Paulton Rovers' Manager, Nick Bunyard, was gutted by his side's disappointing performance, losing 3–0 at home to Shortwood United on Boxing Day. He made two changes, bringing on Mike Reaney at left back to rest Marcus Mapstone, who is recovering from injury, and Darren Jefferies, on the right wing, for Ben Lacey.

Rovers started brightly, with Jefferies crossing deep from the left and Reaney testing the visiting defence with a free kick. Nick McCootie and Jefferies linked well and found

Brandon Barnes, who nearly set up Josh Klein-Davies.

Shortwood were a threat with every attack. Ross Langworthy drew two saves from Paulton keeper, Kyle Phillips, who also held a testing shot from the visiting Captain, Jake Parrott.

Langworthy and his strike partner, Adam Mann, were giving the Paulton defence a difficult time, but Rovers did put together a string of fine moves that broke down in the final third.

Shortwood went ahead after 35 minutes when Dan Cleverley was harshly adjudged to have fouled Parrott, whose resultant chipped free kick found the onrushing Mark Richards, who raced into the box and headed home past Phillips totally unmarked.

Paulton came out guns blazing in the second half and although they challenged, there was no fire power from the lethal attack that has seen 67 goals in league games so far this season.

The game was effectively killed off on 59 minutes when a long ball from Richards was chased by Mann, who outpaced Rover' defence. His first shot was parried by Phillips, but he made no mistake tucking away the follow-up.

Paulton pushed to try and reduce the deficit, with McCootie, Mike Perrott and substitute, Joe Vyner, testing visiting keeper, Tom King.

Rovers' Christmas blues were compounded when another long ball by Richards was fastened on to by Mann, who rounded Phillips to tuck the ball into an empty net to make it 3–0. In the dying minutes, Shortwood winger, Matt Bennett, was shown a straight red for a two-footed foul on Dean Evans. This was Paulton's heaviest defeat and poorest display of the season.

Team: Kyle Phillips, Ryan Batten, Scott Brice (sub Joe Vyner 65 mins), Dan Cleverley (C), Mike Reaney, Dean Evans, Brandon Barnes, Mike Perrott, Darren Jefferies, Josh Klein-Davies (Stuart Tovey 76), Nick McCootie.

Subs not used: Lewis Pierre (G/K), Marcus Mapstone, Ollie Price.

Rovers will attempt to bounce back from the disastrous 3–0 home defeat on Boxing Day to Shortwood United with a trip to Swindon Supermarine as we went to press last Saturday.

They will be without Dean Evans, who starts a two match suspension, but Manager, Nick Bunyard, hopes to include Ben Lacey and Marcus Mapstone may be fit enough to return.

The good news is Paulton retain third place in the league with 45 points from 21 games. Ten of these have been away, resulting in seven wins, one draw and two defeats.

Swindon Supermarine are eighth, having played two games less. They have 32 points and at home have won six, drawn one and lost twice.

Their Boxing Day game at Cirencester was called off, as was their home game against Thatcham Town last Saturday.

The Webbs Wood Stadium has always been a tough venue for Rovers to gain any points.

When the two sides met at Winterfield Road on 24th August, Nick McCootie gave Rovers a seventh minute lead, only for the impressive Kayden Jackson, who was on loan from Swindon Town, to grab a 65th minute equaliser. Jackson completed a two-month spell before moving on to another loan spell at Conference North side, Oxford City.