PAULTON ROVERS 0 CIRENCESTER TOWN 3
The main talking point by both sets of supporters was the referee’s performance after Paulton had two players sent off in a game with hardly a bad tackle.
Cirencester’s first chance followed a Jack Freeman free-kick and Aiden Bennett blasted over. In response, Rovers’ centre-forward fired over. Then, Ryan Gay fed Dale Evans, whose cross sailed over the bar. Twice Paulton were grateful to last-ditch tackles from Joe Hillard, who was prominent in setting up Liam Monelle.
On 27 minutes, Paulton midfielder, Kyle Mountford, was adjudged to have fouled Aiden Bennett – to everyone’s surprise, he was dismissed. In the final minute of the first half, Jordan set up Gay, whose low shot was held by visiting keeper, Matt Wieczorek.
Five minutes after the restart, Cirencester striker, Alan Griffin, was adjudged to have been fouled by left-back, Ben Prictor, who received a second yellow card. Ben Whitehead converted the penalty. It was 2-0 on 66 minutes when substitute, Jordan Morris, broke down the left, and his deflected shot beat Paulton’s young keeper, Adam Forster.
The nine men battled as the visitors attacked in waves, and it was 3-0 after 71 minutes as Freeman’s right-wing corner found Baboucarr Jarra, and his low cross was turned in by Griffin. Bennett had a shot flash wide and Freeman had a shot blocked by Hillard in the dying minutes as Forster saved well.
Tony Walsh