Match Report
Yate Town 4 Cinderford Town 2
Jackson (21, 28 – pen), Guest 35, Tomlinson 65 Evans 9, Thomas 45+1
Southern League Division One South
Friday 18th April 2025
This Good Friday fixture saw Yate Town regain top spot in the Southern League Division One South table, all be it temporarily, depending on Evesham’s result at home to Didcot (their game now in hand).
Yate Town manager, Darren Mullings, brought the previously suspended Joe Guest, back into the side following the game at Mousehole last Saturday, plus King Baidoo with Will Larvin and Stan Wyatt on the bench.
On a blustery and showery afternoon, the game started slowly but a calamitous error at the back led to Dale Evans putting Cinderford in front and shortly afterwards, Cinderford’s leading goal scorer, Alex Bonthron, hit the post from 20 yards. Yate Town then gained their composure and after a fine move involving James Taylor and King Baidoo the ball was eventually cleared. Lucas Tomlinson then had a header cleared off the line and a deflected shot from King Baidoo hit the crossbar before going out for a corner as the Bluebells took control of the game.
In the 21st minute Marlon Jackson put a Cinderford defender under pressure and managed to gain possession and drove forward to then calmly place the ball, low and wide of Cinderford goalkeeper, Lewis Adams, to level the score. Shortly afterwards Lucas Tomlinson was brought down in the area and Marlon Jackson stepped up to score to put the Bluebells in front from the penalty spot.
Marlon Jackson puts Yate Town in front from the penalty spot.
With Yate Town now dominant they had a scare when a long, wind assisted clearance by Cinderford sailed into the Yate Town penalty area and Yate Town goalkeeper, Isaac Finch, eventually managed to get hold of the ball to avert the danger.
After 35 minutes a cross from the right by Lucas Tomlinson was met by Joe Guest who superbly tucked the ball away to put Yate in command, having scored three times in just 14 minutes.
Joe Guest's curling effort brings a super save out of Lewis Adams.
But in first half stoppage time another defensive mix up at the back by Yate Town saw Cinderford’s Marley Thomas accept the gift and put the Forest of Dean side back in the game.
The second half saw Yate looking to build on their lead and a flowing, one touch move, down the right involving Lucas Tomlinson, Marlon Jackson and James Taylor ended with James Taylor eventually being crowded out.
However, on 65 minutes Yate extended their lead when a move involving James Tylor ended with Lucas Tomlinson firing home from inside the penalty area for his 14th goal of the season.
Lucas Tomlinson fires home in the second half, to make the score 4-2.
Alex Bonthron shot straight at Issac Finch in a rare effort for the visitors but it was Cinderford goalkeeper, Lewis Adams, who prevented any further score making some fine saves, particularly two from James Byrne, the second being an superb acrobatic save in the final seconds of the game.
This James Byrne effort in the final seconds of the game brought a wonder save from Cinderford goalkeeper, Lewis Adams.
With these 3 points now in the bag, Yate Town now have their two final games of the season, at Bristol Manor Farm on Easter Monday, before their final league fixture of the season at home to Didcot Town next Saturday. It couldn’t be a more exciting and nail-biting end of the season!
Yate Town: Finch, Taylor (Christopher 90+2), Byrne, Dempsey, Hall, James, Tomlinson, Guest, Baidoo (McCootie 71), Jackson (Wyatt 87), Adams
Unused subs: Larvin, Nderemani
Bookings: None
Cinderford Town: Adams, Waugh, Keeping (Symons 78), Vine (Johnson 33), Bell, Evans, Coates, White, Bonthron, Hundt (Power 82), Thomas (Yakubu 85)
Unused sub: Corson
Bookings: TBC
Referee: Paul Collier
Attendance: 646
Photographs by Aaron Norman
Yate Town Man of the Match: Marlon Jackson with Match Sponsors Trashman Clearance
…… and below, ball sponsor - Tom Harris Building Services.
