PAULTON Rovers are through to the next round of the FA Cup following a 1-0 home win over Hamble Club, despite playing half the match with ten men after Dan McBeam’s dismissal.

Rovers needed to respond after a limp performance the previous week and it was clear from the start their the work-rate was going to be higher.

Hamble started well and put pressure on Rovers without creating any clear cut chances. The hosts worked their way into the game and were finding some success down the flanks. The only goal of the game came down the middle though. In the 23rd minute, McBeam won the ball in the middle of the park and threaded a perfect ball to Kye Simpson. With the goal at his mercy, the keeper and a defender got a block in but the ball squirmed out to Kyle Witt who squared to the waiting Kitan Jaiyeoba to grab his second goal of the season.

Rovers now began to take some control and only three minutes later, Jaiyeoba stepped inside and saw another shot hit the crossbar.

A controversial moment came at the end of the half with Rovers on the attack. A Hamble defender seemed to go down very easily and gained a freekick. There was upoar around the park and McBeam was adjudged to have been too ‘persistent’ in his complaints to the referee and given two yellow cards. The sending off meant the home team had to play the entire half with ten men.

But for the majority of it, it would have been hard to tell they had fewer players. There was plenty of good play around the box with Kyle Witt in particular pressing well.

However, in the 72nd minute Man of the Match and keeper, Alfie Kelsey, had to make an excellent diving save to prevent an equaliser.

Jon Green