MATCH REPORT: BRISLINGTON 0-3 PAULTON ROVERS

There was a good crowd at the Poplar for this one, with the home side looking to put their recent FA Vase disappointment behind them.

Manager Matt Lewton was again forced into changes, with Withey and Kington sidelined through injury. Captain Dunn returned, however, while new starter Lynden came straight into the XI.

The game began with fantastic intensity, every ball behind hotly contested. Brislington looked sharp and almost struck first on five minutes, when midfielder Winstone’s header from a corner was only kept out by a goal-line clearance.

Moments later, though, Paulton broke the deadlock. Jaiyeoba reacted quickest to a loose ball after Griffiths’ header and rifled home. The setback took the sting out of the home side, but they slowly grew back into the contest and began to enjoy spells of possession.

Lewton’s injury problems deepened on 23 minutes when striker Olateju was forced off, replaced by new signing Freddie Fowler. The 17-year-old was thrown into the action much sooner than expected and worked hard to make an impression.

Despite Brislington seeing plenty of the ball, they couldn’t carve out clear chances, and the visitors went in at the break with a slender lead.

The Foxes came out for the second half with renewed purpose, but controversy struck on 55 minutes. Paulton made a change without following full protocol, switching before the linesman had been consulted. Both players involved were booked — bizarrely, the outgoing man Griffiths receiving a second yellow and dismissal. Unsurprisingly, Paulton were incensed, although the incident didn’t immediately shift the balance.

Both teams battled for territory but struggled to create in the final third. The crucial second goal arrived for Paulton on 75 minutes, Haffenden finishing clinically to leave Brislington with a mountain to climb. Five minutes later Haffenden almost had another, but young Phillips produced an excellent double save to deny him.

The hammer blow came in the 84th minute, Smedley slotting home from a square ball to settle matters.

It was one of those games that didn’t feel like a three-goal defeat, but ultimately the Foxes were left to rue missed chances and were consigned to their seventh loss of the season.