MERYTHR TOWN 3 v 2 PAULTON ROVERS

Paulton went down 3-2 at top of the table Merthyr Town on their newly laid 3G all weather pitch.

Selection of match pictures by Peter Harman here

Rovers took the lead in the second minute Ben Lacey playing at right back went on a thirty yard run, shooting from the edge of the penalty area the ball was deflected up and over the home keeper Giles Cutlan.

They nearly added another a minute later as Darren Jefferies cut in from the right wing laid the ball to Brandon Barnes, but his carefully placed shot hit the foot of the post with Cutlan well beaten.

I was all Paulton with deminutive striker Saul Williams impressing on his debut up front. The former Tottenham Hotspurs trainee is on a month loan from Forest Green Rovers.

It was Barnes who made it 2-0 to the visitors in the eighteenth minute. Lacey broke down the right and his low cross was dummied by Nick McCottie for barnes to control and rifle home.

Unbeaten at home this season 'The Martyr's' responded with long shots from Kris Leek and Ryan Charles. However they pulled one back after Jamie Rewberry headed home on twenty four minutes.

Charles then missed a glourious chance from a Morgan cross heading wide across goak with Paulton stooper Kyle Phillips beaten.

McCottie and Saul Williams were giving the Merthyr defence a torrid time and both had chances to increase Rovers lead whilst the home attack were coming up a stubborn defence.

Merthyr levelled through Kerry Morgan three minutes after the interval. Dan Summerfield broke down the right and his cross was headed home from the left.

The pendulum was swinging as Town turned the screw with wave after wave of attacks. Phillips was on hand to puch away several crosses whilst Ryan Batten and Scott Brice were on hand to neuter the home attackers.

Merthyr sealed the comeback and the win in the seventy eighth minute win with a 30 yard thunderbolt from former Bristol City and Rovers player Gavin Williams.

Rovers tried to get the equaliser. McCottie was injured in the process suffering what appears to serious ligament damage.

There was time for a five minute first team debut for 18 years old Callum Hinder stepping up from Paulton youth team.

A tremendous game in front of a crowd approaching 450 by two sides observer said were the two best sides in the division. However for Rovers manager Nick Bunyard their was great disappointment as his side have now lost three games in a row, however they still retain third place.

Paulton Rovers - Kyle Phillips, Ben Lacey, Ryan Batten, Scott Brice (sub Callum Hinder 88 mins), Mike Reaney, Brandon Barnes, Mike Perrott Darren Jefferies, Saul Williams (Josh Klein-Davies 73), Dan Cleverley (C), Nick McCootie (Ollie Price 81).

Subs not used - Josh Jeffries, Nick Bunyard.