PAULTON ROVERS 3 SWINDON SUPERMARINE 1

Rovers controversial victory over promotion rivals, Swindon Supermarine, sees them move into the final play-off position after the defeat of Merthyr Town at home to Cinderford Town, who visit Winterfield Road on Thursday (7.30 pm KO).

The home side began well as in the 5th minute Brandon Barnes sent in a corner from the left, which Scott Brice headed on to Joe Bushin who was denied a goal on his full home debut when a defender cleared the ball off the line. Then from the long throw by Stuart Pearson, Brice again headed on for Nick McCootie to try an overhead kick that went just wide of the post. Rovers should have been ahead on 9 minutes when Bushin headed on a ball forward, defender Jon Steedman, missed an attempted clearance at full stretch and McCootie ran clear only to see his lob over the advancing keeper, Kent Kauppinan, also clear the bar. Ben Lacey then went on a fine run before setting up McCootie but Steedman got in a great block to deny the Rovers’ striker. McCootie then went on a great run down the right to the Marine touchline but his pass across goal went just behind Bushin and was scrambled clear. The it was Barnes’ turn to go on a run and just when it looked as though he had been tackled he recovered to send in a 25 yard shot that Kauppinen did well to turn aside for a corner.

After this initial burst the visitors looked to have weathered the storm and gradually got control of midfield and on 26 minutes ex Rovers’ player, Danny Allen, sent a ball into the Rovers’ box for Ashley Edenborough, who went down under a challenge from Mike Reaney but play was allowed to continue. Marcus Mapstone did well to cut out a dangerous cross from Jamie Prictor and then on 38 minutes after Brice was adjudged to have fouled, Chris Taylor sent in a free kick through a crowd of players that bounced up off the chest of home keeper, Kyle Phillips, for Josh Parsons to get in a header that Pearson headed off the line. Rovers were now restricted to the odd break and on 42 minutes McCootie did just that going away down the right before cutting inside but he delayed the shot and Kyle Lapham recovered to make the block.

It was no great surprise that the visitors took the lead a minute later with a ball into the Rovers’ box from the left that found Ben Whitehead, whose shot through a crowd of players went in at the far bottom corner, although Parsons claimed later to have got a touch.

The game turned two minutes after the interval when Bushin’s touch sent McCootie racing through only to be pulled back, by skipper Dave Bampton. The referee appeared initially to award a free kick but his assistant, who was right in line, indicated a penalty. When the inevitable protests died down Bampton was shown his second yellow card followed by the red and Barnes’ spot kick saw Kauppinen dive low to his left and get a good hand on the ball but not sufficient to stop it finding the side netting to draw the scores level.

Not surprisingly Rovers then enjoyed a good spell as Craig Loxton sent a neat pass inside Lapham for Barnes to fire in a shot from a narrow angle that Kauppinen did well to hold and then on 59 minutes Barnes took a corner from the right, which McCootie at the near post headed just over.

However the striker was not to be denied for long as a minute later he gave his side the lead. Mike Reaney sent Barnes away down the left and his cross found McCootie who allowed the ball to run across him and at full stretch fired in a right foot shot past the keeper from 12 yards.

The visitors cause was not helped when they were reduced to 9 men as Parsons became the recipient of a straight red card for foul and abusive language to the referee. It proved critical as shortly after, on 67 minutes, a ball into Bushin saw him set Barnes up for a shot across the keeper and into the far bottom corner of the net.

Rovers could have had a 4th and what would have been undoubtedly the goal of the season on 71 minutes when Kauppinen sent a clearance 40 yards downfield to Loxton, who controlled it on his chest and fired in a right foot volley that came back off the crossbar! Marine showed great spirit and why they still have ambitions for the runners up position as Taylor’s cross from the left deceived Phillips and clipped the top of the bar and with 2 minutes remaining substitute, Dan Hider, sent in a great shot on the turn from the edge of the box, which Phillips did well to touch over the bar.

Rovers: Kyle Phillips, Stuart Pearson, Mike Reaney, Marcus Mapstone, Scott Brice, Brandon Barnes (Josh Jeffries 83 mins), Craig Loxton, Ben Lacey (Ben Osman 29 mins), Joe Bushin, Dan Cleverley (C), Nick McCootie (Joe Vyner 80 mins)
Sub not used: Stuart Tovey

Referee: Andrew Newell

Assts: Kevin Williams / Adam Fricker

Attendance: 112