PAULTON ROVERS 4 SHORTWOOD UNITED 1

Rovers turned in one of their best performances of the season to beat play off rivals, Shortwood United, in front of just 77 hardy souls on a bitterly cold night at Winterfield Road.

Just two points separated the sides at kick off and so it promised a tight affair and so it proved in the opening exchanges with both sides playing neat passing football but neither goal was threatened until the 10th minute when Rovers’ striker, James Billing, was brought down in midfield and Brandon Barnes sent in the free kick, which was sliced just wide of the post by United defender, Alton Axton.

Barnes took a low corner from the right and skipper, Dan Cleverley, sent in a deft right footed touch, which was cleared off the line by a defender guarding the near post. The visitors enjoyed plenty of possession but carried few threats in the final third as the home side looked the more likely to break the deadlock. In the 22nd minute Nick McCootie’s pass sent Ben Lacey away down the right and his cross found Billing. whose first effort was blocked and his second attempt went wide.

Just 3 minutes later and Rovers produced an excellent move as Cleverley’s pass sent Billing away down the left channel and he pulled the back for Barnes to cross where Cleverley, having made a great run forward, sent his header wide.

With the half looking as though it would end goalless, Rovers struck in the final minute of normal time with a good passing move through the centre, which saw Craig Loxton feed a ball inside the full back to Lacey and his cross to the far post was headed home by Billing.

The second half began much as the first with neither side showing any sign of scoring despite plenty of possession and neat passing but Rovers’ second goal when it came on 61 minutes was well worth the wait. Stuart Pearson thumped a defensive clearance down the right touchline, which United failed to cut out and McCootie’s pace took him clear and on reaching the corner of the box he fired a right foot shot across keeper, Tom King, and into the far top corner of the net.

Joe Bushin made his Rovers’ debut coming on for Billing in the 67th minute and almost scored immediately as he won the race to a through ball with the advancing King, but he went down in the box under the challenge, only for the referee to waive play on and by the time he got to his feet the chance had gone.

It might have proved crucial as 3 minutes later the visitors reduced the arrears as Cleverley was penalised for a foul and United skipper, Jake Parrott, sent in a free kick, which glanced of the head of defender, Marcus Mapstone and at the far post Luke Gullick was on hand to head home.

Rovers restored their 2 goal advantage just 3 minutes later as the hard working McCootie won a corner from the left, which Barnes took and King opted to punch. However it lacked distance as Mapstone collected and found Cleverley who crossed for Bushin to send a well struck, right footed volley into the back of the net.

The visitors almost got back into the game again on 80 minutes from another Parrott free kick into the Rovers’ box, which this time was superbly controlled by substitute Ross Langworthy, but having done the hard part he sent his shot wide of the post.

Rovers responded immediately with an excellent move down the right, which ended with Cleverley’s cross picking out McCootie at the far post and his first time, right foot volley went across King and into the far bottom corner of the net to effectively secure the points.

The home side should have made it 5 with 4 minutes remaining as Lacey’s run and cross from the right found Loxton but his effort was cleared off the line.

Rovers win was revenge for a 5-1 defeat earlier in the campaign but more importantly it sees them draw level on points with Yate Town in fifth place and the final play off position.

Rovers: Kyle Phillips, Stuart Pearson, Mike Reaney, Marcus Mapstone, Scott Brice, Brandon Barnes (Josh Jeffries 87 mins), Craig Loxton, Ben Lacey, James Billing (Joe Bushin (67 mins), Dan Cleverley (C), Nick McCootie (Tyler Sibbick 82 mins).
Subs not used: Ben Osman, Stuart Tovey.

Referee: Andrew Dine

Assts: Jamie Kearsey / Conor Farrell

Attendance: 77

The match was sponsored by Somer Valley FM 97.5 who broadcast the game online and you can listen on playback t anytime. Highlights will be aired during the Sports Show next Tuesday at 6-00 p.m. Ian Nockolds and his team.

The man of the match award was donated by Sainsbury Supermarket of Midsomer Norton and presented by Paul Baker their commercial manager.