Rovers went into this game coming off the back of two morale sapping defeats and looking to regain some momentum. And the signs were good in the early minutes. Wayne Nderemani, playing as a left back for this game, made a number of probing runs, linking up well with Kyle Tooze and Kye Simpson to move forward.

The first chance of note came when Kyle Tooze picked up the ball in the lefthand corner of the box and blasted a shot goalward but James Walker in the Cribbs goal parried it over the bar. However, Cribbs were dangerous on the break and were able to use the wind to their advantage to open up Rovers on several occasions. In the 10th minute, the returning Rovers' keeper Sam Jepson, had to make a stop with his feet after a Cribbs player had gone clear.

Rovers continued to push with Toby Stephens working hard on the right and forcing a corner in the 19th minute. Kyle Tooze was also in the thick of it and seemingly fouled on a number of occasions without the reward of a free kick. But Cribbs were starting to get more of the play as the half progressed. In the 28th minute, the visitors survived a goalmouth scramble and just minutes later a similar scramble in the Rovers' box failed to produce a goal.

In added time, Fin Haines won a free kick on the edge of the Cribbs box. Kyle Tooze stepped up but his shot smashed into the host's wall and seconds later, at the other end of the pitch, Cribbs' Aysa Corrick seemingly missed an open goal firing over the bar from just a few yards out.

The first 15 minutes or so of the second half continued in a similar fashion with Cribbs applying most of the pressure. But Sam Jepson was rarely troubled in the Paulton goal as the defence did some good work in blocking most of the attempts at goal. In the same period, Rovers best two chances came when Kyle Tooze got in behind the Cribbs defence and fired a cross across the goal but nobody had gambled to meet the ball. A couple of minutes later, Toby Stephens placed in a cross from the right that Tooze headed just wide.

In the 65th minute, Kai Simpson won a free kick some 30 yards out which he took quickly passing to Tooze. The move had caught the Cribbs defence cold and Tooze had time to move forward and pick his spot. Unfortunately, his shot sliced wide of the post.

Just as Rovers seemed to regaining some momentum after a series of chances, Cribbs won a penalty in the 66th minute that was tucked away by Harris Feltham. It was another blow to the visitors confidence and Rovers rarely managed to create anything of note for the rest of the game. However, in the 73rd minute, Toby Stephens almost caught out the Cribbs keeper when his cross from a deep position seemed to catch the wind. Walker had to back peddle quickly and just managed to tip the ball over the bar.

It was the closest Rovers came in the in the last minutes of the game and it was Cribbs that nearly doubled their lead in the 86th minute. David Duru was put through one on one but Jepson was equal to it to prevent the goal.

All in all, Cribbs deserved to edge the game but neither team were able to serve up much of a spectacle and this first ever meeting probably won't live long in the memory.

Next up, Rovers travel to a similar area as we take on Bristol Manor Farm at The Creek.