Paulton overcame a determined Thatcham Town to bounce back from a recent poor spell to comfortably win 4–0 in a match sponsored by Sainsbury's supermarket, Midsomer Norton.
Manager Bunyard had a full strength squad with only Dean Evans missing through suspension. Rovers dominated the game from start to finish and coped with the few chances that Thatcham threw at them with ease. The best chance of the first half fell to striker McCootie, after Ryan Bath showed great skill to outfox the Thatcham defence and cross in to Cleverley, whose effort from the edge of the box was blocked and McCootie was quickest to react, but his shot bounced back off the middle of the upright.
Brandon Barnes and Ben Lacey were causing problems down both flanks and providing good service to strikers, Bath and McCootie, but neither could find a way past a resilient Thatcham defence and the half ended goalless.
The game swung further in Rovers' favour midway through the second half when Manager, Bunyard, introduced Forest Green Rovers loanee, Saul Williams, and his impact was immediate when Lacey beat two Thatcham defenders down the right and Williams flicked the ball to another second half substitute, Perrott, who in turn found Barnes who tapped in for Rovers' first of the afternoon.
The goal lifted Rovers' confidence and a neat interchange between Cleverley and McCootie released Perrott, whose volley was well saved by Bifton in the Thatcham goal. Substitute, Williams, was gifted his first goal for Rovers in the 76th minute when Bifton scuffed his goal kick straight to him and he outpaced the Thatcham defence and coolly slotted home for 2–0.
Ten minutes later, Rovers replaced the lively McCootie for Klein-Davies and he got in on the act when he was brought down in the box and sent the keeper the wrong way as he scored the resulting penalty and Rovers' third of the afternoon.
Rovers kept pressing forward, hungry for more goals and with four minutes to spare, Klein-Davies scored his second of the afternoon with a sublime curling finish from the edge of the area. Klein-Davies and Williams combined well in the final minute of the game, but Bifton saved well to deny Williams his second of the game.
This Saturday, Taunton Town visit Winterfield Road, kick-off at 3 p.m. and on Tuesday, 4th March are home to Yate Town, kick-off at 7.30 p.m. The Youth Team won 3–2 at Bristol Manor Farm and next up on Wednesday, 12th March is a local derby against Welton Rovers, at West Clewes.