PAULTON ROVERS 2 MANGOTSFIELD UNITED 0

Rovers extended their unbeaten run into 2013 with a comfortable victory over local rivals, Mangotsfield United, at Winterfield Road.

Despite not having played since the middle of December Rovers began well with James Billing causing the visitors’ defence early problems as he headed a Stuart Tovey free kick straight at United keeper, Kevin Sawyer in the 2nd minute and then, 3 minutes later, latching onto a through ball from skipper, Dan Cleverley, rounding Sawyer, before sending his shot across goal and wide of the far post. United’s first chance came in the 14th minute when home keeper, Ed Quelch, spilled a Tom Parrinello free kick but his defenders scrambled the ball clear. Rovers began to dominate as the visitors conceded a number of free kicks, which full back, Tovey sent into the box and where Scott Brice first headed down to Craig Loxton who fired wide, then sent a header off target before creating the best chance with another downward header that Billing, at full stretch, put just wide of the near post.

The deadlock was broken in the 28th minute when Rovers defended a cornerand sent the ball down field and Matt Thorne’s loose pass was latched upon by Ben Lacey, who raced away from just inside his opponent’s half before sliding the ball past Sawyer and into the net from just inside the penalty area.

United had a chance to draw level on 32 minutes as Josh Klein-Davies looked to be through the heart of the home side’s defence but a great sliding tackle from Brice cleared the ball before the striker could get a shot away. Rovers then produced a good passing move that saw Marcus Mapstone slip the ball to Lacey who crossed for Billing and whose shot on the turn was just wide.

With 5 minutes of the first half remaining the hosts doubled their lead with a superb goal as Lacey went past several defenders, as he cut in from the right and his ball across the box found Mapstone, who set up Loxton for a shot from the edge of the box, which gave Sawyer no chance.

The visitors came out for the second period clearly fired up and the home side were forced to defend for much of the opening 20 minutes although the nearest the visitors came to reducing the arrears came in the 49th minute when Quelch did well to get down low to his right to save a shot from the edge of the box by Marcus Duharty, before his defence hacked the rebound clear. Having weathered the storm Rovers gradually re-established the initiative and United were indebted to Sawyer who pulled off a great double save in the 71st minute, firstly from a Billing shot and then Nick McCootie’s follow up volley. Lacey then produced another fine run before setting up McCootie for a shot across goal and wide of the far post. With 9 minutes of normal time remaining Duharty did well to collect a ball on the edge of the area before twisting and turning until he got a shot away that went just wide of the post.

From then on Rovers held on comfortably to take all three points, which sees them move up to sixth in the table.

Rovers: Ed Quelch, Stuart Tovey, Jack Allward, Stuart Pearson, Scott Brice, Marcus Mapstone, Craig Loxton, Ben Lacey, James Billing, Dan Cleverley (C), Nick McCootie.
Subs not used: Charlie Rich, James Vincent, Steve Bridges, Dan Cottle.

Referee: Ben Cobb

Assts: Brian Bolton / Collins Benin

Attendance: 198