PAULTON ROVERS 1 LARKHALL ATHLETIC 3
Larkhall deservedly kept their unbeaten away record, taking all three points.
The visitors had the better of the first half, and went ahead after ten minutes with a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area, with Mason Winter curling the ball past Rob Brown in the Paulton goal. After eighteen minutes, Harry Hope’s corner from the left was headed goalwards by defender, Mike Baker, and as the ball was cleared off the line, the referee ruled offside.
Rovers nearly levelled on 24 minutes, as Brown’s long ball deceived the ‘Larks defence. As Ryan Gay chased the ball, Larkhall keeper, Shaun Semmens, scrambled back to prevent the ball crossing the line. In the final minute, Baker hit a dipping shot over the bar from 25 yards.
Larkhall made it 2-0 on the restart, as Hope’s right-wing corner was headed on by Josh Jones, and headed home by Lewis Powell. On 56 minutes, disaster struck as Jamie Laird lost the ball to Powell, who squared for Hope to drive home for 3-0.
The tricky Wayne Nderemani was proving a thorn in the side for Paulton. Rovers pressed as Liam Monelle curled a shot wide. Paulton pulled a goal back on 86 minutes, as Dale Evans’ corner was cleared to Monelle, who struck a shot off the post and into the net. Rovers then applied pressure, and Jack Ball saw his shot deflected. Matt Britton nearly added a fourth, but Charlie Hitchings cleared off the line.
Tony Walsh