CIRENCESTER TOWN 3 PAULTON ROVERS 5

Paulton Rovers hit Cirencester in a burst of first-half goals, but were made to work hard for all three points as the home side made a terrific effort to get back in the game.

Rovers went ahead on five minutes, as Ben Withey’s cross from deep on the left was glanced home thanks to a flying header by striker, Ryan Gay.

Rovers added a second soon after in the fifteenth minute, as a long-kick by the excellent Rob Brown fell to Jack Ball, who used his strength against the Cirencester defenders, laying the ball off to the on-rushing Dale Evans, whose shot across the keeper found the far corner of the net.

With the home side rattled, Rovers pushed on, and in the twentieth minute, were awarded a penalty when Ball’s through-ball found Ryan Gay, only to be tripped by goalkeeper, Luke Marchant, giving the referee no option but to point to the spot. Jack Ball stepped up to take his second penalty in as many games, and despite the shot hitting the post, it deflected onto the keeper for an unlucky own goal, making it 3-0 to Rovers.

In a pulsating first 25 minutes, Rovers then made it 4-0 with another penalty, which Ball made no mistake, burying it into the keeper’s left-hand corner. There was to be a further twist in the first half, as Cirencester were then awarded a spot-kick of their own, as Withey handled and Ben Whitehead beat Brown to make it 4-1 at half-time.

The home side threw everything into the early stages of the restart, and pulled a goal back on 57 minutes as Alan Griffin turned home Tommy Anderson’s right-hand corner. On 62 minutes, Rovers were well and truly in the game, as Cirencester pressed again to make it 4-3 – Aiden Bennett hit the crossbar with a thunderbolt before Jack Freeman curled the resulting rebound past Brown.

With the momentum now with the home side, the Rovers back line stood firm before John Rendell’s men produced the decisive moment in the game, thanks to a slick counter-attack in the 75th minute.

When Prictor found Jay Malpas in his own half, the midfield maestro advanced forward, before laying a killer pass, taking two opposing players out of the game and setting Liam Monelle free down the left. Monelle wasn’t for catching, and when a cute faint took him past the last defender to the byline, his cut-back fell to Jack Ball, who made no mistake, rifling the ball home to send players, travelling fans and the Rovers bench into ecstatic celebrations.

With the clock running down, Cirencester still felt there was something in it for them, but they were to be denied again, thanks to an outstanding reaction save from keeper, Rob Brown, in the 90th minute, making the five-minute injury time comfortable. A determined display from Rovers against a good Cirencester side.

Star Man of the Match: Ben Prictor, Paulton Rovers. See all the goals at: www.paultonrovers.co.uk

This Saturday, 15th December, the First team are home to Highworth Town; kick-off 3 p.m.

Steve Longden