Goals from Kyle Tooze, Joe Morgan and Martin Lenihan guaranteed the three points for Rovers against Bristol Manor Farm who played with ten men for half the game.

It has been a difficult few weeks for Paulton Rovers which culminated in the loss of joint managers Craig Loxton and John Durbin earlier this week. The team has looked short on confidence and captain Neil Martin and the long serving David O'Hare, who are temporarily taking on the helm, had a job to pick up the team for this local clash.

You'd have been forgiven for thinking that the early signs didn't look good when, in the first two minutes, the hosts won a corner from which Josh Short headed just wide. But Rovers responded with two chances of their own. Firstly Wayne Nderemani cut in from the right to take a shot which bobbled wide of the post in the 4th minute and in the 6th minute, after some good build up, Martin Lenihan lashed a shot from distance that also went wide.

Rovers still looked a bit edgy as BMF fired over the bar in the 11th minute and Sam Jepson was forced to save from Marcus Day. But as the game started to settle Rovers came more into it and began to look like the team more likely to open the scoring as three chances came their way in quick fire succession. David O'Hare split the BMF defence with a pin point pass to Kye Simpson in the 20th minute, but just as he shaped to shoot, the ball was taken from him by Harry Lucas. A minute later Simpson forced a corner from a blocked shot and two minutes after that, Kyle Tooze worked his way into the box but the tight angle defeated him and he fired into the side netting.

The visitors had started to move the ball around well and in the 27th minute got their reward for all the pressure in the previous 10 minutes. David O'Hare, involved again, picked out Kyle Tooze on the edge of the box who let the ball run across him before smashing the ball into the net past Seth Locke in the BMF goal. It was his first goal since returning from Yate and the confidence in the team was visibly lifted.

In the 31st minute, Rovers won a free kick on the edge of the box. David O'Hare's strike clipped the wall and went wide but from the resulting corner, the BMF keeper was forced to make a great stop from Neil Martin's header at the near post. Minutes later, O'Hare blasted another free kick over the bar from a similar position. A huge moment in the game came in the 41st minute when BMF's Owen Brain caught Jack Dancey with a late and dangerous tackle and received a straight red card.

Despite having ten men, the final chance of the half came for the hosts as Sam Jepson was forced to parry away a dangerous cross from Evander Grubb but Rovers went in at the break with a deserved lead.

The second half began with the Rovers faithful hoping that their team could make the most of the extra player. A couple of early half chances came Rovers' way before David O'Hare fired over the bar in the 55th minute and two minutes later, Kye Simpson brilliantly worked his way into a shooting position from a tight angle but he could only find the side netting.

With Rovers failing to take their chances, the ten men of BMF never looked out of it and were hitting Rovers on the break. The defence, marshalled by Neil Martin, coped well though. That was until the 66th minute, when the Rovers fans collectively held their breath when BMF broke through the defensive line and Ben Bament rounded the onrushing Sam Jepson. His shot looked bound to hit the back of the net but from nowhere Neil Martin slid in to clear the ball off the line!

Joe Morgan and Jun Walker replaced Braeden Symes and Wayne Nderemani soon after, but it was BMF that came closest to scoring again in the 69th minute when Marcus Day twice went close. With time ticking away and just a single goal advantage, Rovers needed something to settle them again as the hosts seemed to be having a strong spell.

In the 74th minute, Martin Lenihan stepped up to take a free kick that Joe Morgan glanced just wide. Two minutes later, Rovers did settle the game. Martin Lenihan and Kye Simpson combined well on the left and with Simpson through on goal, unselfishly passed to Joe Morgan to stretch and slide the ball into the net. The celebrations were wild with the Rovers players making their way to the travelling fans to celebrate!

With the confidence now flowing, the whole team was looking for the ball and making life difficult for the home team. The third came soon after and a defensive error allowed Martin Lenihan to nip in to neatly chip the ball over the advancing keeper. Wild celebrations followed again as the points were assured.

Another chance followed as Jun Walker took a shot from distance that Seth Locke had to save and put behind for a corner. The final chance came for BMF though as Sam Jepson made a great save from George Kellow to keep his clean sheet.

On the final whistle, the Rovers' celebrations sparked up again and as they left the field the players greeted the Rovers' supporters. The joint spirit shown at the end of the game shows that this club has what it takes to push on from this result!

Next up, we return to The Winterfield Stadium to face Bashley on Saturday 28th October.