AN ANDY Lewis penalty four minutes from time rescued a point for Yate from a thrilling South Gloucestershire derby at Mangotsfield, which saw both sides finish with ten men.

The Bluebells kept their unbeaten start to the season going as they produced another stirring comeback from two goals down but, unlike at Sholing two days earlier, they were unable to take all three points and have lost top spot in the table to AFC Totton.

Goals from Lewis Powell and Mitchell Page put Mangotsfield in charge after 33 minutes as the rain lashed down.

However, the momentum began to swing when Mitchell Page was sent off for an elbow seven minutes before half-time and, as has been the case so far this season, Yate played much better after the break with Jake Jackson pulling a goal back in the 48th minute.

Although substitute Jordan Rogers was also sent for an early shower for a late challenge on ex-Yate goalkeeper Josh Dempsey with 15 minutes to go, the visitors continued to pile on the pressure and got their reward late on.

They could have even won it in stoppage time when Jackson swivelled superbly in the box to make room for a shot but Dempsey saved brilliantly with his legs.

Yate survived an early scare when Martin Horsell’s hurried clearance fell straight to the feet of Steven Davies, who tried his luck from 35 yards with the goalkeeper out of position but saw his effort drift just wide.

A feature of Yate’s play this season has been their willingness to build up slowly from the back with both centre backs comfortable on the ball but it was a strategy that cost them dearly in the seventh minute. After receiving a difficult ball from Horsell, Joe Chandler’s attempted pass across to Lewis was intercepted by Powell, who executed a perfect lob over the Bluebells stopper and into the net.

Yate registered their first shot on target when Tom Warren’s prod after Ross Staley’s free kick hit the wall was kicked away by Dempsey, but Mangotsfield continued to look more threatening and Neil Arndale’s cross clipped the bar before Davies interchanged nicely with Powell and shot over.

They were rewarded for their spell of pressure when Powell played a lovely flick through to Page, who turned Lewis before beating Horsell with a low shot from 15 yards.

Page went from hero to zero within five minutes as he leaned in with his elbow as he went up for a challenge with Lewis and was shown a straight red card by referee Kevin Morris.

Yate reduced the deficit when Bradley Abraham played the ball into the box where Lewis Haldane made a neat turn before rolling the ball low across the six-yard box for Jackson to bundle in.

The pressure from Yate gradually increased. After Jackson had a shot blocked the ball fell invitingly for Ross Staley to drive from 15 yards, but it took a deflection off Neil Arndale as it whistled narrowly past the post and Bradley Abraham went closer when his powerful header from Rogers’ cross was tipped onto the bar by Dempsey.

Yate lost their man advantage for the last 15 minutes when Rogers was sent off for a hefty challenge on Dempsey as he went for a loose ball but they still managed to find parity late on.

Morris awarded a penalty as Harmer was pushed in the box by Shaun Lamb as a cross came into the box and Lewis confidently stepped up to the spot, slamming the ball to the right of Dempsey.

Mangotsfield United: Dempsey, Arndale (c), Lamb, Kite, Colborne, Shipp, Davies, Collins, Page, Powell (Macnab, 72), Greenslade. Subs not used: Best, Parinello, Diallo.

Yate Town: Horsell (c), Abraham, Staley, Chandler, Lewis, Harmer, Warren (Knight, 73), Evans, Jackson, Haldane (Felix, 60), Ricketts (Rogers, 68). Sub not used: Tippins.

Ref: Kevin Morris (Hereford).

Att: 301 Gazette star men: Lewis Powell (Mangotsfield), Jake Jackson (Yate).