BISHOPS CLEEVE 0 v 2 PAULTON ROVERS

Paulton busy Easter schedule started on Maundy Thursday with a 2-0 win away at Bishops Cleeve.

Nick Bunyard's men dominated from the start and Nick McCootie should have put them ahead in the eighth minutes. Brandon Barnes corner was headed goalwards by Scott Brice. His effort was blocked but when the ball came back to him he neatly slipped it to McCottie who blasted over with the goal at his mercy.

Five minutes later Rovers opened their account. Luke Ballinger won a corner on the left which he took and found Marcus |mapstone to slam past home keeper Jamiee Moore from close range.

Paulton should again have taken a chance two minutes later. Barnes linked with McCottie and the two of them hand shots which resulted in a weak finish.

Bishops Cleeve looked a fit young side using the resources of nearby Harbury College and their first chance was after twenty five minutes when Lorcan Sheehan headed over the bar.

Ballinger cut in from the left and drove a firm shot just over the bar with Moore beaten.

'The Mitre's' started the second half in determined mood with Paulton's defence of Struart Tovey, mapstone, Brice and Mike Reaney playing his first game since Christmas ensuring that Kyle Phiilips had a solid line of protection and was not called upon to make a single save.

Rovers came back into the game midway through the half with encouragment from captain dan Cleverley and his central midfield partner Dean Evans returning to the line up after cpmleting a five match ban.

McCottie who had worked tirelessly on his own up front was replaced by Josh Klein-Davies and almost immediately had an impact sent through by Mike Perrott, the former Welsh under 19 international, raced goal wards, but the ball bobbled as he was about to shoot and Moore comfortably collected the ball.

Klein-Davies affectionatly christianed JKD by Rovers supporters had only been on the pitch three minutes when he got the visitors second in the eighty first minute.

Barnes took a left footed corner on the right which was headed clear only as far a Barnes. He crossed the ball back into the goal mouth and with four Rovers players in contention causing confusion, it was JKD who headed passed Moore aided by a slight deflection off a defenders shoulder.

A hard fought victory on a very hard pitch that apparently has seen at least one game a night for the last week.

Paulton Rovers :- Kyle Phillips, Stuart Tovey, Marcus Mapstone, Scott Brice, Mike Reaney, Brandon Barnes, Mike Perrott, Luke Ballinger, Dean Evans, Dan Cleverley, Nick McCootie (sub-Josh Klein Davies 78).

Subs not used - Nick Bunyard, Dean Flockton, Paul Milsom

Man of the match Marcus Mapstone (Paulton Rovers)