Paulton took a point from North Leigh with a converted penalty five minutes from time. The Rovers game was a full debut for eighteen-year-old Youth Team player, Callum Hinder, with another youngster, Paddy Doyle, also starting.
Both sides opened brightly, with Doyle nearly finding lone striker, Josh Klein-Davies and then Alex Lapham's corner on the right caused confusion in the Miller's defence.
North Leigh played a lot of passing football from the back, then launched long balls to their strikers. The experienced Elliott Osbourne-Rickets was caught narrowly offside, otherwise Rovers defence from Kyle Phillips in goal, full backs, Dave Thompson and Sam Teale, ably supported by Scott Brice and Marcus Mapstone snuffed out their chances.
On the half-hour, the home side should have gone ahead, when impressive left winger, Mark Bell, hit a ball along the Paulton goalmouth with no North Leigh player able to connect.
Five minutes from half-time, Rovers won a penalty when Mike Perrott turned in the penalty area and was tripped by Michael Hopkins. Klein-Davies took the spot kick, hitting it against keeper Adam McHugh's feet and although he attemped to get on the end of the bouncing ball, it was cleared.
Rovers pushed Perrott up to support Klein-Davies down the Eynsham Park slope and the visitors looked dangerous, with several shots reigning over the crossbar. Young Hinder came to the rescue of his defence when he chased back to clear Aaron Woodley as he raided in from the right.
North Leigh opened the scoring on 73 minutes, when after a corner was cleared, Woodley dribbled in from the right, laid the ball to Morgan Williams, whose shot bobbled against several Rovers bodies, before falling to Bell, who seemed to mishit the ball. However, there was just enough momentum for it to roll past Phillips and into the net.
This sparked up Paulton, who brought on Nick McCootie and his trickery was giving the home defence some headaches. In the 85th minute, McCootie and Josh Klein-Davies linked up to lay the ball back to Captain, Dan Cleverley, 25 yards out. He hit a rasping shot destined for the top corner of the net, but was tipped over the bar by Wayne Turk and the impressive referee, Sian Piret, had no hesitation in showing him a red card.
Paulton made it 1–1, with McCootie coolly slotting home the resultant penalty. With five minutes left, including added time, forty-year-old Assistant Manager, Paul Milsom, rolled back the years and came on as substitute. This was just enough time for him to get a yellow card.
This was a fair result and a fitting end to a tough and rewarding season, with the hard work about to start having reached the play-off semi-final when Paulton are due to travel on Tuesday to Tiverton Town, as The Journal goes to press.
Sports Show host for Somer Valley FM, Ian Nockolds, will be broadcasting this game live. The winners will then play the winners of the other semi-final on May Day Bank Holiday Monday.