Paulton Rovers 1

(Barnes 90)

North Leigh 0

A late stike saw North Leigh slip to defeat at fellow Calor League Division 1 South & West high-fliers Paulton Rovers.

It was a game that North Leigh looked like winning as they bossed it and played against a ten-man opposition for the last 15 minutes.

But it was snatched away from them in the final minute of added time.

With the wind at their backs, North Leigh opened brightly with a couple of early dangerous free kicks cleared by the Paulton defence and a long-range effort by Andy Gunn easily saved by home keeper Kyle Phillips.

Ten minutes later, Paul White in the North Leigh goal did well at a Paulton corner to get a hand to the ball as it flashed across goal.

The half ended with another half chance for the Millers as a Morgan Williams cross from the right found Stuart Hole unmarked, but his header was wide of the mark.

On 62 minutes it looked like North Leigh had scored as Conor McDonagh powered into the box and shot from eight yards, but Phillips somehow smothered the ball on the line.

With the bookings racking up for the home side, Dean Evans received his second caution and dismissal a few minutes later.

The Millers then stormed forward looking for the winning goal.

Phillips saved well from a Hole shot followed a minute later by an even better block from a Brian Bowles drive from an acute angle.

As the game moved into added time, the referee penalised White when he cleared a long ball on the edge of the box as a Paulton player came in to challenge.

After the Millers’ protests had died down, Brendon Barnes curled the free-kick into the net.

North Leigh: White, Hole, Organ, Turk, Gunn, Westlake, Else, Osborne-Ricketts, McDonagh, Bowles, Williams (Walcott 83). Subs not used: Dobson, Alexis, Caton.

Attendance: 229.