CLEVEDON TOWN 0 PAULTON ROVERS 2

This match, Mickey Bell’s 100th in charge of Clevedon, was fortunate to go ahead after an inspection and Rovers completed a league double to gain some revenge for their exit from two cup competitions against these same opponents.

The home side began well skipper, Ashley Kington, testing Rovers’ keeper, Kyle Phillips with a long range effort in the 2nd minute and ex Rovers’ player, Jordan Walker, heading over the bar from a 4th minute corner. Rovers then began to settle as Craig Loxton sent a shot jut wide and then on 8 minutes home keeper, Jason Mellor did well to hold a shot that looked bound for the top corner from Adam Mahdi.

The game then became somewhat scrappy with neither side capable of creating a chance until on 28 minutes when Rovers were awarded a free kick and Jack Allward sent it into the Clevedon box where Scott Brice flicked the ball on but the home defence scrambled it clear. Just 2 minutes later Mahdi sent over a corner from the right that Brice headed down but on the hard surface it bouced up onto the bar and was again scrambled clear. Clevedon then won two free kicks on the edge of the Paulton box but both taken by Kington failed to clear the visitors’ defensive wall.

Just as it looked as though the first half would end goalless, in the final minute of normal time Rovers strung a good passing move down the left and Mahdi’s cross found James Billing and although his first shot was blocked, the ball stood up nicely for him to volley home past Mellor . It was Billing’s third goal in three successive games and due reward for another hard working performance.

The second half began surprisingly quietly until on 54 minutes Phillips had to react quickly to collect the bal from a Clevedon corner from the left that went through a crowded area but he cleared the ball downfield and Ben Lacey’s pace took him clear but his shot from the edge of the box cleared the Town bar.

Rovers gave themselves some breathing space with a second goal on 61 minutes. Mahdi’s cross from the left saw Mellor, under pressure from Billing’s challenge, punch the ball only as far as Loxton who drilled the ball past a covering defender on the line from the edge of the box.

With two more games in a week Rovers were content to see out the remaining time and apart from one fairly easy save from Chas Hemmings, Phillips remained untroubled as Rovers completed the win that takes them back into 4th place in the table.

Rovers: Phillips, Tovey, Allward (Mapstone 83 mins), Dunn, Price, Brice, Mahdi (Bridges 68 mins), Loxton, Billing (Jeffries 78 mins), Cleverley (C), Lacey.
Subs not used: Osman, Harvey.

Star Man: James Billing (Rovers)

Referee: Kevin Morris
Assts: Michael Halford / Jozsef Madaras

Attendance: 98