Paulton’s first pre-season friendly saw them beaten by Bitton.
With a host of former Paulton players, their experience showed against John Rendell’s side, fielding 23 players, including a large number of trialists. Rovers wasted three presentable early chances as Jack Ball, Ben Withey and Sam Jordan impressed, before seeing them go behind against the run of play, as Mario Mateus found Dean Griffiths to score past Rob Brown in the Paulton goal.
Then, on the stroke of half-time, a well-taken kick from Dave Marsh made it 2–0. Griffiths brought a superb save from substitute keeper, Adam Forster, as a host of replacements took the edge off an otherwise absorbing encounter. In the dying minutes, Ben Bament was put through by Mateus to finish off well, before Forster was again sharp to snuff out danger.
T. Walsh