creeping in at the near post but Jack Allward somehow managed to get his head to it and it came off the bar and was scrambled away to safety. At the other end Rovers were desperately unlucky not to equalise in the 32nd minute as Craig Loxton’s corner from the right saw Adam Mahdi send a header against the Town bar and the rebound dropped straight to James Billing but his header suffered a similar fate and was scrambled clear.

However 3 minutes later and parity was restored as a great run from Mahdi ended when he was brought down 20 yards out in a central position. Ben Osman’s curling right foot free kick somehow eluded both the Town defensive wall and the dive of Morris to his right and nestled in the back of the net.

The visitors almost restored the advantage 2 minutes later as Dean Stow’s corner from the right was met by the head of skipper Jon Boardman but Josh Jeffries was on the line to hack the ball clear.

Then with half time due the game burst into controversy. There was no denying that Rovers’ defender, Lee Davidson, used his hand to touch Draycott’s header onto the bar but the home side felt the initial cross from the left came from an offside player and that Draycott had fouled Phillips when making the header. However whatever the rights and wrongs of the decision, Davidson was shown a straight red card and Draycott duly fired home the penalty.

Town could have been forgiven for thinking that at this stage the game was won as with nothing left to play for and a man down Rovers commitment must have been questioned but any thoughts of an easy 3 points ended in the 52nd minute when substitute, Lee Bryant was fouled on the edge of the penalty area and once again Osman’s free kick found the net this time beating Morris to his left.

Town responded well and the introduction of substitutes Luke Hopper, Sean Wood and Sam Hamilton gave them some much needed impetus and with 15 minutes remaining they looked to have made the decisive breakthrough.

The ball was crossed from the left and although Phillips called for the ball, which made his defence stop, it was Hamilton who reacted quickly to nip in front of the keeper and head home.

Ben Lacey went close with a shot from the edge of the area for the home side but then with 2 minutes of stoppage time having elapsed Rovers drew level for the third time with a goal of real quality. Allward took a throw in on the left to Loxton and the ball sat up nicely for him to send in a curling, dipping volley from 25 yards that Morris touched, but couldn’t prevent finding the far top corner of the net.

Rovers: Kyle Phillips, Stuart Tovey, Jack Allward, Ben Osman, Lee Davidson, Josh Jeffries (Gay 82 mins), Adam Mahdi (Lee Bryant 45 mins), Craig Loxton, James Billing, Dan Cleverley (C), Ben Lacey.
Subs not used: Nick Bunyard, Ben Bicknell, Jon Harvey.

Star Man: Craig Loxton (Rovers)

Referee: Andrew Newell
Assts: Alan Somers / Rob Cockle

Attendance: 107

The match sponsor is CARE & MOBILITY PLUS of Old Mills, Paulton.

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Paulton Rovers final home match is this Tuesday v Sholing K-O 7-30 p.m. Somer Valley FM 97.5 will be recording highlights of the game to broadcast during the 6-00 p.m. sports show the following Tuesday night.