Paulton Rovers 0 Willand Rovers 0

In what was a very entertaining match, devoid of temper and histrionics, the only unanswered question was ‘how did this end up goalless.’?

Paulton travelled with a strong attack with Ed Butcher seeing plenty of possession on the left and Leighton Thomas and Liban Ibrahim causing problems in the middle while Willand’s strike force was enhanced by the presence of Stuart Bowker and youngsters Noah Coppin, Louis Jagger-Cane and Ben Griffith.

Paulton began well with Will Harvey and Liban Ibrahim going close before Jagger-Cane broke free and cut inside before firing over and then he crossed for Griffith to loop a header against the bar for Willand.

Butcher hit the side netting for Paulton and in an all-action first half Dave O’Hare was just wide. Thomas should have done better when one-on-one, but home keeper, George Burton, denied him.

Jagger-Cane thought he had given his side the lead late in the half with a shot on the turn from 15 yards, but visiting keeper, Aaron Sainsbury, somehow kept it out with an instinctive stop.

Bowker should have given Willand the lead but missed badly before Butcher tucked away a cross but the offside flag was up and the teams went in all square.

The action continued with Jagger-Cane again setting up Bowker who was again denied, then Coppin attempted a spectacular scissor-kick with no reward.

A goal looked imminent at both ends but when Thomas converted a free-kick around the hour mark once again the flag was up for offside. Griffin was then inches wide with a 25 yarder and a Coppin free-kick was punched away by Aaron Sainsbury before home boss, Russell Jee, switched the teenager to the left and he was a real threat from then on.

With seconds left Thomas put substitute Thiery Swaby in but keeper George Burton was equal to it and somehow the points were shared at the end of a very entertaining match.