Paulton had an untroubled afternoon in securing three points away at Thatcham Town to keep up their promotion challenge and retain second place in the table.
Rovers went one goal up in the seventh minute, when Josh Klein-Davies was fouled just outside the box and Brandon Barnes thumped home the free kick past home keeper, Aaron Carter.
The visitors increased their lead four minutes later, when Nick McCootie's shot was deflected for a corner, which Barnes swung in from the left. Ollie Price's flicked header caused confusion in the Kingfisher's defence and McCootie slammed the ball home from close range.
Paulton continued to dominate with wave and after wave of attacks. Captain, Dan Cleverley, and Mike Perrott ran the midfield, while Barnes and Ben Lacey caused havoc down the wings. In defence, centre backs, Scott Brice and Marcus Mapstone, won every challenge, giving full backs, Price and Mike Reaney, scope to attack down the wings as Rovers' keeper, Kyle Phillips, did not have a shot to save. However, Nick Bunyard's men had to settle for only a 2–0 half-time lead.
Paulton strikers, McCootie and Klein-Davies, were posing lots of threats as the second half livened up. Thatcham lost their keeper, Aaron Carter, on the hour when he overstretched clearing McCootie's throughball.
Rovers made it 3–0 in the 68th minute when McCootie split the Thatcham defence, allowing Ben Lacey to race on to the ball and drive it in to the net past despairing substitute keeper, Paul Taplin.
Rovers' domination saw Barnes have two good opportunities, but missed the target, whilst substitutes, James Billing and Paddy Doyle, just continued the effectiveness of the Paulton squad and both could have increased their team's lead.
Eighteen-year-old Doyle, who has progressed through the Youth Team, had a loan spell at Welton Rovers last season and suffered a broken leg, looked a bright prospect when he came on for Barnes in the last ten minutes. Thatcham's only meaningful effort on goal came when Ben McCready's shot went wide in the final minute, giving Rovers keeper, Phillips, a very quiet afternoon.
This Saturday, 9th November, Taunton Town are the visitors, kick-off at 3 p.m. This Somerset derby always promises a tough game and, hopefully, second-placed Rovers will draw in a few more spectators.
Tony Walsh