Bemerton Heath Harlequins v Yate Town
Southern League Division One South
Saturday 14th December - Kick-off 3.00pm
Yate Town, sitting in pole position in the league, travel to Bemerton Heath Harlequins for a Southern League fixture on Saturday having immediately returned to winning ways with an excellent 4-0 win at Shaftesbury Town on Tuesday evening. A James Byrne hat trick, the first of his career, saw the Bluebells to a resounding victory and Yate Town manager, Darren Mullings, will be looking for a similar performance at fast improving Bemerton on Saturday.
Yate Town utility player, Wayne Nderemani, has gone on dual registration to Paulton Rovers, to get back to match fitness following his injury, and with Ewan McMillan a long-term casualty it is hoped that the rest of the squad will be fit for Saturday.
Form Guide
This is Bemerton’s second season in the Southern League and in their inaugural season; after gaining promotion from the Wessex League, they finished in 13th position.
The Salisbury based club got off to a poor start this season but a change of manager and a number of new signings has led to a vast improvement in results with the club now in 9th position having won 8 of their 18 games and amassing 28 points with a goal difference of plus five, having scored 37 and conceded 32.
Their last game was on Tuesday evening at Cribbs when a second half goal from William Brackley secured a 1-0 win. Recent results have seen them beat Thatcham 2-1 at home with stoppage time goals from Leighton Young-Thoams plus an own goal to turn defeat into victory on 30th November. Before that they lost 1-3 at Bideford with their goal scored by Oliver Balmer. Earlier in the month they had 2 home games and draw 2-2 with Melksham and beat Tavistock 5-1.
Previous meetings
Last season’s Southern League game at Bemerton, on 7th October, the first time the clubs met, saw the hosts race away into a 4-0 lead by half time with goals from Stuart Green, Lamin Jaffa (2) and George Britton scoring their goals in the first 23 minutes – there was no further goals in the game - but in the return fixture on 13th January it was the Bluebells who turned things around winning 3-0 with goals from Nick McCootie, Calum English-Brown and Oli Jenkins in front of 234 fans.
This will be the third time that Yate have travelled to Bemerton this season having won there 5-0 in the First Qualifying Round of the FA Trophy on September 7th when Stan Wyatt scored a second half hat trick but the game was ordered to be played and 11 days later Stan got two goals in a 3-1 win with Marlon Jackson scoring the other Yate goal and the Bluebells subsequently progressed to the next round.
Getting there:
Bemerton Heath Harlequins Football Club is based in the Bemerton area of Salisbury, Wiltshire. and play at Moon Park. Their address is Western Way, Bemerton Heath SP2 9DR Salisbury, Wiltshire. The journey of 55 miles should take about an hour and a half from Yate.
Next up
Yate Town have a Gloucestershire Cup game at Cinderford Town on Tuesday 17th December before TWO home games against HELSTON ATHLETIC on Saturday 21st December (3pm) and then BRISTOL MANOR FARM are the visitors to the South West Interiors Stadium on Boxing Day (3pm).