Larkhall Athletic 4

Paulton Rovers 0

An early missed penalty by player manager Kyle Tooze summed up Rovers day as Larkhall took all three points at Plain Ham.

Having leaked four goals in the previous game, Toozey promised a better defensive performance this week and for thirty five minutes the signs looked better.

A fifth minute free-kick by Ed Butcher flashed just wide of the post but Larkhall’s number 7, Alexander Lambert, was beginning to become a thorn in the side. His pacey runs on the right were a constant threat and in the sixth minute his run led to two very quick chances that Sam Jepson did brilliantly to keep out.

But Rovers were giving as good as they got and got their reward in the twelfth minute when Kyle Tooze was fouled just inside the box. You’d bet your house on Toozey putting any penalty away, but on this occasion he fluffed his lines and slid the ball wide of the post. The miss seemed to sap the confidence from the whole side and the hosts began to turn the screw.

A shot that ballooned over the bar by Ed Butcher was the closest that Paulton came in the rest of the half as the game started to play out mainly in the visitors half. But the defence stood firm and it took until the thirty fifth minute for Larkhall to break the deadlock. Although most of their work came down the right, it was a cross from the left that found Archie Ferris virtually unchallenged in the box and he gracefully nodded it past Jepson.

To compound Rovers lengthy injury list, Toozey was forced off two minutes later and replaced by Joe Morgan. As the half went into its final seconds, things went from bad to worse as another probing run on the right led to a Rovers defender handling the ball as he slid to prevent a cross. A penalty was given and Dawid Regula tucked it away.

The second half began in the same vein. Larkhall were creating all the best chances whilst Rovers laboured to get the ball anywhere close to The Larks’ goal. The game was effectively ended in the fifty seventh minute when Rovers new signing, Will Armstrong, was adjudged to have clipped a Larkhall player in the box. It was the faintest of touches but enough contact for the attacker to go down. Regula stepped up again and produced a penalty that was a carbon copy of his first.

Regula completed his hat trick three minutes later as he strode through the Rovers backline to smash the ball in and just a minute later Sam Jepson made another great save to prevent the fifth. Rovers continued to work but nothing came easy. Ed Butcher always seemed like the best outlet but Rovers were struggling to find him.

After Larkhall had another goal ruled out for offside, Rovers finally got their first attempt at goal in the half, in the seventy ninth minute. Ed Butcher’s persistence gave him a chance to cross but Joe Morgan’s header was tame and easy for the Larkhall keeper to take. The chance gave a little impetus to Rovers as seconds later another Butcher cross found Martin Lenihan but he dragged his shot just wide. Butcher himself had a strike from distance soon after but it sailed just over. Another late header for Morgan failed to worry the keeper and the final seconds were played out without another chance at either end.

It was another disappointing performance by an injury hit Rovers team who lacked confidence and Toozey was incredibly honest in his comments after the game. You can see his reaction on our YouTube channel. There is a lot of work to do before the visit of the league leaders, Wimborne Town, next Saturday.

Jon Green