YATE Town won at Cossham Street for the fourth season in a row to end Mangotsfield United’s nine-game unbeaten run.

Lewis Haldane put the Bluebells in charge with the opening goal on 16 minutes and, after Richard Thompson’s side had Ryan Bath sent off for a nasty challenge on Mike Bryant early in the second half, a Jake Cox strike went in off Matt Sysum for an own goal to settle the game nine minutes from time.

Luke Ballinger’s goal in the third minute of stoppage time was just a consolation for fifth-placed Mangotsfield, who were out-fought by Yate in a typically physical derby.

Yate made a bright start and Haldane didn’t seem to realise how much time he had when he lobbed tamely at Kevin Sawyer after Jordan Rogers’ flick sent him through on goal.

At the other end former Yate youth team player Bath fired narrowly wide from an acute angle after Jamie Reid’s floated pass into the box.

Yate broke the deadlock, though, when Ross Staley received a Mitch Tippins throw down the right and reached the byline before his low driven cross into the six-yard box was met by Haldane rushing in to complete the move.

Cox almost doubled Yate’s lead six minutes before the break when his swinging free kick out wide on the left clipped the top of the crossbar.

Mangotsfield thought they had levelled just before half-time when Yate were caught out by Kyle Tooze’s short free kick to Ashley Williams, whose cross was headed into the net by Sysum, but the effort was ruled out for offside.

The home side’s task became harder on 56 minutes, though, when Bath left his boot on Bryant’s ankle and was shown a straight red card.

Yate almost took advantage of the extra man with a quick break three minutes later as Bradley Abrahams fed the ball inside the box to James Harmer, whose shot deflected just wide off Tom Parrinello.

Mangotsfield had a brief spell of pressure as a rare Joe Chandler mistake almost let in Reid before Cox cleared over his own crossbar and Reid’s header from the resulting Tooze corner was blocked by Horsell.

However, Yate wrapped the win up when they broke away again and Haldane played the ball back to Cox, who had time and space to line up a shot from 25 yards, which took a wicked deflection off Sysum on its way into the net.

A fierce shot by Ballinger was pushed away, but Yate could have extended their lead when Sam Kamara, making his first appearance of the season, had a shot beaten away by Sawyer with Jordan Rogers’ low cross into the six-yard box being diverted just wide by Alex Kite.

Mangotsfield pulled a goal back when Ballinger fired home after a winding run into the box but it was too late to spark a dramatic comeback.

Mangotsfield United: Sawyer, Parrinello (Hunt, 61), Lamb, Kite, Sysum, Reid, Hiroli (Ballinger, 64), Williams (c), Bath, Powell, Tooze. Subs not used: Hitchings, Egan.

Yate Town: Horsell, Tippins, Cox, Chandler, Fletcher, Abraham, Harmer, Bryant (c), Rogers (Meaker, 89), Haldane (Jackson, 83), Staley (Kamara, 71). Subs not used: Harrison, Dunn.

Ref: Adam Penwell.

Att: 327.

Gazette star man: Bradley Abraham – Got stuck in to ensure Yate won the midfield battle.