BRISTOL MANOR FARM 1 PAULTON ROVERS 2

Seventeen-year-old left winger, Ali Sen, scored a superb 89th-minute winner to give Rovers their first win in ten games.

Facing a stiff first-half wind, Paulton were grateful to keeper, Adam Forster, tipping over the bar from Ashley Kington, then Farm’s Owen Howe got round the back, only to shoot well-wide.

Farm took the lead on twelve minutes as Lewis Bamford broke down the right, and his low cross was turned past Forster by Chaz Hemings.

Forster then pulled off a superb one-handed save from Hemmings’ header, and Paulton thought they had a decent shout for a penalty as left-back, Ben Prictor, raced in and was brought down in the area with the referee waving ‘play on’.

Rovers levelled on 39 minutes, as Ryan Gay twisted and turned his marker to hit a low cross, which was turned into the net by Jack Ball.

In the second half, with the wind advantage, Ben Withey was a constant threat down the right and saw his shot deflected for a corner, from which Sen tested Farm’s (former Rovers) keeper, Ben John.

John again made a fine save with his feet from Jamie Laird, and was then alert to prevent sub, Mitch Tippins’ goal-bound header.

Dale Evans and Gay both had chances, whilst the home side responded as Owen Howe headed towards goal, stopped by Paulton skipper, Charlie Hitchings’s fine tackle.

Withey again combined well with Gay, whist Trey Anderson sent Evans goalwards only to be thwarted by the alert John, who was the sponsors’ Man of the Match.

Howe broke on the left but his shot missed the target, and with time running out, Rovers grabbed a deserved winner. Tippins’ long-throw on the right found Evans, whose attempt to find Ball saw the ball laid in the path of left-winger, Sen, whose dipping, swerving volley with the outside of his left foot curled past John into his top-right-hand corner.

Paulton Rovers would like to thank their sponsors and all their dedicated supporters, who have followed the club in this difficult season through thick and thin, both home and away.

The Presentation Evening will be held on Friday, 3rd May from 7 p.m. All supporters are hopefully able to attend.

Tony Walsh