Hartpury FC picked up their first point of the season during a frustrating goalless draw with Paulton Rovers at the Winterfield Stadium, on Saturday.
Despite being on top for portions of this Southern League Div One South encounter, the Acorns were unable to find the breakthrough during our second league game of the season.
It took until the twelfth minute for a shot on target and it fell to Paulton but Lenny Johnson’s volleyed effort from six-yards was denied by a superb sprawling save from Seth Locke.
Four minutes later, Nathan Jenkins placed an effort just past the post with a curling effort, after he nutmegged his marker to create space for himself.
Kian Davies got down the right before cutting inside his marker to get a shot off, but his effort bobbled past the post on 22 minutes, moments after Louis Manning and Morgan Ewing had efforts blocked.
Davies was denied by Archie Matthews, in the Rovers goal, two minutes when he was fed through by Manning allowing to drill a low effort goal bound.
Manning was picked out in the area by Jenkins, on 26 minutes, but the attacker was closed down quickly seeing his effort deflected wide.
Davies tried once more to find the target but saw his swivelling effort from 18-yards fly past the top corner, on 31 minutes.
Jenkins had a distanced effort beaten away on 32 minutes, before Ewing had his attempt from just inside the area deflected behind, on 39 minutes.
Davies had the final effort of the half when his strike from 18-yards was spilled by Matthews, but the Rovers ‘keeper was able to regain the ball seeing the game go into the break deadlock.
HALF TIME – PAULTON ROVERS 0-0 HARTPURY FC
Jenkins saw a half chance fall to him on 58 minutes, when he took a swing at a loose ball in the area but saw the strike blocked.
Paulton’s next best chance of the game fell to Tom Beeson who fired over from 12-yards, on the hour mark.
Rovers grew in confidence and were denied an opener by a brilliant lunging block from Riley McGregor, on 65 minutes.
McGregor went down the other ten minutes later and saw a low struck free-kick well held by the Rovers goalkeeper.
Ewing latched onto a loose ball in the area only to see his effort deflected behind on 78 minutes, before Cameron Walters and McGregor were unable to connect with the resulting corner.
Ewing was hunting down the goal again when he outpaced his marker before trying to poke an effort under the goalkeeper, but the shot was saved and well cleared, on 82 minutes.
Paulton looked all but through a minute later, but a well-timed tackle from Keon Sanniola denied Rovers’ break away.
Joao Silva was inches from connecting with a well-placed ball over the top from Jenkins, but both could only see the ball bounce through to the goalkeeper on 90 minutes.
Paulton tried throwing everything at the Acorns late on but could only come as close as a headed effort being well turned over by Locke on 92 minutes, seeing the game end goalless.
The Acorns return to action next Saturday when we face Weymouth in the FA Trophy Second Qualifying Round.
FULL TIME – PAULTON ROVERS 0-0 HARTPURY FC
STARTING XI: Locke (GK), Kent, Sanniola, Walters, McGregor, Davies (Hearnden 59’), Aldridge, Ewing, Jenkins, Manning (Silva 59’), Osborn © (Preston 70’)
UNUSED SUBS: Symons
Written by Sam Yapp
