Calor Southern League Division One South & West

Paulton Rovers 1 Yate Town 2

YATE Town got their play-off bid back on track with a fine win at fourth-placed Paulton Rovers.

Substitute Jordan Ricketts scored the deserved winner with 18 minutes remaining after a dominant display to lift Rob Cousins' side back into the top five and level on points with promotion-chasing rivals Paulton.

Coming into the game on the back of two successive defeats, Yate got off to the worst possible start when Paulton opened the scoring after seven minutes from a brilliant 25-yard free kick by their leading scorer Brandon Barnes.

After surviving a flurry of chances from Paulton, Yate began to get on top and Lewis Haldane tested goalkeeper Kyle Phillips.

They found the equaliser on 28 minutes when Jake Cox crossed for Haldane, whose shot hit the post before Bryant followed up to fire past Phillips.

It was Bryant's seventh goal of the season but his first since the 2-2 draw in the FA Cup against Gloucester City in October.

The Bluebells were in the ascendancy at the start of the second half and a 25-yard drive by Mitch Tippins went close.

Paulton produced one of the best moves of the match, though, after 56 minutes. After good work by Ben Lacey and Mike Perrott, McCootie released Barnes, whose chip over Martin Horsell was cleared by Joe Chandler off the line.

Yate went ahead for the first time when on-loan Bath City youngster Ricketts raced onto Bryant's ball over the top of the Paulton defence and slid past Phillips for his first Yate goal.

Yate Town: Horsell, Tippins, Chandler, Cox, Kamara, Bryant (c), Abraham, Harmer, Haldane (Jackson 65), Rogers (Ricketts 65). Subs not used: Thomas, Meaker, Cousins, Dunn.

Star Man: James Harmer.

Connor Clifford returns from suspension for Yate's home game against Evesham United on Saturday (3pm).

Yate are away to Thatcham Town next Tuesday night.