PAULTON Rovers beat Shepton Mallet 3-2 at home in the Premier Division of the Jewson Western League to complete the season’s double, surviving a furious last 15 minutes

In a quirk of the fixture list, the equivalent return game only occurred two weeks ago. Rovers came away with the points on that occasion.

A competitive start saw Shepton gain the early momentum as Luco Ponsillo’s dangerous run was halted by Rovers’ defender Braden Humphries. Shepton tried hard to progress but their forwards were caught offside by a well organised Rovers’ back line of Josh Ford, captain Jack Dancey, Jack Farion, and Humphries.

It was somewhat against the run of play that, after 14 minutes, a left-sided free kick from Milo Murgatroyd was headed in at the far post by Ford to give Rovers the lead.

Farion, Ford, Dancey and Humphries were showing excellent ball control and distribution, while Luke Ingram, Will Osborne and Kitan Jaiyeoba were keen to try to make things happen. Though Paulton were in the ascendancy, Shepton were still dangerous and Jackson had to push a shot from Ponsillo over the bar. 

Corey Rawlings and Osborne saw their shots deflected for corners. From one of these, after 31 minutes, another towering header from Ford was kept out only for Osborne, following up, to fire the ball into the net for Rovers’ second.

Shepton rallied, and Josh Jenkins bundled the ball into the Rovers’ net to pull a goal back. Immediately though, following great play on the left by Rawlings and Kye Simpson, Osborne expertly hooked the ball into the net to restore Paulton’s advantage.

Shepton’s Jake Sloggett was ‘sin-binned‘ and Paulton ended the half on top. Ford’s downward header was well saved by Shepton keeper Sam Jepson and Kitan flashed a ball across the face of goal..

The second half continued to be well fought and aggressive as Shepton tried hard to make inroads, but the Rovers defence, ably marshalled by Dancey, were disciplined and resilient. In midfield, Ingram, Osborne and substitute Sam Hill kept the ball moving.

After 74 minutes though, a fine Shepton passing move saw the ball fall to Jenkins, who rifled the ball past Jackson to score Shepton’s second. This caused the momentum to switch in Shepton’s favour. They laid siege to the Paulton goal and corner after corner was forced. Jackson pulled off a string of remarkable saves to preserve their hard-earned advantage. Man of the match: Dan Jackson.

Noel Avis