Rovers played their first away Southern League Premier match at Poole Town. A scrappy game was sealed on 44 minutes with a strike by Bournemouth loanee, Josh O'Hanlon, an £80,000 signing from Irish side, Linfield.
Paulton started well with Jon Davies prominent and Poole responded when O'Hanlon was caught offside. Brandon Barnes ran at the home defence, with Michael Walker stopping him as he bore down on goal. Steve Devlin cracked a drive held by Paulton keeper, Kyle Phillips, as Town pressed.
The goal followed a disputed corner which Rovers' defence failed to clear and the Irishman nearly saw the shot saved by Phillips as the ball entered the net.
Poole were on top in the early stages of the second half, with Devlin testing Phillips and O'Hanlon ploughing a lone furrow, seeing the Paulton keeper saving a shot then a header. In the last fifteen minutes, Barnes was dismissed for a flaying arm on Poole substitute, Luke Roberts.
Rovers applied pressure with home keeper, Nick Hutchings, tipping over the bar from a Davies volley. Nick McCootie then broke on the right, with his shot hitting the side netting.
In the dying minutes, substitute, Mike Bryant, should have scored for Paulton, meeting a cross unmarked, but headed narrowly wide with the goal at his mercy.
Team: Kyle Phillips (C), Stuart Tovey (sub., Mike Bryant 63 mins), Jordan Walker, Tom Seary, Scott Brice, Brandon Barnes, Marcus Mapstone, Ashley Williams, Ollie Knowles, (Elliott Gibbons 82), Jon Davies, Nick McCootie. Subs not used: Callum Hinder, Josh Jeffries, Keiran Baggs.
Man of the Match: Steve Devlin (Poole), Paulton Man of the Match: Jon Davies.
Paulton Rovers' busy week saw them play at Hitchin Town last Monday, 18th August and this Saturday, they are at home to Slough Town, kick-off at 3 p.m., who usually bring a large crowd of away support, before travelling on August Bank Holiday Monday, 25th August, to Chippenham Town, also a 3 p.m. kick-off.
Josh Klein-Davies is suspended until 30th August, whilst Dean Evans is now available after completing his ban. Left back, Connor Clifford, who dislocated his knee last week against Truro City, will be out for at least a month. Jordan Walker has re-joined the club from Weston-super-Mare. The ex-Bristol City trainee can play in a number of defensive and midfield positions, which was demonstrated at Poole where he started at left back, before being switched to right back.