Paulton Rovers won their first FA Cup tie since overcoming Chippenham Town five years ago, beating Taunton Town to take the £3,000 prize money for the winners.
This was a workmanlike Paulton performance, overcoming their local Somerset rivals, Taunton, who were previously unbeaten and top of Division One South and West. The win was despite Jon Davies being injured and Ollie Knowles unavailable, whilst Nick McCootie was rested to the bench to give his tight hamstring problem some respite.
Jamie Short had the first chance for Town after three minutes and Rovers responded when Josh Klein-Davies threaded the ball through the visiting defence, only for Mike Bryant to be ruled narrowly offside. Then Ashley Williams and Brandon Barnes both had shots cleared.
From an Evans' corner on the left, Barnes knocked the ball into the area, where Captain, Scott Brice, nodded back to Bryant, whose shot was saved by Perry. Town hit back and Ben Carter missed the target after being set up by Shane Kingston.
Five minutes later, Paulton snatched the lead. Walker picked out Williams in acres of space, his neat pass down the right wing found Klein-Davies and his low cross was hammered home by Mike Bryant.
Carter, Steve Murray and Short all tested home stopper, Kyle Phillips, but to no avail. Phillips dominating each aerial challenge, plucking the ball in the air or firmly punching the ball away to ease any pressure on his back line. Rovers deservedly made it 2–0 after 42 minutes, as Klein-Davies broke the offside trap, passed to Bryant, whose low drive beat Perry.
On 59 minutes, Brett Trowbridge missed an open goal for Taunton, his underhit attempt was cleared off the line by Brice, whilst at the other end, Klein-Davies blasted wide with the goal seemingly at his mercy. ,p> The Peacocks tried to get back in the game and striker, Murray, had several opportunities, but Brice and his men were determined to keep a clean sheet. After 55 minutes, Klein-Davies received the ball from Walker, turned and hit a superb low shot, beating Perry with the ball slamming against the foot of the post and bouncing away.
On 66 minutes, Bryant was fouled and Walker hit a free kick deep on the left, met by Brice who outjumped the Town defenders, only to head narrowly over the crossbar.
Then a slick inter-passing move involving Williams, Klein-Davies, Bryant and, finally, Walker, saw his volley narrowly wide of the target.
Rovers made it 3–0 on 79 minutes, as Phillips' long kick out from his area, was misjudged by Owen Irish at the heart of Peacock's defence and Klein-Davies ran on to roll the ball into the corner of the net past a despairing Parry.
Taunton fought hard to get back in the game without any real threat, with Tom Seary keeping a close eye on the dangerous Murray, though they did get a consolation goal with two minutes left when Short's shot beat Phillips.
Team: Kyle Phillips, Stuart Tovey, Jordan Walker (substitute, Ben Lacey, 72 minutes), Tom Seary, Scott Brice, Dean Evans, Brandon Barnes (Keiran Baggs, 81), Marcus Mapstone, Ashley Williams, Mike Bryant, Josh Klein-Davies. Substitutes: Josh Jeffries, Callum Hinder, Nick McCootie, Adam Flint.