PAULTON ROVERS 1 BARNSTAPLE TOWN 4
A disastrous display from Paulton handed Barnstaple their first points of the season in front of Rovers’ largest crowd.
Barnum got off to a flying start, as Sam Hedges’ misplaced pass fell to Tallon Mitchell to slip the ball past Rovers’ stand-in keeper, Ben Carter, in the fourth minute.
Aysa Corrick and Josh Morgan-Williams both headed shots that were blocked by the visitors’ giant stopper, Robert Holmes, whilst at the other end, Barnstaple added a second as chaos reigned after a corner and James Dart turned the ball home in the ninth minute. Holmes was turning in a Man of the Match display, saving from Liam Monelle, then getting his feet on Jay Malpas’ shot.
With half-time approaching, Carter was adjudged to foul Tom Savigar. It was a harsh decision, given it looked, if anything, the other way round. Stephen Reed then scored from the spot-kick.
Soon after the restart, Monelle was brought down by Oliver Gardiner, but that man Holmes saved Joe Hillard’s free-kick and Monelle’s follow-up. As Rovers bombarded the Barnstaple goal on 73 minutes, they pulled a goal back from Ben Withey’s through-ball, as eighteen-year-old sub, Jordan Lovibond, shrugged off his marker to thump home the best goal of the game.
However, worse was to happen as Jack Jenkins’ free-kick was stroked home by left-back, Kyle Darragh, on 81 minutes. The onslaught on Holmes’ goal saw him make a double save, first from Monelle, and then Lovibond’s follow-up. Star Man of the Match: Robert Holmes, Barnstaple Town.
Paulton are without a game this weekend. Their next games are away in the League, to Fleet Town on Saturday, 3rd November; kick-off 3 p.m., then travel to Salisbury in the CCS League Challenge Cup Round Two, on Tuesday, 6th November; kick-off 7.45 p.m. Details of coach travel will be shown on the club notice board this weekend.
The Youth Team are away in the Somerset Floodlit Youth League to Corsham Town on Thursday, 1st November and then home to Corsham on Thursday, 8th November; both kick off at 7.30 p.m.
Tony Walsh