On the back of 3 successive defeats Paget welcomed Shawbury United to Coles Lane on Saturday. Before kick off the players and spectators observed a fitting minutes applause for Paget and local non league supporter Colin Negus, who had sadly passed away recently.
The effects of the past 3 games, which had seen Paget suffer consecutive defeats, appeared to have taken their toll initially on Paget, who were slow out of the blocks and it was Shawbury who had the better of the opening exchanges.
A couple of lengthy stops for injury to Shawbury players did little to raise the tempo of the game, which was becoming very stop start. As the half moved on though the game slowly started to warm up. A great flowing move from Shawbury carved the Paget back line open and with only Ben Ntiri in the Paget goal to beat, Shawbury forward Wysopal lifted the ball over the bar.
In fact it was against the run of play when Paget talisman, Rivel Mardenborough, broke the deadlock and opened the scoring. Some neat inter play down the Paget right freed Mardenborough and the Paget number 9 skipped away from the Shawbury defence. Out rushed Shawbury keeper, Nick Ashley but with great feet and a deft touch Mardenborough evaded the on rushing keeper and with great composure fired into the empty net, despite the attentions of a Shawbury defender.
Shawbury were by no means out of it though and almost equalised soon after, as a stinging free kick went through the wall and drew a flying save from Ntiri in the Paget goal.
Half Time 1-0
The second half was not even a minute old when Shawbury gained an equaliser that their first half performance probably deserved. A good run and low key cross from the left was coolly swept in to the Paget net by Wysopal to bring the scores level.
Stung by such a poor start to the second half Paget slowly but surely began to assert and a couple of good moves down the right saw both Mardenborough and Ronan Sheehan shoot into the side netting when they perhaps should have done better.
With Paget now starting to get on top, a good ball down the left found Mardenborough in the inside left channel, with pace and power he easily went passed the Shawbury defender and with only one thing in his mind shot across the goalkeeper, however, Shawbury keeper Ashley produced a fantastic save to push the ball agonisingly around the post. The on rushing Sheehan, who would surely have had a tap in had Mardenborough squared the ball, seemed distraught, although with the Paget man in such great goalscoring form this season who could blame him for having the confidence to try and find the winner.
With time running out Paget were awarded a corner after good pressure down the right. Brad Pugh went over to take the corner and whipped a great inswinger into the box where Alex Tesfom headed powerfully from the edge of the six yard box into the roof of the net.
It was no more than Paget deserved for their second half performance and as the referee blew the final whistle manager Steve Walker will have been delighted to have got back to winning ways and complete the double over Shawbury this season.
Full Time 2-1