Match Report
Yate Town 2 Falmouth Town 1
Nderemani 44, Baidoo 57 Webber 90+6
Southern League Division One South
Saturday 8th February 2025
Yate Town ended Falmouth Town’s six game winning sequence as the team top of the league beat the form team in a highly entertaining game.
With a number of key players on the injured list (Marlon Jackson, Ross Stearn and Will Larvin), Yate Town manager, Darren Mullings started with Wayne Ndermani for the first time since his injury back in September with James Taylor’s injury during Tuesday night’s game against Bideford making him unavailable for selection. Before the game there was a minutes applause following the passing of Yate Town director, John Croft (84).
With the pitch in a better condition than on Tuesday evening, Yate Town started well with Lucas Tomlinson shooting wide after just four minutes and with both Wayne Nderemani and King Baidoo creating another chance for Tomlinson, which was blocked plus a rifled shot from Will Christoper from outside the penalty area, Falmouth Town, despite being well organised at the back and playing some good football rarely threatened the home goal. Nick McCootie headed a Lucas Tomlinson corner straight at Falmouth goalkeeper Morgan Coxhead and a Lucas Tomlinson cross flew across the goal as Nick McCootie just couldn’t get a vital touch at the far post.
With half time approaching Yate Town took the lead when Wayne Nderemani swivelled in the box and managed to force the ball home to put the hosts in front, scoring his second goal of the season.
Wayne Nderemani, on the ground, puts the Bluebells in front just before half-time.
With game barely back under way Nick McCootie’s run took him into the penalty area and he was brought down and referee Adam Wilson immediately pointed to the spot. The experienced Lloyd James stepped up to take the penalty but Morgan Coxhead in the Falmouth goal produced and excellent save to keep his side’s deficit to a single goal.
Yate started the second half on the front foot and a Wayne Nderemani cross was headed just wide by Nick McCootie and a Lloyd James free kick saw McCootie just miss the target again. However, Falmouth, one of the leading goal scorers in the division, started to show their qualities and attacking intent and when they broke down the left the ball came to Rubin Wilson in the box and his shot was superbly cleared off the line by Lewis Hall in what was probably a game changing moment, as shortly afterwards King Baidoo found space and broke clear of the Falmouth defence to coolly slide the ball past Morgan Coxhead to put the Bluebells 2-0 up.
King Baidoo scores Yate Town’s second goal.
Shortly afterwards, Falmouth’s Luke Barner’s great turn and shot was well saved by Joe Thomas who dealt well with the crosses and clearances that he had to make.
King Baidoo was replaced by Stan Wyatt who later shot straight at Coxhead when well-placed and defender Ewan McMillan came on for Dan Dempsey, this being only the second substitute appearance since his injury in the first League game of the season at Tavistock. Lewis Hall again came to the rescue when he cleared Luke Barner’s effort off the line and Joe Thomas made a good save from a free-kick.
Nick McCootie surges past a Falmouth defender.
With Falmouth looking to get at least a consolation goal, one did eventually arrive in stoppage time when, after four successive corners, Falmouth scored in controversial circumstances as Jack Webber appeared to handle the ball as it crossed the line from close range.
This was an excellent performance from Yate as they again showed why they are league leaders and both sets of fans helped create a really good atmosphere. Yate Town now have two away games against Thatcham and Westbury before returning to the South West Interiors Stadium on Saturday 1st March when Shaftesbury Town are the visitors.
The Bluebells hold a seven-point lead at the summit of the table having led the table since August and with Exmouth being in second place since then it is now Evesham United who are second following their win at home to Melksham and Exmouth’s defeat at Shaftesbury. With 13 games to go until the end of the season, and Yate still to visit Evesham next month, Yate Town fans can look to an exciting end to the season.
Yate Town: Thomas, Byrne, Christopher, Hall, Dempsey (McMillan 61), James, Tomlinson, Guest, Baidoo (Wyatt 60), McCootie (Hillier 80 – Lenihan 90), Nderemani
Unused subs: Felix
Bookings: McCootie (57), Guest (75), Hall (78), Thomas (90+6)
Falmouth Town: Coxhead, Start-Walter (Symons 87), Leivers (Everall) 73), Calleja-Stayne, Annear, Jewell, Barner, Webber, Wilson, Sims (Hutchinson 70), Bowker (Brabyn 71)
Unused subs: None
Bookings: Barner (39), Wilson (63), Jewell (83)
Referee: Adam Wilson
Attendance: 428
Photographs by Aaron Norman
Yate Town Man of the Match Wayne Nderemani with match sponsors FM Construction Limited
