Pitchero Non League

Nick Bunyard

....Nick Bunyard still hopes to add to his depleted squad.

However, having signed defender Stuart Pearson from Toolstation Western League side Odd Down on Tuesday, Bunyard does not expect any more new players to arrive before Saturday's match at home to Evesham United.

That will be Rovers' first league match in nearly three weeks and is followed by a trip to Mangotsfield United on Monday night.

Bunyard is keen to build some continuity in his side after a poor start to their league campaign, with three points from four games leaving them two places off the bottom.

"I haven't been able to pick the same side two weeks running yet," he said.

"We just need to get a bit of stability and get some confidence. We need to get games under our belts and try to pick up some points if we can.

"We're talking to other players. We certainly need to get bodies on board. I don't think anyone else will sign this week but next week we might have one or two more coming on board."

James Billing and Nick McCootie returned for Rovers in Tuesday's 3-2 FA Trophy Preliminary Round replay defeat against Didcot Town, while Ben Lacey also featured from the bench and Bunyard is hopeful he will be available again this weekend.

Stuart Tovey, Lee Collier, Steve Bridges, Jack Allward and Dan Cottle remain injured but Pearson, who can play in central defence or at right-back, is expected to be involved.

Bunyard bemoaned his side's bad luck against Didcot as two penalties and a sending-off went against them in the final 20 minutes, having battled to a goalless draw with a bare-bones squad in the original tie last Saturday.

"It wasn't a great first half, both sides looked a little bit disjointed," he said. "We finally seemed to find our passing game in the second half and we cut them open and scored a good goal.

"Marcus Mapstone got sent-off and that was the turning point – his second yellow card a was a bit harsh.

"The first one, given against James Billings, apparently shouldn't have been a penalty. That seems to be the consensus, although I didn't have a good view myself.

"The second one looked like it was a penalty - it was just a tired challenge from Scott Brice.

"Last Saturday, it was a pretty even contest. We had the better of the early chances and they rallied late on and hit the woodwork. All in all, a draw was a good result for us because we went there with a very weakened squad."

Tags: News | Paulton Rovers

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