Yate Town F.C. U18’s 1 v Hengrove Athletic F.C. U18’S 2
Yate welcomed Hengrove to the South West Interiors Stadium for this WCFL league fixture.
Setting up in a 3-4-1-2 formation, the team looked to build upon their impressive performance last time out.
Hengrove arrived as League pace setters with only one defeat to their name, well drilled, competitive, and a Team who looked to get back to front with purpose and power. To that end Yate came under immediate pressure as the visitors dictated possession in the hosts half. The home back three of Ben Cook, Joe Steward and Dalton Ross, backed by keeper Billy Pullin were stretched to deal with the onslaught. Therefore it was no surprise when Hengrove took a 1-0 lead within the first five minutes, when a cross eluded defenders, being fired into the net emphatically by the opposition’s striker.
Despite this set back and against a dominating full U18 outfit, Yate’s younger side began to settle and gain more possession of the ball through the thirds. Kevin Contreras became a growing threat, playing along side Tyler Wood. Chances fail to the former after good approach play by James Fortune and Will Down, but they failed to test the visiting keeper.
Hengrove searched to increase their lead and were finding space centrally, forcing Billy Pullin to make a superb save to palm the ball to safety. Not to be thwarted, Captain Nico Baird, Yigithan Kepil, and Antony Batt began to make their presence felt in midfield, linking play, and looking to play into advanced positions. The half passed quickly with the game’s high tempo, the visitors taking their 1-0 lead into the interval.
An unchanged XI took to the field for the restart, under instructions to move the ball quicker with more purpose and look to make improved use of set plays. It was anticipated that the opposition would tire, this proved to be the case as the hosts began to get a foothold in the game.
Yate’s back three supported by Billy Pullin looked solid at this point, and became the springboard for encouraging attacks. The first replacement took to the pitch in the form of Jacob Batt on sixty minutes, and it was the said who won Yate a penalty shortly after following a weaving run. Hengrove’s keeper pulled off an excellent low save to keep out Tyler Wood’s spot kick, which seemed to rejuvenate the visitors. Home keeper Billy Pullin was forced to make successive point blank saves to avoid further goals.
As the game reached the final fifteen minutes plus noticeable stoppage time, final changes took place with Max Davies coming on to bolster the attack and Luke Money into a wide position as the Team went 3-4-3 in an effort to draw level. With ten minutes left on the clock Yate mounted several attacks, resulting in Max Davies finally outpacing the defence to superbly knock on and volley the ball into the net from eighteen yards to bring parity to the scoreline. At this stage, Hengrove’s energy levels were strained and Yate looked to press home their advantage, but they were profligate with several free kicks and corners.
The game entered six minutes of additional time when at transition, the visitors exposed the left channel with the game stretched. From a powerful cross, the most unlikely of goals occurred with a deflection from a Yate defender’s head. Hengrove’s on field celebrations showed the importance of what was to be a winning goal on the night. Despite late valiant attacks, Yate could not muster a clear chance to secure a late equaliser.
This game will prove another key learning experience for Yate’s evolving young Team. Hengrove are an established Team who play in a way that really tests you, the boys competed throughout and on another night the scoreline could have been reversed. The back three performed well again, where special mention must go to man of the match Joe Steward, who was excellent in and out of possession throughout the game.
Starting XI: Billy Pullin, Ben Cook, Joe Steward, Dalton Ross, James Fortune, Nico Baird(Capt), Yigithan Kepil, Will Down, Antony Batt, Tyler Wood, Kevin Contreras
Replacements: Max Davies, Jacob Batt, Rowan Smith, Luke Money, Zach Gillies