TIVERTON TOWN 1 v 3 PAULTON ROVERS

Paulton battled against adversity in a frentic, pulsating, heart wrenching game to beat Tiverton Town 3-1 and travel to Merthyr Town on May Day Bank Holiday Monday for the play off final and the chance of promotion to the Southern League Premier Division.

Rovers win was despite going down to nine men after Dean Evans was shown a red card after twenty minutes and Sam Teale received a second yellow in the second and both will miss the play off final as will Stuart Tovey who is also suspended..

Tivvy could have gone ahead after ten minutes when Dan Smith's cross from the right was met by Sam Malsom whose left footed drive hit the cross bar. A minute later Ed Palmer hit a firmly taken free kick strainght into the arms of Rovers keeper Kyle Phillips.

The clearance saw Paulton attack and Nick McCootie look to have been brought down by Palmer but the referee waved play on.

Tivvy went ahead on thirty three minutes from a thirty yard pile-driver by ex-Manchester United trainee Michael Nardiello. He picked the ball up just passed the half way line running on to unleash an unstoppable shot.

Two minutes before half time Rovers levelled when Brandon Barnes was fouled on the half way line. Tovey's free kick to the far post was headed back across goal and McCootie got on the end to beat keeper Mike Searle to the ball to make it 1-1.

Early in the second half Nardiello had a shot blocked by Scott Brice and he then nearly met a cross shot by Palmer.

McCootie again appeared to be tripped in the penalty area. The referee clearly looked unsighted and adjudged the Rovers striker to have dived and harshly showed him a yellow card.

Paulton went ahead on fifty four minutes. Barnes floated a free kick and Marcus Mapstone outjumped the Tivvy defence to head home.

Teale was dismissed and all seemed against the visitors as Tiverton launched an onslaught on Philips goal.

However the twist in the tail occured after sixty three minutes. Perrott intercepted the ball in his own half and hit a defence splitting pass for McCootie to race onto. His first effort was parried by keeper Searle, but McCootie ran on to have a second bit of the cherry turning the ball into an empty net.

Tiverton looked desperate shooting from long range and Phillips pulled off three outstanding saves from Smith, Nardiello and Palmer. The home side ran out of ideas, stopped playing the neat interpassing football, looked a team of individuals in contrast to the team ethic and determination of the Somerset men.

Indeed Rovers kept creating chances albeit on the break using the work horse McCootie who when he looked to have given his all was replaced by Josh Klein-davies who used his know how to hold the ball deep in the Tivvy half until the cavalry arrived to bale him out.

The team greeted the final whistle and applauded the sixty or so Paulton travelling supporters.

Paulton Rovers :- Kyle Phillips, Stuart Tovey, Marcus Mapstone, Scott Brice, Sam Teale, Brandon Barnes (sub Dean Flockton 85mins), Mike Perrott, Luke Ballinger (Dave Thompson 61), Dean Evans, Dan Cleverley, Nick McCootie (Josh Klein Davies 83).

Subs not used - Alex Lapham, Ryan Bath

Attendance 354

No individual man of the match a fantastic performance by all the Paulton Rovers team

Somer Valley FM broadcast this match live online and you can listen by clicking HERE to LISTEN AGAIN

See how Tivvy's Forum saw things here

Monday game at Merthyr Town will be broadcast live on Somer Valley 97.5FM and online.