PAULTON ROVERS 2 MERTHYR TOWN 1

After two below par performances Rovers responded with an excellent win over fellow promotion hopefuls, Merthyr Town, which saw them complete the double over the Martyrs.

Rovers began brightly and should have been ahead in the 10th minute when visiting keeper, Giles Cutlan, completely missed a pass back from his central defender, Gary Colbourne, but Nick McCootie was forced to go wide to collect the ball and his shot from a narrow angle was saved by Cutlan.

However the reprieve for the Welshmen was short lived as two minutes later Brandon Barnes corner from the right was superbly collected by Stuart Pearson at full stretch and his shot on the turn was deflected off McCootie, through a crowded penalty area, into the back of the net.

The visitors responded and exerted some pressure but the closest they came to equalising was in the 21st minute with a move down the left that saw Ian Traylor’s cross skim off the head of Marcus Griffith for a goal kick.

The hosts doubled their lead,when in the 24th minute keeper, Kyle Phillips, sent a free kick into the Merthyr box and James Billing won the header, which fell to McCootie who was pulled down in the box by Cutlan. Barnes took the penalty and beat the keeper’s dive to his right.

Colbourne went close with a header from a right wing corner, while at the other end McCootie beat Cutlan to a Ben Lacey cross at the near post but sent his header wide. In the 34th minute Lacey won a great tackle in his own half and then raced away before releasing McCootie whose shot went high and wide. Lacey went on another great run 6 minutes later but decided this time to try for goal himself, but his effort suffered a similar fate.

Two minutes into the second half and Rovers almost added a third with an excellent passing move that saw the ball played wide to Lacey on the right, who came inside and saw his shot deflect narrowly wide of the far post. Town responded and 2 minutes later a corner from the right went beyond the far post and was headed back across goal and Colbourne sent his header just over the bar. Play switched to the other end and Pearson’s near post header was well saved by Cutlan and the ball broke to Scott Brice, whose shot was deflected out for a corner. The visitors began to press and Phillips was grateful to see a Jamie Rewbury free kick go just past his post before another free kick from skipper, Steve Williams, saw Ryan Prosser’s header drop to Marcus Griffiths but his volley was blocked. Traylor then went on a run and saw his shot from the left deflect across goal only to be scrambled clear.

Rovers did get the ball in the net on 70 minutes as Marcus Mapstone’s ball forward was touched on by Billing and McCootie lifted the ball over the diving Cutlan into the net only to be adjudged offside. McCootie then sent in a terrific 20 yard just over the bar after more good work by Billing.

However on 77 minutes the visitors got back into the game with a move down the left from a ball into Prosser who turned inside and sent in a right foot shot that went across Phillips into the far corner of the net.

Rewbury sent another free kick over the bar while for Rovers, Barnes’ corner went over everyone and Billing did well to keep the ball alive and cross from the left only for Brice to head just over the bar. Town continued to press but Rovers’ defence, which included an impressive debut for Mike Reaney, held firm to ensure victory that leaves Rovers in sixth place and just outside the play-off position on goal difference.

Rovers: Kyle Phillips, Stuart Pearson, Mike Reaney, Marcus Mapstone, Scott Brice, Ben Osman, Brandon Barnes, Ben Lacey, James Billing, Dan Cleverley (C), Nick McCottie (Joe Vyner 86 mins).
Subs not used: Craig Loxton, Josh Jeffries, Steve Bridges, Charlie Rich.

Referee: Adrian Tranter

Assts: Iain Bardsley / Dominic Gillespie

Attendance: 220