Match Report
Yate Town 0 Chertsey Town 0
Southern League Premier Division South
Saturday 23rd August 2023
In a highly entertaining match, Yate Town dominated long periods of the game but missed a number of scoring opportunities only for Chertsey to nearly snatch all three points in stoppage time.
Yate Town manager, Darren Mullings, made four changes from the side that lost at Hanwell last weekend, starting with James Taylor, returning from injury, Dayle Grubb back in the side following illness plus Bevan Cross making his first start of the season and Ollie Jenkins returning to the club on a one-month loan from Weston-super-Mare. Jeffey Forkuo, Matt Britton and Wil Tuner were on the bench and Marlon Jackson out injured.
Lucas Tomlinson was just wide early on and after half hour Bevan Cross hit the Chertsey woodwork with Charlie While bringing a fine save from Chertsey goalkeeper Luke Wynne-Roberts. In a rare Chertsey attack, Jack Mazzone curled his shot well wide of the far post following a swift breakaway down the left.
Lucas Tomlinson in action during the first half.
Ollie Jenkins was always dangerous for Yate with some surging runs and set up Bevan Cross whose shot was just off target. Yate Town captain, Joe Guest’s pass found Lucas Tomlinson but his effort cleared the crossbar and when Tomlinson stepped over the ball to let it run past him, Dayle Grubb missed the best chance of the second half when he dragged his shot wide of the post from 8 yards out. James Taylor’s effort was spilled by Wynne-Roberts but the ball was cleared and Yate substitute Wil Turner saw his low effort superbly saved by the out stretched leg of Wynne-Roberts.
Above, Ollie Jenkins in the thick of the action and below, James Taylor closes down Chertsey goalkeeper Luke Wynne-Roberts.
Chertsey’s Magnus Abisogun started to look dangerous and stuck the outside of a post with an angled shot but shortly afterwards had to go off injured and substitute Oliver McCoy’s shot failed to test Aaron Sainsbury.
Lloyd James was just off target a couple of times for Yate but in stoppage time Chertsey’s Jack Mazzone found himself in space in the penalty area, only to shoot straight at Aaron Sainsbury in the home goal.
These two teams have only scored three goals between them this season after four games apiece.
This was a good performance from Yate Town who again showed that they can compete at this level and there were many positive things from the game. A second clean sheet at home and if they had taken just one of the many chances then they would have recorded their first win of the season. With some of the injured players on the road to recovery this should certainly increase manager Darren Mullings selection options.
The Bluebells travel to Hungerford Town on Bank Holiday Monday then are away to Westbury United in the First Qualifying Round of the FA Cup next Saturday.
Yate Town: Sainsbury, Taylor, Moody, Dempsey, White, James, Tomlinson, Guest, Jenkins (Forkuo 89), Cross (Karadogan 84), Grubb (Turner 68)
Unused subs: Felix, Britton
Bookings: Tomlinson (5), Guest (58)
Chertsey Town: Wynne-Roberts, Hardland-Goddard, Fisher, Birch (Lodge 84), Harrison, Gallagher (McCoy 65), Mazzone, Montague, McKillop (Downey 84), Abisogun (Berry 79), Fernandez
Unused sub: Casey,
Bookings: Harrison (7), Birch (70), Harland-Goddard (90+1)
Referee: Ollie Taylor
Attendance: 405
Yate Town Player of the Match: Ollie Jenkins
