PAULTON Rovers’ faint hopes of reaching the play-offs suffered another blow when they slumped 2-0 away to third-placed Brixham AFC in the Premier Division of the Jewson Western League.

Brixham forced Dan Jackson into a superb double save within sixty seconds of the kickoff. But Rovers slowly dragged themselves into the game and Dan McBeam forced a save from the Brixham keeper.

But, in the 12th minute, Dylan Gould went in hard on a Brixham player. Although he clearly took the ball, he caught the man too and was sent off.

Rovers did well to get to half time with the scoreline goalless and were still in contention. But, in a huge blow, they conceded in the opening seconds of the second half. Brixham broke clear on the left and swung the ball in and James Moxham netted with a clinical header.

Again, Rovers responded immediately and forced a corner. Dan McBeam swung in the corner which caught out the keeper. The ball appeared to go straight under the crossbar and over the line with the keeper pawing it away as he fell back over the line. The linesman was unmoved and protests fell on deaf ears.

Five minutes later, Milo Murgatroyd rided several tackles and his shot was deflected onto the post and away for a corner. In the 64th minute Josh Ford fired a header just over the bar from a corner. Having worked hard for two thirds of the game, Rovers made further substitutions.

Then Jack Farion was sin binned leaving Rovers with nine players. Brixham upped the pace and played a searching ball forwards in the 83rd minute. Dan Jackson rushed out from his goal but fumbled the ball and James Moxham ran through to score.

Rovers are home to Torpoint on Saturday (3p.m.), in a game sponsored by Huw and Gray of Westfield .