PAULTON Rovers were involved in an exciting 4-4 away draw against Brislington in the Premier Division of the Jewson Western Football League.

The two sides shared the points after a see-saw game that could have ended in defeat for either team.With Rovers hoping to build on the previous weekend's win over Ilfracombe, and with a 4-0 defeat of Brislington under their belts from just a matter of a couple of weeks ago, they should have gone into the game with some confidence.

But within four minutes, they found themselves two down. Both goals seemed jam packed with defensive errors for both goals as Rovers failed to clear the ball on more than one occasion. It was yet another slow start for an away game.

Rovers thought they had hit back quickly when, in the 7th minute, George Fowler was played in and neatly finished over the keeper. However, he was ruled offside in the build up. But the move did start some Rovers momentum and they started to move the ball around better.

Having been very unlucky not to score the previous Saturday, Dan McBeam got the first of his brace when a freekick was failed to be cleared properly by Brislington and McBeam fired the ball back through the crowded goalmouth in the 13th minute.

The second came thirteen minutes later when a mix up by the Brislington defence left the keeper stranded allowing McBeam to pick the ball up and finish into an empty net. The comeback was complete five minutes later when a strong run by McBeam was halted on the edge of the box with the ball squirming out to the left where it was picked up by Milo Murgatroyd. He cut inside and finished at the near-post.

But Brislington hit back in the 38th minute when more defensive woes allowed Oklan Buck to pick the ball up on the right, cut inside and pick his spot. It had been an incredible half of football for the neutrals!

The second half began in similar style with end to end stuff being the order of the day again. In a big blow, Rovers lost Milo Murgatroyd to an early injury but his replacement, Corey Rawlings, was soon into the action as he played through Dan McBeam only to have his shot clawed away

.It took until the 68th minute before Rovers could grab the lead again. George Fowler launched in a free kick from the right from which Josh Ford powered a header into the goal off the underside of the crossbar.

But the game still wasn't over yet as Brislington were able to hit back yet again in the 83rd minute.The momentum had swung again and Brislington probably came closest to winning it in the final seconds with two chances that went close.

Both teams will feel that they could have taken all three points from the game but Rovers manager Ray Johnston stated after the game that after being two down in four minutes, he probably would have settled for a point.

In the only other game in the Premier Division played on the same night, Clevedon Town gained a decisive 3-0 away win over Bridgwater United.

It was Clevedon’s 19th victory of the season and enabled the leaders to open up a five-point gap at the top of the table.

Jon Green