HAT-TRICK BY O’HARE INSPIRES ROVERS
PLAY-OFF chasing
Paulton Rovers climbed into the top five with a 6-0 hammering of struggling
Barnstable Town who finished the match with nine men.
Dave O’Hare reeled off a hat-trick at the TM Autoparts Stadium with his first coming inside the opening 14 minutes.
The hosts then a suffered double blow on 21 minutes. Ethan Phillips was sent off for handling on the goal-line, leaving the referee with little choice but to award Rovers a penalty.
Ben Bament then stepped up and made no mistake from the spot to put Paulton in control.
The visitors were all over Barnstaple as they added two more before the interval.
O’Hare got the first of those as he finished after being teed up by Marcus Day who then made it 4-0, netting the rebound after Steven Oliver saved Bament’s initial shot.
Paulton refused to take their foot off the gas in the second period as O’Hare bagged his third with a shot that went in off the bar.
Barnstaple’s afternoon went from bad to worse when Liam Gregory became the second player to see red.
Day then rounded off a clinical display when he fired low past Oliver as Barnstaple slumped back to the foot of the table.
Paulton’s victory saw them overtake Melksham Town who slipped out of the play-off places following a 1-0 defeat at
Evesham United.
Keeper Lochlan Robertson gifted Melksham a chance with a poor goal-kick before making amends with a fine save.
Evesham’s first shot on target came on 27 minutes as Jamie Lucas’ strike stung the hands of stopper Jamie Bartlett.
Lucas went close again in firing narrowly wide before Robertson was forced into another smart save at the other end.
Evesham continued to threaten in the second half with Harry Franklin heading over before Lucas broke the deadlock.
With 77 minutes on the clock, Evesham broke and Lucas drove home as the Robins boosted their own promotion hopes by securing all three points.
Cirencester Town are two places adrift of the play-off and one above Evesham after a thumping 4-1 win over Moneyfields.
All Ciren’s goals came in the second period as Moneyfields opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time.
Steve Hutchings headed in Joe Briggs’ cross, but it took three second-half minutes before Ciren levelled the scoring with Joshua Nelmes finishing at the back post.
Michael Pook’s glancing header put Ciren ahead before Jonny Dennis made it 3-1.
Dennis could have had a second as he skipped through before firing straight at the keeper. But Ciren did get their fourth when Nelmes stabbed home after a goalmouth scramble.
Bristol Manor Farm and Highworth Town played out a goalless draw at The Creek.
It took 30 minutes before both sides settled as Edijdja Mbunga and Jacob Davidge fired wide for Highworth.
The hosts had a great chance to win it at the death as Alan Griffin just failed to turn home Mehew’s cross.
Elsewhere, Terry Cuthbertson struck in injury-time as Sholing claimed a 1-0 win over
Willand Rovers.
The goal did not look like it was coming as Lee Wort’s volley was tipped over by Searle who also denied Dan Mason.
But with seconds left Cuthbertson broke into the box and slotted home.