Pre-season friendly
Bridgwater Town 2, Paulton Rovers 3
TWO late goals from summer signing Steve Murray were unable to prevent Bridgwater Town slipping to defeat in their latest pre-season match, at home to Southern League Division 1 South side Paulton Rovers.
Fairfax Park witnessed an open and end-to-end start to the match, with chances at both ends, before the visitors took the lead on 18 minutes – Ed Butcher firing home after hesitation in the Bridgwater defence allowed Ali Sen to put in a cross.
It was so nearly 2-0 just three minutes later, with home goalkeeper Connor Sidley-Adams getting his fingertips to Ben Bament's header and diverting it onto the crossbar.
But Sidley-Adams was powerless to stop Paulton extending their lead in the 41st minute, as the hosts lost the ball in defence and Butcher gobbled up the opportunity.
After the break, Ryan Burrows sliced his shot wide after being played in by Jack Taylor, and soon after Butcher got in down the left to complete his hat-trick and make it 3-0 on 64 minutes.
Taylor forced a couple of good saves from visiting keeper Joe Perry, but it wasn't until the 86th minute that the Robins reduced the deficit, Murray finding the net with a dipping volley from 12 yards out.
He had his second two minutes after that – beating three players and picking out the bottom corner – but the home side could not find a last-ditch equaliser.
Bridgwater Town: Connor Sidley-Adams (Steve Laker 50), Jake Horsey, Jamie Laird, Jake Llewellyn, Matt Redman (Harry Horton 63), Mike Duffy, Dave O'Hare (Tom Ellis 63), Jake Brown, Ryan Burrows (Ian Bellinger 63), Steve Murray, Jack Taylor.
Next up for Bridgwater is a trip to Welton Rovers this Saturday (July 20), and they go to Mangotsfield United on Tuesday (July 23).
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