Malvern Town v Yate Town
Southern League Division One South
Tuesday 22nd October- Kick-off 7.45pm
On Tuesday evening, Yate Town travel to Malvern Town following their 2-0 win against Tavistock on Saturday, which saw a crowd of 818 at the club’s successful Community Day, and maintained their position at the top of the table.
Our Opponents:
Malvern Town were established in 1946 and they are now a community-focused club known as The Hillsiders. This is Malvern Town’s second season in the Southern League having gained promotion form the Hellenic League at the end of season 20223/23 via the play-off when they beat Highworth Town 4-1. Last season they finished in 10th position in the Southern League Division One South.
Form Guide:
Malvern Town currently sit in 14th place in the table having secured 11 points from 9 games and have been involved in 35 goals so far in the League this season - having scored 18 goals and conceded 17.
After a slow start to the campaign, despite a 5-1 home win against Didcot in August, their last defeats being at Bemerton at the end of September, when they lost a high scoring game 3-4, followed by a 0-1 reversal at Westbury on 1st October, which was the end of a run of seven consecutive defeats in all competitions. Since then, they have drawn 1-1 at Willand, beaten Bristol Manor Farm 5-4 at home and last Saturday when they beat bottom side Shaftesbury 2-0 at home, with both goals coming from Alexander Bell.
One to watch: Recent loan arrival, Ibrahim Olateju, has certainly made a big impression in his first two games for Malvern Town. The teenage striker arrived at the club on loan from Sky Bet League Two outfit, Cheltenham Town ahead of the trip to Willand Rovers and having scored a late equaliser in that game, he followed it up with a brace in the thrilling 5-4 home victory over Bristol Manor Farm on last Tuesday evening.
In the FA Cup Malvern beat Hereford Pegasus 2-1 at home in the Extra Preliminary Round before beating Hinckley United 5-2 in the Preliminary Round and going out at home 0-1 to Cleethorpes Town whilst in the FA Trophy they lost 2-0 at Bideford.
Previous meetings:
Malvern Town’s first ever visit to Yate took place back on August 16th 2023 and the newly promoted side from the Hellenic League soon found themselves 3-0 up with first half goals from Jospeh Davies, Harry Clarke and Jordan Annear but an eventful second half saw Yate Town miss a penalty, taken by George Box, and score two goals through Dylan Lewis and Sam Pashen but it was not enough to secure a point as Malvern recorded their first win of the season despite having had two players, Curtis Smith and Lewis Platt sent off in the second half.
Goalmouth action during the first half at Malvern last January, with the Malvern Hills in the background, as Yate Town apply pressure on the Malvern goal.
The two teams met again on January 6th with James Taylor, Calum English-Brown and Joe Guest (on his return to the club) making their first full appearances for the club in a game that ended goalless.
Getting there:
Address: Malvern Town FC, Langland Avenue, Malvern, West Midlands WR14 2EQ.
If you are travelling by car, go up the M5 and leave at Junction 8 to join the M50. Leave the M50 at Junction 1 (Signposted Malvern/Tewkesbury A38) and follow the sign for A38 Malvern. Stay on the A38 until you reach the junction with the A4104 (Signposted Upton-upon-Severn) and turn left. After crossing over the River Severn, turn right onto the B4211 (signposted Hanley Castle) and stay on this road until you reach the village of Rhydd. Turn left at Rhydd onto the B4211 and pass through the village of Guarlford. Upon entering Barnard's Green, you will encounter an unusual junction, you need to take the third exit (Pickersleigh Road) and halfway up Pickersleigh road turn right into Sherard's Green Road. Go straight on at the junction, entering Langland Avenue. The ground will be on your right. The 54-mile journey from Yate should take about 1 hour 10 minutes.
Next up:
Yate Town travel to Hungerford next Saturday for a First Round FA Trophy tie before entertaining THATCHAM TOWN at the South West Interiors Stadium on Tuesday 29th October with a 7.45pm kick-off, during school half-term week.