CIRENCESTER TOWN 1 PAULTON ROVERS 3

Rovers turned in one of their best performances of the season to come from behind and defeat play off hopefuls, Cirencester Town.

The visitors began brightly as Scott Brice twice went close with headers, the first coming in the opening minute from a Craig Loxton corner and then 7 minutes later from a Stuart Tovey free kick. It was 11 minutes before the hosts threatened and it came from a whipped in cross from the right by Scott Griffin, which saw Sam Collier head straight at Rovers’ keeper, Kyle Phillips. Rovers almost took a 19th minute lead when James Billing did well to win the race for a Tovey through ball and was unlucky to see his left foot shot, from just inside the box, cleared off the line by Ellis Dunton. Brice went close again, this time with a near post header form a Loxton free kick, while at the other end a rare Town break saw Collier denied a strike on goal by a great saving tackle from Charlie Rich. The visitors were denied a deserved lead in the 26th minute when Ben Lacey went on a great run and his cross picked out Nick McCootie whose shot was brilliantly saved by keeper, Lee Clatworthy, diving low to his right.

Despite looking the more purposeful, Rovers found themselves behind on 36 minutes as Town struck with a goal of real quality. Aiden Bennett broke down the right and his cross was flicked on by Collier to Griffin who volleyed home spectacularly from the edge of the box.

Rovers responded well and McCootie twice set up good chances, the first of which saw him cross to the near post where James Billing was unable to get his flick on target and then another run and cross saw no one in the box to get a decisive touch.

Town began the second half much better and 4 minutes in and a long throw from the right dropped to Griffin, whose shot from a narrow angle was well saved by Phillips. From the resultant corner Rovers could only partially clear and a cross back in saw Collier head home only to have been adjudged offside. Collier had another chance minutes later after good work by Nathan Hawkins but he shot straight at Phillips.

The visitors levelled on 56 minutes as Josh Jeffries hooked a ball forward from midfield and McCootie’s power and pace took him past two defenders before lifting the ball over the advancing Clatworthy and into the net.
The home side were then rocked as they conceded again in the 67th minute as Lacey outpaced his marker down the right and sent over a cross that Billing headed home past the diving Clatworthy.

Rovers did not sit back on their lead and a Loxton free kick saw a back pedalling Clatworthy touch a Billing header over the bar and from the resultant corner the ball broke to Lacey whose shot was turned away for another corner by the diving keeper. Town then came close to restoring parity as Phillips produced a good save from a 30 yard free kick by Ben Wells and substitute, Jack Allward, cleared a Dunton shot off the line before substitute Joe Shephard produce a cross that Collier volleyed over the bar.

The one goal margin would have left Rovers facing a tricky final few minutes but substitute and debutant, Brandon Barnes, having been denied a goal a minute earlier by Clatworthy after Billing had flicked on header, made the game safe with 6 minutes of normal time remaining. Loxton’s left wing corner was cleared only as far as Barnes and his curling left foot shot went beyond Clatworthy and in the far corner.

Phillips had one more save to make, another shot from Collier, which gave the Rovers’ keeper little trouble, whilst in the game’s final action Billing’s header again released Barnes only for Clatworthy to make another good save.

Rovers: Kyle Phillips, Stuart Tovey, Charlie Rich (Jack Allward 57 mins), Stuart Pearson, Scott Brice, Josh Jeffries (Brandon Barnes 57 mins), Craig Loxton, Ben Lacey, James Billing, Dan Cleverley (C), Nick McCootie (Brad Norris 82 mins).
Subs not used: Ben Osman, Joe Vyner.

Referee: Derek Eaton

Assts: Alex Hardman / Jon Livingstone.

Attendance: 53

Click here to read the match report from the Cirencester website