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| PAULTON ROVERS 3 TAUNTON TOWN 2 |
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| Written by Tony Walsh | |
| Saturday, 23 August 2008 | |
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Rovers just about deserve to claim the points. Match report from Andy Harris
Rovers just about deserved all three points but they made their supporters sweat to the very end after looking to have taken an unassailable first half lead. Rob Claridge almost opened the scoring for the hosts in the 7th minute as Taunton failed to clear their lines but his lob from fully 35 yards just cleared the ball. However 2 minutes later Rovers broke quickly and a superb flicked header from skipper, Dan Cleverley, saw Claridge race clear and although Simon Cooper saved well in the visitor’s goal Dan Cleverley collected the rebound and his cross to the back post was tucked away on the volley by Chris Lane. The lead was doubled 4 minutes later as Claridge reacted quickly to take a quick throw in on the right which found Dan Cleverley on the corner of the box and his volley flew past Cooper and into the net. Taunton almost responded immediately as Rover’s keeper Kyle Phillips, spilled a low cross from the right but Ollie Price was on hand to clear the danger. Rovers almost made it 3 on 22 minutes as Lane’s deep free kick was headed back across goal by Price and Dan Cleverley’s header was well saved by Cooper and Claridge’s follow up shot went well wide. Cooper had to be alert to save a well struck volley from Ben Cleverley and then a free kick that beat the defensive wall from Danny Boys. Jason Hughes headed a free kick just wide as it seemed inevitable Rovers would add a third and it came on 29 minutes as the Cleverley brothers exchanged passes with Dan setting up a shooting chance for Claridge that was parried by Cooper with Jon French reacting the quickest to head home his first goal for the club. Cooper then dived bravely at French’s feet to deny him a second goal and Dean Pendry was unfortunate not to score on the stroke of half time as his shot went agonisingly wide of the far post. Any hopes that Rovers could coast to an easy victory lasted just one minute into the second period when the home defence failed to clear a cross from the right and Alex Pounde crossed the ball back in for Matt Rawlins to head home. The deficit was reduced further 6 minutes later as James Ansett found Pounde with a cross to the far post and the ex Wellington Town striker made no mistake. The home side regrouped and were unlucky not to have scored again on 67 minutes as Ben Cleverley’s free kick looked to have been headed home by Hughes but the Taunton skipper, Lee Groves, got in a tremendous block on the goal line allowing Cooper to collect. Groves and Claridge had shots easily saved by the respective keepers as the game rather petered out allowing Rovers to keep their 100% home record in tact. Team: Phillips, Tovey, Boys, Price, Hughes, Lane, B Cleverley, French, Claridge, D Cleverley (C), Pendry (Jefferies 81 mins) Referee: Mark Pottage Assts: Rob Cockle / Julian Hooper Attendance: 202 Man of the Match: Jason Hughes (Rovers) 
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| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 22 October 2008 ) |
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