Yate welcomed Almondsbury 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 victory last time out.
The visitors started brightly, with a number of shots from distance bringing home keeper Billy Pullin into early action. Yate struggled in the first quarter to put pressure on the ball and keep a compact shape against an opposition sending men forward. As the game developed, the hosts began to witness improved fluidity in their play, beginning to stretch the opposition’s defensive line. In a period of concerted pressure, chances fail to Rowan Smith, Max Davies, and the impressive Antony Batt, but the net could not be found.
Yate had now taken a stranglehold on the game and pressure mounted with successive corners, but delivery was poor throughout. The move of the first half saw the home side take the lead on thirty minutes when good approach play involving Will Down and Antony Batt, saw Rowan Smith prod home from six yards. At this stage, Yate were controlling the game with Ben Cook, Joe Steward and Dalton Ross playing out from the back through the midfield pivots of Nico Baird and Yigithan Kepil. Further goals nearly followed with Luke Money going close to capping his fine first half performance. But with the interval approaching, Yate failed to clear from an infrequent Almondsbury attack, with a defender being penalised for a foul in the box. Despite a valiant effort, Billy Pullin was unable to stop the scores being brought level.
The interval saw the Boys vent their frustration, whilst the management looked for improved forward movement, defensive decision making and game management.
The second period started with play locked inside midfield as neither team created clear opportunities. But with sixty minutes on the clock, Yigithan Kepil gave Yate the lead with a fantastic volley from an acute of angle. This should have been the spur for the home team to recapture control of the game and possession. However, the game became very open with attacking opportunities at both ends of the pitch. Replacements took to the field for both teams, with Leo Hope taking up the wide midfield birth and Louie Clarke slotting into the back three.
Instructions from the dugout to improve balance defensively and track runners, was not heeded and Almondsbury got in behind the backline with only poor finishing or sound shot stopping from Billy Pullin to thank for maintaining the lead. At eighty minutes on the clock Almondsbury drew the scores level with an excellent finish after Yate were caught playing out from the back. Momentum in the match had truly shifted to the opposition at this point and whilst disappointing, it was no surprise when they sealed victory on the counter with only minutes of the match remaining.
A post match changing room of despondency showed that the boys care, and the match will give them further lessons in what is needed to win a game. Against that it must be remembered that the team contained ten under sixteen outfield players for over an hour of the game. A mention to Zac Gillies who did not get on from the bench, but drove the boys on throughout.
(No Man of the Match Award was made on the night).
Starting XI: Billy Pullin, Ben Cook, Joe Steward, Dalton Ross, Luke Money, Nico Baird(Capt), Yigithan Kepil, Will Down, Antony Batt, Rowan Smith, Max Davies
Replacements:, Leo Hope, Louie Clarke, Zac Gillies