Yate Town U18 Blue 3 Mangotsfield United 0
Olah (49), Everson (50), Roberts (85)
Bristol U18 Football Combination League Division 3
Sunday 23rd February 2025
Yate Town U18 Blue moved into joint top spot with an impressive 3-0 win over fellow title-chasers Mangotsfield United on Sunday afternoon.
Starting with a box midfield, with Archie Morrison and Freddie Everson operating in front of Kris Olah and Ollie Barton, the young Bluebells took control of the midfield from early on, allowing wingers Pete Roberts and Luis Matthews to play high up the pitch, and it was bright work from Roberts which forged the first chance, Olah curling a shot from the edge of the box just over the angle of post and crossbar.
Yate continued to dominate and create chances, with Sam North and Matthews combining well to create a chance for Everson which went just wide, while Everson tested the visiting goalkeeper after twisting free in the box, but his left-footed effort was saved.
Mangotsfield were reduced to long balls and efforts from range, although one dipping effort went close, but Yate couldn’t quite find the goal that their first-half performance deserved, although Matthews saw an effort well-saved at the near post after good work from Logan Briggs on the left.
Yate came out even more determined in the second-half, with sub Jayden Brown having an impact on the left, and they were rewarded for their early dominance when they finally made the breakthrough after 49 minutes. Cotter released Brown and he worked his way into the box before pulling the ball back across goal. His cross evaded Morrison and Everson, but Kris Olah was on-hand to fire home his first goal for the club with a powerful strike.
And just a minute later, the Bluebells doubled their advantage. Olah’s long ball over the top was chased down by the energetic Cotter, and he found Freddie Everson who shot home from outside the box to record his sixth goal in eight games since his November arrival at the club.
The back four of Archie Stanton, Sam North, Leyton Bath and Logan Briggs, as well as second-half sub Dan Leary, were dealing with most things that Mangotsfield had to offer, and the next chance fell to Yate too, as Roberts’ pull-back was steered just wide by Cotter, before Everson clipped the bar from range moments later.
Yate had suffered a blow on the morning of the game, as first-choice goalkeeper Kalel Caswell was unwell, so Joe Tibbert came in for his debut, and his team-mates had him to thank for preserving their two goal advantage as the goalkeeper produced an excellent save to claw the ball around the post after a corner wasn’t cleared.
The Bluebells were pushing hard for a third, and Brown saw a long-ranger saved, while Matthews shot wide after great work from Briggs on the left, but with five minutes to play the deserved third duly arrived. Man-of-the-Match Barton released Pete Roberts, and the in-form winger drove into the box before firing home his ninth goal in twelve games of a very productive season.
Yate Town U18 Blue will hope to maintain their title challenge as they travel to Almondsbury United next Sunday, while their U18 White counterparts, whose game at Hanham Abbotonians was called off this weekend, are back in action as they host Portishead Town.
Starting XI: Joe Tibbert; Archie Stanton, Sam North, Leyton Bath, Logan Briggs; Kris Olah, Ollie Barton; Archie Morrison, Freddie Everson; Pete Roberts, Luis Matthews.
Substitutes: Jayden Brown, Harvey Cotter, Dan Leary.
Man of the Match: Ollie Barton