Yate Town Blue 2 Ashton 0
Roberts 24, Everson 55
Bristol Combination League Division 3
Sunday 10th November 2024
Yate Town Blue moved back into the top three of the Bristol Combination League’s Division 3 with a 2-0 win over Ashton, despite not being quite at their best.
It was the hosts that were first to threaten the goal after a cagey opening 10 minutes, midfielder Ollie Barton’s dipping effort coming back off the bar, and from the resulting corner, Sam North met Pete Roberts’ in-swinging delivery from the left, but his header was well-saved by the visiting goalkeeper.
Skipper Callum Rogers saw a shot blocked as the Bluebells dominated the early stages, and with 24 minutes on the clock, Yate got the goal that their early play deserved. Jayden Brown’s clever ball released Pete Roberts on the left, and the winger skipped past a couple of Ashton challenges, working his way into the area and calmly slotting home.
Yate continued to turn the screw, and Brown just couldn’t get his shot away when played in by Rogers, but with half-an-hour gone, the home team were given a golden opportunity to double their lead. Harvey Cotter was bundled over the in the area, the referee pointed to the spot, but Cotter saw his penalty come back off the inside of the post.
Yate had to be switched on at the back with Ashton looking threatening on the break, but the impressive Leyton Bath and Man of the Match Dan Leary dealt with almost everything that the away team had to throw at them, Leary in particular coming to his side’s rescue with a goal-saving slide-tackle as the first-half came to a close.
The second-half started in much the same vein as the first had ended, with Yate looking to double their advantage and visitors looking to catch them on the break. Rogers headed just wide from a Cotter corner, and sub Nasro Baghori was just wide with a thumping volley from the edge of the box, while left-back Logan Briggs produced an excellent slide tackle of his own at the other end.
The second goal did arrive in the 55th minute to give the young Bluebells a bit of breathing space. Luis Matthews was afforded some time on the right, and his jinking run took him past two defenders, before he calmly rolled the ball along the six yard box to new signing Freddie Everson, who converted with ease.
That should have been the signal for Yate to turn on the style, but they made hard work of the last half-an-hour, and once more had goalkeeper Kalel Caswell to thank as he produced two saves of real top quality to maintain their lead.
But Yate saw the game out, despite seeing a player sent off for a second yellow card late on, and will be pleased to have returned to winning ways.
They continue their Division 3 campaign next Sunday with a trip to Westbury Park.
Starting XI: Kalel Caswell; Sam North, Dan Leary, Leyton Bath, Logan Briggs; Ollie Barton, Callum Rogers; Luis Matthews, Harvey Cotter, Pete Roberts; Jayden Brown.
Substitutes: Freddie Everson, Nasro Baghori, Finlay Jouxson, Archie Morrison.
Man of the Match: Dan Leary.