Yate Town 2 Tavistock 0
Dewsbury 1, 61
Southern League Division One South
Saturday 19th October 2024
Yate Town, in front of a Community Day crowd of 818, their best of the season, put in another good performance to maintain top spot in the Southern League Division One South table after 10 league games.
Yate Town manager, Darren Mullings, was forced to make changes from the team that won at Didcot with James Byrne starting at left back in place of the injured Lewis Hall and Ollie Dewsbury in place of Stan Wyatt, who was on the bench and with Lucas Tomlinson out injured, Marlon Jackson returned from injury for his first start in four weeks.
On a sunny autumn afternoon the game got off to an excellent start for the Bluebells, with Ollie Dewsbury scoring inside the first minute. After good work from Marlon Jackson, Lloyd James swung the ball into the penalty area and at the second attempt Ollie Dewsbury forced the ball home past goalkeeper, Aaron Dearing, in the visitor’s goal.
Ollie Dewsbury puts Yate Town in front in the first minute.
Shortly after, Jerry Lawrence fired over from 20 yards but the game was then broken up with a number of stoppages as players needed treatment for various minor knocks. Once this stop, start period was over Joe Guest headed just over from a Lloyd James free kick and in a flowing move Joe Guest and James Taylor combined for Jerry Lawrence to shoot just off target as the Tavsitock defended in numbers and restricted Yate to a limited number of efforts on goal. The only time that Tavistock threatened was after 37 minutes when Edward Harrison’s shot was blocked.
Marlon Jackson wins this heading duel.
Into the second half Yate Town started to make more chances and find spaces in the Tavistock defence with Lawrence again going close. Stan Wyatt came on for Ross Stearn after 56 minutes and immediately got into the action and caused the Tavistock defence a number of problems and after a good run, his shot ended up in the arms of Dearing. However, a minute later, Ollie Dewsbury fired a shot of power and accuracy into the bottom corner of the Tavistock net to put Yate Town in command.
Ollie Dewsbury scores his second goal after 61 minutes, firing home from just outside the penalty area.
Ollie Dewsbury celebrates his second goal.
With Yate Town dominant, Marlon Jackson’s shot was spilled by Dearing but the goalkeeper managed to recover in time to secure the ball. Jackson was then replaced by Ryan Hillier after 71 minutes and Hillier immediately went on a good run and he forced a fine save from Dearing with his left foot shot.
Apart form another effort from Harrison, that was blocked, and Luke Steer going on a good run that ended in a corner for the visitors, Tavistock offered little up front.
Darren Mullings made a couple of late substitutions bringing on Will Christopher for James Taylor and Ross Staley for Dewsbury in the closing minutes and in this period Wyatt brought a good save from Dearing, Staley missed an excellent opportunity when his lob went wide of the post with Dearing beaten and Christopher shot straight at Dearing form the edge of the penalty area.
This was another game when Yate Town came up against a packed defence but their style of play and patience meant that they made the points secure just after the hour and could have added more goals but for some good saves by Aaron Dearing.
The Community Day proved to be an excellent day for the club and fans and the gate of 818 was one of the best attendances for a league game in the club’s history. If the local community can support the club in a similar way on match days during the coming season the future for the Bluebells looks bright.
Yate Town travel to Malvern on Tuesday evening in the League, are at Hungerford in the FA Trophy next Saturday before returning to the South West Interiors Stadium on Tuesday 29th October when Thatcham Town are the visitors.
Yate Town: Sainsbury, Taylor (Christopher 81), Byrne, Dempsey, Larvin, James, Lawrence, Guest, Jackson (Hillier 71) Stearn (Wyatt 56)), Dewsbury (Staley 90)
Unused subs: Keet
Bookings: None
Tavistock AFC: Dearing, Alman, Adelsbury (Shore 81), Elkington, Burns, Harrison, Prynn, L. Steer, (Battle 77) Kane, Cunningham, Harris.
Bookings: None
Referee: Jack Bromham
Attendance: 818
Yate Town Man of the Match: Ollie Dewsbury
