Match Report: Almondsbury United 2-4 Yate Town U18’s Blue

 

Yate Town U18 Blue moved three points clear at the top of Division 3 with a 4-2 win over neighbours Almondsbury United on Sunday afternoon.

 

The young Bluebells, again operating with a box midfield, made up of Ollie Barton and Archie Morrison in the defensive roles, with Luis Matthews and Freddie Everson ahead of them, took hold of the midfield battle from the start. Given the freedom to play high up the pitch, wingers Pete Roberts and Jayden Brown got some early joy, and it was Roberts who came closest to giving his side an early lead, his cross-shot from the right clipping the bar.

 

But the Almondsbury front-line had some pace and physicality, and they took advantage in the 14th minute to take the lead, largely against the run of play.

 

After a scrappy few minutes, Yate began to again take hold of the contest, and with 28 minutes gone they were level. Roberts and Everson combined well down the right and the ball broke to Brown, who flicked the ball to Logan Briggs arriving on the edge of the box, and the left-back steadied himself before driving a low finish in the bottom corner for his first goal of the season.

 

And with 35 minutes on the clock, the Bluebells took the lead that their first-half display warranted. Archie Stanton swung in a corner from the left, and Freddie Everson was on hand to head home from close range for his seventh goal in nine games since his arrival.

 

Everson almost grabbed a second just before half-time, when the home goalkeeper saved his effort well with his legs after yet more good work from Roberts on the right, but in first-half injury time Yate did extend their lead. Briggs’ throw on the left found Cyprian Klawitter and the forward drove into the box and found Everson. The goalkeeper got down well to save his first effort, but Pete Roberts was on-hand to tuck home the rebound to take his goals tally into double figures for the season.

 

It was almost four before half-time as skipper Leyton Bath got his head to Nasro Baghori’s corner, but the centre-back couldn’t quite keep his effort down.

 

Klawitter had two chances to open his account for the season, after missing a good chunk of it through injury, at the start of the second-half. First the striker drove into the box before firing over the bar, while he saw another effort well-saved after good work from Morrison.

 

With 55 minutes played, the Bluebells extended their lead. Another inswinging corner from Stanton was nodded home by Archie Morrison for his first goal for the club.

 

The last half-hour became a somewhat scrappy affair, but the back four of Stanton, Finlay Jouxson, Bath and Briggs looked reasonably comfortable, while goalkeeper Matt Crossley showed some good handling when called upon.

 

Almondsbury did reduce the arrears with 20 minutes to play, but the remaining chances mostly fell to the visitors. Klawitter had a goal chalked off for offside, while Everson should have scored when the ball broke to him after Brown’s shot was saved.

 

But it was the three points that mattered, and Yate’s destiny is still in their own hands with three games left to play, starting next Sunday as they host second-placed Westbury Park.

 

Starting XI: Matt Crossley; Archie Stanton, Finlay Jouxson, Leyton Bath (captain), Logan Briggs; Archie Morrison, Ollie Barton; Luis Matthews, Freddie Everson; Pete Roberts, Jayden Brown.

 

Substitutes: Cyprian Klawitter, Nasro Baghori, Josh Miles.

 

Man of the Match: Freddie Everson.