Evo-Stik Southern League Division one South and West

Yate Town 1 Slimbridge 2

SLIMBRIDGE'S great start to the new Evo-Stik Southern League Division one South and West season comtinued at Lodge Road where two second half goals saw them beat Yate Town.

It gives the Swans two wins and a draw in the competition so far as they thanked Ed Major and Liam Orchard for goals after Yate skipper Kye Mountford had put his side ahead.

Indeed, it was end-to-end stuff in the opening half as both sides chances to get a goal.

Yate had the better of the opening twenty minutes, however, and had a great chance inside the first three minutes when the home team's big target man Josh Morgan--Williams was brought down on the edge of the Slimbridge penalty area by Alex Hoyle but the resultant free kick from Eugene Keary went sailing over the bar.

A Morgan-Williams effort from the edge of the Swans' penalty area moments later went harmlessly over the bar.

Slimbridge went down the other end and, after Jack Oldham was felled by Morgan-Williams on the edge of the box, Archie Haskayne's cross found a Slimbridge head but the ball went over the bar.

That gave Slimbridge encouragement, though, and, when Yate's Tom Harrison was booked for a tackle on Sam Turl, a header from five yards out was punched clear by home keeper Kane Mannings.

Back came Yate with Harrison putting the Swans in desperate trouble when he caught Slimbridge goal keeper Adrian Kowalski running off his goal to the touchline.

Harrison went past the stranded keeper and crossed into the goal area but nobody got a touch on the ball.

Slimbridge dangerman Sean Lawson went close on twenty minutes when he put one over Mannings' bar and, two minutes later, the Swans had their best chance off the half when Lawson laid the ball to left back Adam Mace for the defender to put a dangerous cross into the home box that Ed Major just failed to touch in.

Slimbridge hit the target when Nathan Payne's drive forced a diving save from Mannings, Major then put a header over the home bar before Davis-Wilson drove one just on the stroke of half-time.

Lawson should also have done better on the resumption of the match when he had a free header directly in front of the home net but missed the target.

And, when it seemed as if the second period would not be as chance-laden as the first, Yate went in front.

Davis-Wilson laid off a neat ball to Kye Thomas. He pushed it to Mountford who chipped Swans keeper Kowalski for the opening goal.

The lead lasted less than a minute when a pin-point cross form the left saw Major head the ball past a struggling Mannings to equalise.

Yate's brand new signing Jack Ball, who was a Yeovil under-18 member, nearly scored within ten seconds of coming onto the pitch as a sub when a free kick just outside the Slimbridge area was hit into the penalty area but Ball's side-foot shot went inches wide.

But, with just over 15 minutes left, Slimbridge seized the initiative when Oldham played the perfect ball down the right for unmarked sub Liam Orchard to run on to and fire past Mannings.

Lawson should have made it three a minute later when fired just wide on the angle.

Yate threw men forward in the last five minutes to get a second equaliser but nearly got caught out at the back when a ball came across their area which Swans sub Jamie Martin would surely have converted if it was not for a brilliant last-ditch tackle from Trevond Anderson.

The Bluebells tried desperately to get the goal but the Slimbridge marking was too tight.

Yate had one last chance to snatch a point when the ball found its' way to Camen Harvey on the left but his shot was blocked by Kowalski for a corner and that signalled the end as Slimbridge celebrated.