Rovers unable to cope with Cope

Paulton Rovers 0

Scholing 2

Sholing arrived at the First4Pools stadium as league leaders, and showed why they are pace setters in this division.

But Paulton, committed and tireless, took the game to the Boatmen from the start and can consider themselves unlucky not to have taken something from the game.

The early exchanges were even. Martin Lenihan was just beaten to an Ed Butcher cross by Ryan Gosney in the Sholing goal, while home keeper Aaron Sainsbury had to make a hurried clearance from the onrushing Lee Wort.

Sholing began to get on top and a succession of corners from Jake Cope led to some desperate clearances by Rovers’ defenders. But Dan Dempsey, Joe Paradise, Nick Hewlett and captain Neil Martin stood firm and gradually wrestled back the initiative. This led to a period of Paulton pressure and, after Will Hailston had won a corner, first Jack Dancey’s shot was brilliantly saved by Gosney and then Ed Butcher had two fine shots repelled by the Sholing custodian.

But a Paulton goal would not come and the visitors regained control. Wort’s great run was foiled and then Paradise made a fantastic tackle to stop Sholing’s Bradley Targett in his tracks. Eventually in the 37th minute, Cope crossed for Fatah Makhloufi to fire past Sainsbury to give Sholing the lead.

Rovers tried hard to respond and a free kick led to goalmouth scramble in which Butcher and Hailston were unlucky not to score. As half time approached, Sholing’s Cope made another penetrating run down the left. His cross this time was drilled home by Lee Wort to extend their lead.

In the second half, the weather deteriorated, but the football remained intense. Hailston set up Butcher who could only fire wide from a good position. Sainsbury pushed a Daniel Mason shot away for a corner and then palmed a close range effort from the same player on to the bar.

A slip by Gosney gave Butcher a chance, but the Sholing keeper regained his composure and the Paulton man just failed to find the net. Play became end to end, with Rovers always believing that they could redress the balance.

Substitutes Mike Ilea and Leo Eglin joined Chris Peck to add more impetus to the midfield play, made increasingly difficult by the strengthening wind. Neil Martin was harshly punished for an exuberant challenge on Sholing’s Byron Mason.

Paulton were gaining momentum at this point and, in response, the visitors sent on Wayne Robinson, whose pace not only relieved the pressure but began to cause problems for the Rovers defence. The Sholing forwards remained a threat and Sainsbury had to make saves from Mason and Wort to prevent Rovers falling further behind.

For large parts of this game, it wasn’t easy to tell which team were top of the league. Paulton battled away with skill and determination to the end and, with a little more self-belief, might have got some reward.

Paulton man of the match: Dan Dempsey – great positional sense and fine interceptions.

Noel Avis