SHOLING 1 PAULTON ROVERS 0

Rovers unbeaten run finally came to an end at the Silverlake Arena but their efforts over the 90 minutes could easily have secured victory on another day.

Having begun brightly Sholing were forced onto the defensive as Marcus Mapstone set up a shooting opportunity for James Billing in the 6th minute but home keeper, Matt Brown made a smart save, before 3 minutes later having a much easier save to make from the same player after good work from Craig Loxton. Then on 10 minutes Nick McCootie latched onto a Stuart Pearson clearance and raced away down the left, before picking out Loxton, whose shot failed to trouble Brown. Rovers went close on 18 minutes when Ben Lacey went on a fine run down the right before finding Mapstone, who flashed a shot across goal and wide of the far post. Just a minute later and Scott Brice sent a header just wide from a Mapstone cross as Rovers exerted pressure on the hosts’ goal. In fact it was only in the 23rd minute that visiting keeper, Kyle Phillips, saw any real action, making a good save from a narrow angle to deny Lewis Fennemore after he was sent clear by Marvin McClean. From the resultant corner the ball eventually fell to Pete Castle who sent his shot just wide.

Rovers felt they should have had a penalty on 26 minutes when Billing went down in the box after a neat passing move, but instead of earning his side the chance for an opportunity to gain a deserved lead, he was shown a yellow card for simulation.

The only goal of the came in the 36th minute and against the run of play, as Lacey set up Rovers’ skipper, Dan Cleverley, that Brown saved easily and his clearance downfield in the swirling wind saw Lee Wort go clear and send in an unstoppable right foot volley from the edge of the box.

The visitors almost levelled 3 minutes later as Brown saved well from McCootie from a narrow angle but the Rovers’ striker recovered to set up Mapstone who saw his first effort blocked before sending a second over the bar. Then right on the interval a sweeping Rovers’ move ended with Stuart Tovey crossing from the right and Mapstone heading straight at Brown.

The second half was much more even with play switching from end to end. Lacey went close with a shot from the right that drifted just wide of the far post before Phillips made a great save to deny McClean after he was put through by Wort. Rovers suffered a blow in the 53rd minute when Pearson was forced to retire with ankle ligament problems. The action continued as McCootie was again denied by Brown and Phillips saved equally well from a narrow angle, a shot from Charle Smeeton. Brown was in action again in the 54th minute as Loxton’s corner from the right went to Brice beyond the far post and his header back saw Billing’s header tipped over the bar. Phillips saved well from Wort and Brown from Jack Allward as the game was very much in the balance although Sholing thought they had doubled their advantage in the 73rd minute as Phillips could only parry a Fennemore shot leaving Wort an easy tap in but he was adjudged offside.

Rovers continued to press without really looking convincing and in the closing stages, with the visitors playing just three at the back, the home side came close as Phillips had to be at best to save from Wort and McClean fired into the side netting.

Rovers: Kyle Phillips, Stuart Tovey, Jack Allward, Stuart Pearson (Josh Jeffries 55 mins), Scott Brice (Bradley Norris 87 mins), Marcus Mapstone, Craig Loxton (Josh Egan 58 mins), Ben Lacey, James Billing, Dan Cleverley (C), Nick McCootie.
Sub not used: Joe Vyner.

Referee: Mark Greenwood

Assts: Paul Byfield / Lee Rutter

Attendance: 94