Following last weeks GFA Cup win Avonmouth, today welcomed current division 1 leaders Yate United who earlier in the season convincingly beat us 3 – 0, so the home side knew they were going to have to be at their very best to get anything out of the game.
Avonmouth started brightly and within a few minutes Mitch Harris had a good attempt blocked by a defender & from the resultant Prevan Rajh corner Alex Wilkins headed wide. Neither side could get a strangle hold on the game but on 20 minutes, from nowhere the break through suddenly arrived. Taking a goal kick the Yate keeper seemed to slip as he kicked the ball & it travelled low just out of the area. However, the ball fell awkwardly for a Yate defender and in the ensuing challenge with Harris the ball suddenly fell perfectly for James Skelton who after taking a few touches & strides forward, coolly slipped the ball past the advancing keeper. From this moment on Yate continued to attack the Avonmouth goal but thanks to some great defending & commitment the away side were restricted to shots from outside the area, which keeper Ryan Scott was equal to. However, Avonmouth were dangerous on the break & on 33 minutes a great run by Skelton brought a free kick. Sam Reynolds took the kick, which was headed on by Rajh to Harris whose header went into the net but as the home team were celebrating the linesman had already flagged for offside & so the goal was disallowed.
Half Time: Avonmouth 1 Yate United 0
Avonmouth knew the second half was going to be a long hard battle & from the restart Yate almost equalised when an excellent cross from their left eventually fell to a Yate striker who shot, but keeper Scott from point blank range produced a superb save. The home side were again now becoming more & more dominated by Yate, but Avonmouth were still proving a tough nut to crack & when Yate did get the ball into the net the goal was disallowed for a foul on the keeper. However, the pressure had to tell & on the hour mark Yate got their equaliser. Good play on their right hand side ended with a teasing cross into the box & from close in & unmarked the Yate player headed the ball into the net. Yate pressed for the winner & on 70 minutes got their second when one of their players ran from midfield unchallenged, let fly from outside the box with an excellent low shot that fizzed into the net giving keeper Scott no chance. With all their defiant defending Avonmouth were now becoming exhausted & Yate took advantage of this with a few minutes to go, when following a good ball into the box, their striker was able to turn his marker & confidently stroked the ball into the net.
Congratulations again to Yate for their deserved win today – they never gave in & eventually their patience & quality earned their win, showing why at the moment they are top of the league. For an hour Avonmouth gave there all in defending the one goal lead but had to eventually concede the goals. In appalling weather conditions everyone gave 100% in a hard physical & bruising battle but if we can maintain that effort & commitment we should still finish in the top half of the table – well done despite defeat today.
Full Time: Avonmouth 1 Yate United 3
