After two excellent performances against promotion hopefuls, Merthyr Town and Swindon Supermarine, Rovers struggled to overcome lowly Clevedon Town last Saturday, 9th March. Their cause was not helped by a heavy and narrow pitch, which made passing and running with the ball quite difficult, hence it spent much of the time in the air with the most danger at either end coming from set pieces.
Rovers were forced to make one change from last Wednesday's starting team, with Brad Norris coming in for the unavailable James Billing and with James Vincent replacing Joe Vyner on the bench, who was on duty for the Somerset FA Under-18 team. Charlie Rich was also unavailable for this game.
Rovers looked to have an early chance when Brandon Barnes charged down an attempted clearance by a Town defender, but home keeper, Joe Perry, won the race to the ball. Then, on nine minutes, Ben Osman's free kick was cleared and the hosts broke quickly and a throughball looked to have sent Russ Church clear, but Rovers got a block for a corner from the right which Phillips, under pressure, did well to punch clear.
Rovers then created a chance down the left, with Barnes finding Nick McCootie, but his shot from a narrow angle went across goal and out for a throw-in on the far side! Rovers began to press and Town Skipper, Clayton Fortune, was forced to head over his own bar from an inswinging Barnes corner and Osman saw a header from another corner go just wide. It was all Rovers at this stage and Norris had a shot blocked and Ben Lacey crossed from the right, where Marcus Mapstone headed on, but the ball just beat the unmarked McCootie.
On 29 minutes, Rovers produced arguably the best move of the match when the ball was played wide to Lacey on the right who went easily past a defender and crossed for Norris whose first-time, right-footed volley went just wide of the near post. Osman then caught a Town defender struggling to get the ball from under his feet and picked out Barnes, who crossed for Mapstone who headed just wide.
Rovers deservedly went ahead five minutes from the break when again Lacey went past his marker, but this time cut inside and sent in a shot that was deflected just wide for a corner on the left. Osman took the kick and Mapstone duly headed the ball home.
Town almost drew level immediately with Aron Roberts sending in a free kick from the right, which Fortune headed on and Sam Teale was first to react, but could only direct his header into the arms of Rovers' keeper, Kyle Phillips.
The home side were much better in the second period and will count themselves unfortunate not to have got something from the game. Joe Swift twice forced Phillips into easy saves and the keeper then did well to cut out a Fortune cross. Clevedon applied the pressure and although Jack Allward at the back post did well to clear a long throw from Steve Kingdon, the ball broke to Ben Murray, whose volley was well saved by Phillips at full stretch. Clevedon then brought on Alex Russell and the ex-Bath City midfielder caused the visitors a few problems with his set pieces, as did Kingdon with a succession of long throws, but Rovers' central pairing of Mapstone and Scott Brice coped well and the closest the home side came to levelling the score came three minutes from time when Teale fired just over the bar.
Team: Kyle Phillips, Mike Reaney, Jack Allward, Marcus Mapstone, Scott Brice, Ben Osman, Brandon Barnes (Craig Loxton 86 mins), Ben Lacey, Brad Norris (Josh Jeffries 85), Dan Cleverley (C), Nick McCootie (James Vincent 90). Sub not used: Dan Cottle.
This Saturday, Paulton are at home to struggling Bishop's Cleeve, kick-off at 3 p.m. When the two sides met at Kaytes Lane six weeks ago in the reverse fixture, Rovers overcame a determined side 1–0, thanks to a James Billing goal after only three minutes.
Andy Harris