Paulton put in a great team performance against big-spending Salisbury, managed by ex-Premier League player Steve Claridge, who, at 51 years old, came on as a substitute to make a cameo appearance.

Salisbury’s early pressure led to a seven minute lead, as Claudio Herbert’s pin point cross was headed home by Kane O’Keefe.

Rovers central defender, Joe Chandler, back after injury, was breaking up several home attacks, and trying to find hard-working striker Omar Simpson. The former Team GB Olympic 4 x 400 metre runner was a constant problem to his markers, putting in hard-shift for over an hour, before being replaced by debutant Jack Ball.

O’Keefe hit the side netting, and the impressive Tom Whelan saw his shot held by Paulton keeper Keiron Hodges.

Rovers equalised on 26 minutes, as Hodges long clearance evaded the Salisbury defence, and Joe Hillard ran on to poke the ball past Charlie Searle and into the net.

Chandler, and his 18-year-old defensive partner, Sam Hedges, looked dominant, snuffing out any Salisbury attacking threat.

Hillard and Kailan Gould both saw shots parried by Searle. Both sides wasted chances, before Whelan saw his drive well-saved by Hodges at the second attempt.

On the stroke of half time, Chandler intercepted the ball and found Gould, whose curling effort sailed narrowly around Searle’s goal.

Salisbury came out determined to gain the upper hand – however, it was Rovers that went ahead in superb fashion.

Gould won the ball and laid it to Simpson, who chipped it back into Gould’s path and hammer it into the net to give Rovers a 2-1 lead – looked on by the large home support.

Salisbury threw intense pressure, and Rovers looked to have weathered the storm when, after 67 minutes, Whelan picked a clearance and hit a firm low-drive into the bottom right-hand corner to make it 2-2.

Substitute Jack Ball and Gould created chances for each other, shooting narrowly-wide.

In injury time, Jake Wannell’s header looked goal-bound, but Hodges’ superb save allowed Rovers to clear, and thoroughly collect a hard-won and-well deserved point.

This was a tremendous team performance by Paulton, a side with six teenagers, who played with skill and enthusiasm. John Rendell and his coaching team have encouraged direct flowing football, which was a joy to watch by the healthly travelling Rovers support.

Paulton Rovers man of match: Joe Chandler. Attendance: 588.

Tony Walsh