Southern League Division One South & West

Shortwood United 3 Yate Town 2

YATE Town suffered their third consecutive defeat in all competitions at Shortwood on Saturday but played their part in a pulsating game.

The hosts weathered an early storm to go into the half-time break ahead through Lewis Sommers and doubled their lead eight minutes into the second half when Ross Langworthy scored his second goal in a week.

Nuno Felix pulled a goal back on 68 minutes for Yate before Matt Bennett restored Shortwood’s two-goal lead ten minutes later and substitute Michael Meaker’s first goal of the season four minutes before the end proved just to be a consolation.

Yate were without several key players for the trip to Meadowbank, including unavailable top scorer Lewis Haldane, with manager Rob Cousins naming himself on the bench along with Billy Fletcher, who returned from Cadbury Heath.

In a breathtaking start, play switched from end to end quickly but Yate looked the most dangerous side going forward, particularly down the right where they got in behind the Shortwood defence on a couple of occasions.

From one swift break down that side, Jake Jackson’s shot from a tight angle was well parried by Tom King with captain Ashley Thomas making a vital block from Dale Evans’ goalbound strike after the ball broke to him, while the home goalkeeper was called into action again three minutes later to make a smart save low down from Felix’s toe punt from ten yards.

In between at the other end, Langworthy displayed his confidence after scoring Shortwood’s FA Cup winner at Cirencester in midweek with a first-time shot from outside the box, but Martin Horsell made a comfortable save.

Jordan Ricketts’ corners were a useful weapon for Yate with ex-Shortwood player Tom Warren heading one over and Evans nodding another wide.

As the game settled down Shortwood came more into it and in the 26th minute Josh Egan’s 25-yard drive smacked the angle of the bar and post.

They took the lead five minutes before half-time. James Singh beat goalkeeper Horsell in the air to nod Bennett’s deep cross across the six-yard box and Sommers stooped to head in.

Jake Cox, still wearing a bandage on his wrist, impressed in midfield on his first appearance of the season for Yate, and went close to scoring with an audacious lob three minutes into the second half, which did not quite dip in time to find the back of the net.

Shortwood responded with James Singh slicing narrowly wide before they doubled their lead.

Thomas flicked on a long free kick and Langworthy managed to get to the ball before Horsell and then blasted into the roof of the net from close range despite his first touch taking him out wide.

It was also from a free kick that Yate eventually scored. Cox’s delivery from the right was headed back by Joe Chandler at the back post and Felix volleyed home.

The game was effectively settled in a two-minute spell. Yate were denied an equaliser when King rushed off his line to block Jackson’s effort after a lovely dink through by Felix.

The hosts went straight up the other end and although Horsell made a spectacular point-blank save from Bennett’s header following Sommers’ floated cross, there was nothing he could do to keep out a powerful header from the same player from the resulting corner by Nick Hancock.

Yate kept plugging away and King made another good save to keep out Ross Staley’s fierce striker before Ricketts took a short corner and James Harmer’s lovely delivery into the box was glanced in by Michael Meaker, but it was not enough.

Shortwood: King, Rawlings, Bennett, A Thomas (c) (Veal, 78), Lee, Haddock, Egan (Humphreys, 75), Hancock, Sommers, Singh (Price, 62), Langworthy. Subs not used: M Thomas, Sykes.

Yate Town: Horsell, Tippins, Staley, Chandler, Cox, Harmer, T Warren, Evans, Jackson (Meaker, 78), Felix, Ricketts. Subs not used: Fletcher, H Warren, Cousins.

Ref: Daniel Jackecko.

Att: 149

Star men: Tom King (Shortwood), Dale Evans (Yate).