Match Report
Mousehole 2 Yate Town 1
Nixon 9, Hill 87 Tomlinson 39
Southern League Division One South
Saturday 12th April 2025
Yate Town were undone by a couple of defensive lapses that saw them relinquish first place in the table, a place that they have occupied all season, as the hosts secured three points in their quest to maintain a play-off place, whilst Evesham United scored a last-minute winner at Westbury with the top two (Evesham and Yate), now only separated on a goal difference of just one.
Yate Town manager, Darren Mullings, had to change his team selection just prior to kick-off with Ross Stearn injured in the warm up with Marlon Jackson taking his place from the start. With King Baidoo unavailable and Nick McCootie on the bench, Stan Wyatt started on the left and Lewis Hall returning in defence, meaning that there were a number of changes to the side that won 2-0 at Helston the previous Saturday.
Yate Town started brightly and Stan Wyatt was a threat down the left but when Mousehole won a free kick after just 9 minutes, a 25-yard shot was spilled by Issac Finch and Tim Nixon had the easy task of putting the hosts in front. The Bluebells responded and Stan Wyatt’s 20 yard shot from the edge of the area brought a full length save from Ollie Chenoweth in the Mousehole goal as he pushed the ball away for a corner.
Stan Wyatt in action as he takes on a Mousehole defender and below his shot that brought a fine save from Ollie Chenoweth, in the Mousehole goal.
The game was very much a midfield tussle but Yate started to take more and more control in the final 15 minutes of the first half and after a fine through ball from Marlon Jackson, Lucas Tomlinson showed great composure and control and he held off a couple of defenders to shoot from just inside the area, clipping the ball over Chenoweth after 39 minutes, to level the score.
Lucas Tomlison equalises after 39 minutes.
The second half continued in the same vein with neither side looking likely to score a winner and chances were few and far between. After 51 minutes a Mousehole corner from the left clipped the Yate crossbar and a couple of long-range shots went wide for the hosts whilst following a foul on Marlon Jackson Lloyd James’ free kick from the edge of the area went straight at Chenoweth.
However, the last few minutes of the game proved decisive as after 86 minutes, following a free kick from the left by Lloyd James, the ball was flicked on, and arriving at the back post, Jame Adams, at full stretch, saw his effort strike the post.
Jamie Adams hits the post with this effort, just before Mousehole scored the winner.
The ball went up field and following a disputed throw in, and then a foul, the resultant free kick on the right, by the touchline, was headed home by Mousehole’s Max Hill.
Despite Yate Town bringing on forward Nick McCootie, and with four minutes added time, neither side created a chance and the Bluebells found themselves no longer at the summit of the table.
With the top sides all having three games to play and Yate Town appearing a few weeks ago to have an unassailable lead at the top of the table, there is still all to play for in the final three matches - at home to Cinderford Town on Good Friday, away at Bristol Manor Farm on Easter Monday and the final league game of the season on Saturday 26th April when Didcot Town visit the South West Interiors Stadium. There are bound to be plenty of twists and turns in these last games, which will decide who are the Champions of the Southern League Division One South and who is destined for the play-offs.
Mousehole: Chenoweth, Sullivan, Hill, Turner, Calver, Nixon, Symonds (Baxter 88), Bernard, Carrasco, Kante, Massey
Unused subs: Moyle (GK), Derham, Elsa, Sousa
Bookings: None
Yate Town: Finch, Taylor (Christopher 90), Hall, Larvin (McCootie 89), Dempsey, James, Tomlinson, Adams, Wyatt (Nderemani 79) Jackson, Byrne
Bookings: Larvin (86), James (88)
Unused sub: Lenihan
Referee: Mark Hickson
Attendance: 307