PAULTON ROVERS 5 EVESHAM UNITED 3

An eight goal thriller saw Paulton ease to a win after a flying start with each side scoring in the first five minutes. Leading scorer, Ben Bament, was missing for the home side through illness.

On three minutes, Rovers went ahead as sixteen-year-old Josh Owers was fouled and Ed Butcher’s free kick from fully thirty yards deceived Evesham’s keeper, Lachlan Robertson, and sailed low into the net.

Two minutes later, Paul Sullivan levelled as Kai Tonge crossed from the right and the striker turned the ball past Paulton keeper, Aaron Sainsbury. Marcus Day found Dave Sims-Burgess who threaded to Butcher to fire narrowly wide. Evesham then missed an open goal chance as Tonge blasted over from close range.

Paulton went ahead on 35 minutes as Braeden Symes laid the ball wide to Mason Harrison who rolled the ball down the line to Butcher, who cut in from the right and hit a firm low shot from the edge of the area.

Evesham started the second half by levelling on 47 minutes, as Tonge crossed for Chilton to head low into the net.

Rovers bounced back with Day and Symes shooting wide before, on 51 minutes, Butcher flicked the ball to Dave Sims-Burgess whose low shot found the the bottom of the net for 3–2.

Sims-Burgess added to his tally fed by Day, he again fired low past Robertson to increase Paulton’s lead. The two players reversed the move on 67 minutes as Day drove low to make it 5–2. Three minutes later, right back, Harry Franklin, reduced the arrears by riding three tackles before firing low into the net.

Rovers, who had lost Butcher and Sims-Burgess to injury then had Symes harshly shown two yellow cards, had to hang on and stopper, Sainsbury, pulled off three excellent saves as Chilton and Sullivan threatened.

Match Sponsor, Doug Hillard Sports’ Star Man of the Match: Dave Sims-Burgess (Paulton Rovers).

The First Team are at home on Saturday, 18th January versus Larkhall Athletic, kick-off at 3 p.m. They are Home on Tuesday, 21st January in the Southern League Challenge Cup Quarter Final versus Winchester City, kick-off at 7.30 p.m.

The Reserves are Away on Saturday, 18th January versus Shepton Mallet Reserves, kick-off at 2 p.m. Paulton lie fourth and Shepton third, with both teams on 21 points from ten games.