A brave and resilient performance by Paulton Rovers wasn’t enough to prevent Bath City coming away with a 4-1 to lift the trophy in an engaging Somerset Premier Cup final played at Weston-super-Mare AFC's The Optima Stadium on Tuesday night, writes Alan Cooper.  

The result atoned in many ways for last season’s result when Jerry Gill’s Romans were beaten at the final hurdle by Yeovil Town in last year’s final and have now won the competition 25 times, equalling the record reached by the Glovers.

Southern League Division One South side Paulton Rovers, managed by former Shepton Mallet boss Craig Loxton, have every right to feel proud as they defended valiantly for large parts of the game particularly in the opening quarter of the match when their opponents from National League South, two leagues higher, threatened to take control of the game at an early stage.

However, brave defending from the entire backline of Rovers' defence restricted their opponents to limited strikes on target despite their greater possession.   

Drama was to occur midway through the first half, however, when Paulton took an early lead.

Leo Eglin speeding down the left-flank delivering a precision ball into the path of Ed Butcher who opened the scoring firing past former Seagulls loanee Max Harris, much to the delight of the small posse of Paulton fans in the 548 crowd. 

Bath's players looked temporarily shelled socked by the early deficit after enjoying so much possession, but Rovers had employed a well-rehearsed defensive game plan, relying on a swift counter attack and if City were to get any reward from the game it was obvious that they would have to work for it.

Opi Edwards had loud claims for a penalty kick waved away by match official Stacey Pearson as Gill's men began to flex their muscles and get their own game plan together.

And on 42 minutes Bath City were on level terms, Dan Hayfield netting the first of his two goals on the night, rising high above Paulton's defence to connect resolutely with Chris Lines’ delivery, heading the ball past goalkeeper Aaron Sainsbury – who was to go on to have an outstanding game - via the inside of an upright.

It wasn’t until the 80th minute that Bath netted their second goal, but it was a strike of some quality, Hayfield firing a free-kick into the net with frightening power to finally deflate any hopes that Rovers might have of rescuing anything from the game. 

Then two goals in added on time through former Weston forward Scott Wilson,  who had been played in brilliantly by substitute Luke Spokes, and then by Spokes in the third minute of added on time meant that there was no way back for Paulton on the night as match fitness for Bath proved to be the ace in the pack on the night to spoil a first-class effort by a brave Paulton Rovers team.

Speaking after the game, a delighted Gill said: “I’m really pleased, we had a great result on Saturday [a 2-1 win against Oxford City) and tonight was good for us too. 

"We deserved our win and we were really dominant in the second half and we wore Paulton Rovers down a bit and fitness told in the end, they [Paulton] did really well and made a real game of it, particularly in the first half but it was a great result for us, now we need a break and will look forward to come back refreshed in pre-season”