MANGOTSFIELD UNITED 3 PAULTON ROVERS 3

Rovers were denied a deserved win due to an injury time equaliser, this despite playing most of the second half with only 9 men.

The visitors began brightly with Nick McCootie and Ben Lacey combining well only for Danny Greaves to cut out a cross from the latter before Ben Osman had a shot well off target and Craig Loxton went close with a long range effort.

However somewhat against the run of play the hosts took an 11th minute lead as Scott Brice’s attempted clearance unluckily hit Kyle Tooze but there was no luck involved in Tooze’s superb, curling strike from 20 yards out that went across Rovers’ keeper, Kyle Phillips and in off the far post.

It took Rovers just 2 minutes to level as Kris Miller picked out McCootie who went on a great run before firing a shot across United keeper, Danny Greaves and into the far bottom corner of the net.

McCootie was causing the home defence problems with his strength and pace and although Greaves did well to turn his shot away for a corner on 19 minutes the Rovers’ striker earned his side a penalty on 25 minutes. The visitors broke quickly with a long ball downfield, which McCootie collected and raced into the box only to be upended by Kyle Thomas who was shown a straight red card. His side escaped punishment however as Loxton’s penalty was saved by Greaves diving low to his left. McCootie then played an excellent ball wide to Loxton who cut inside two defenders before firing just wide.

Rovers did take the lead in the 30th minute as Lacey’s cross from the right was headed back across goal by skipper, Dan Cleverley and McCootie with his back to goal controlled the ball, turned and fired home.

United responded well as Matt Thorne first flashed a header wide from a Tooze free kick and then he fired in a long range that Phillips dealt with easily. They found themselves level 5 minutes before the interval as Brice, in an attempt to clear a free kick into the box, made contact with Josh Klein-Davies and having been booked earlier the Rovers’ defender received his marching orders for a second yellow card. Neil Arndale made no mistake from the penalty spot.

The second half began with Arndale crossing from the right and Klein-Davies going close with a header but Rovers were then reduced to 9 men as McCootie was shown a straight red for a challenge on Todd Winter despite clearly making contact with the ball first.

Despite their numerical disadvantage Rovers went ahead again on 55 minutes with a goal of real quality. Lacey now ploughing a lone furrow up front did well to control a long ball forward before finding Josh Jeffries on the edge of the box and despite the close attention of three defenders he somehow managed to squeeze a shot past Greaves low to his right and into the bottom corner of the net.

Mangotsfield substitute, Ryan Bath, had a shot into the side netting whilst at the other end, after more good work from Lacey, Loxton suffered a similar fete.

Rovers looked to be comfortably holding on for what would have been a remarkable victory. However in injury time a cross from the right saw defender, Lee Davidson’s clearing header sit up nicely for Winter to volley the equaliser from 20 yards out and earn his side a point.

Rovers: Kyle Phillips, Ben Osman, Lee Davidson, Marcus Mapstone, Scott Brice, Josh Jeffries, Craig Loxton, Ben Lacey, Nick McCootie, Dan Cleverley (C) (Stuart Pearson 89 mins), Kris Miller (Steve Bridges 50 mins).
Subs not used: James Vincent, James Billing, Lee Collier.

Referee: David Ricketts

Assts: Richard Morris/Robert Cockle

Attendance: 184