Gosport Borough 1 Paulton Rovers 1

Will Harvey’s late strike levelled the tie and ensured a replay on Wednesday at the First4Pools Stadium @Winterfield Road.

A lively first half saw chances from both sides. For Paulton Neil Martin sent Ed Butcher down the left and his crossed saw Will Harvey nearly connect. Gosport had a great chance on the 4th minute as Dan Wooden smacked a drive against the post.

Rovers had a great chance on 11 minutes as Kyle Tooze broke and went one on one with keeper Bert White who saved with his feet.

The referee was handing out a flurry of bookings but Paulton were trying to break down the left through Butcher with Woden and Bradley Tarbuck testing Rovers stopper Aaron Sainsbury. Then Tarbuck set up Wooden who fluffed his chance.

Butcher outpaced his full back and his cross from the left found Tooze who laid the ball to Dan Dempsey to strike narrowly over the cross bar.

As half time Tarbuck saw his volley dip over the cross bar.

On the restart the home side upped the pressure egged on by a large crowd. Andrea Robison tried from distance then Wooden turned swiftly onlyy to hit his shot wide.

Borough left winger Kyle Williams and Rovers right back James Byrne were having a great battle but the winger managed to get in a cross was out of Tarbuck’s reach. He then had a great chance as he tried to back heal Harry Kavanagh’s cross.

Despite the pressure Paulton defended well led by captain Martin and the busy Sainsbury. Sub Andy Baggie twice tried to outfox Sainsbury with curling shot and then the stopper made a magnificent save tipping home skipper Rory Williams effort which looked destined for the top corner of the net.

Rovers kept pressing on the counter attack with Harvey threatening on either wing.

However Gosport took the lead on 82 minutes as Wooden turned in Baggie’s low cross.

Paulton could have been disheartened but the team spirtit his high and subs Leo Eglin and Dave O’Hare both tested home keeper Bert White.

As the final whistle approached Eglin won a corner on the left taken right footed by Harvey. The ball sailed over White with Eglin in contention.

There was still time for man of the match Sainsbury to cut out a dangerous Kavanagh cross.

So it’s back to Somerset for the replay on Wednesday with 7-30 p.m.

Paulton Rovers man of the match Aaron Sainsbury, who performance was worth the £10 entry money! Noel Avis