FA Trophy Preliminary Round

Yate Town 1 North Leigh 2

A LACKLUSTRE first half performance cost Yate Town dearly as they fell at the first hurdle of the FA Trophy, being knocked out by North Leigh.

Goals from Morgan Williams and Stuart Hole put the Millers firmly in control and although Yate improved after the break with Jordan Rogers halving the deficit on 66 minutes they were unable to force a replay.

North Leigh put the home side under severe pressure from the start and were unlucky not to take the lead on 15 minutes when Williams drew keeper Martin Horsell, only for his shot to shave the near post.

However, he made no mistake two minutes later when he opened the scoring. Hole swung in a cross from the right which was headed into the far corner from close range by Williams.

With Zak Westlake and Andy Caton shackling Yate strikers Lewis Haldane and Jordan Rogers, the Millers dominated.

And it was no surprise when they made it 2-0.

Williams swung in a corner to the far post where Hole headed firmly past Horsell from three yards.

It took Yate until just before half-time to seriously threaten the North Leigh goal and it came through Mitch Tippins. He picked up the ball on the left, cut inside a defender and unleashed a right foot shot from outside the box that whistled past the far post.

The hosts came out strongly at the second half after a change of formation with Jake Cox and James Harmer coming off the bench and on 52 minutes a mix-up between keeper Matt Bulman and left back Michael Hopkins almost gifted Yate a goal, but the defender sprinted back to clear his own headed back pass off the line.

Rogers got one back with his second goal in as many matches when he turned his defender and squeezed a shot just inside Bulman’s far post.

Yate continued to push forward and veteran striker Michael Meaker was introduced. In the final minutes of the game he was sent through one on one with Bulman but he fluffed the opportunity as he shot wide.

North Leigh could have added to their tally, but sub Jamie Cook’s blistering right-foot shot was brilliantly saved by Horsell.

Yate Town: Horsell (c), Ford, Fletcher (Cox 46), Staley, Warren, Tippins (Harmer 46), Lewis, Evans, Rogers, Ricketts, Haldane (Meaker 70). Subs not used: Felix, Jackson.

Att: 160.