Football: Yate defender Warren sees red in dull draw (From Gazette Series)

Zameretto Division One South & West: Yate Town 0 Frome Town 0

7:05pm Saturday 14th August 2010 in Sport

TOM WARREN was sent off late on for Yate in a dour goalless draw to open the season against Frome Town.

The defender was shown a second yellow card with ten minutes remaining for dissent after being booked for a needless handball in the first half.

It felt more like February rather than August as heavy rain drenched the pitch and the match suffered as a result with both teams struggling to find any moments of quality to win it.

Three players made their Yate debuts with Rob Cousins starting in midfield, Chris Lewis up front and old boy winger Danny Maye in an unaccustomed left back role.

Two of them were involved on 11 minutes when Maye’s long ball found Mark Reynolds before Lewis’ stinging shot from 25 yards was tipped away by Frome goalkeeper Darren Chitty.

Frome created most problems through set pieces with captain James Cheeseman heading over and Matt Minnis volleying wide on the turn from long free kicks.

On 21 minutes Russ Church found space on the edge of the box after Reynolds neatly laid off Scott Thomas’ ball forward but a deflection off Matt Peters took the pace off the ball as Chitty held on.

Jake Cox had a quiet first half but caused problems with his first run down the left flank. His low cross into the box was teed up by Reynolds for Cousins to drive but a diving Gregg Lake blocked the shot and Yate’s half-hearted penalty appeals for handball were turned away.

Frome should have opened the scoring early in the second half when Minnis found himself one-on-one with Josh Dempsey after Simeon Allison flicked on, but he could only manage a tame shot straight at the Yate goalkeeper from ten yards.

One minute later, Dempsey made a great one-handed save low to his right to keep out Alex Lapham’s shot from 15 yards.

Yate responded on 53 minutes when Church’s cross into the box found Lewis and he set-up Reynolds, who drove straight at Chitty from the penalty spot.

Frome pressed late on and in a goalmouth scramble Ricky Hulbert’s shot was well blocked by Thomas before Dean Evans fired wide with the goal at his mercy on 80 minutes.

Warren was then shown a red card after an altercation with referee Mr Bird and Yate assistant manager Grantley Dicks was sent to the stands two minutes later.

Frome substitute Tyler Sibbick, who had a spell at Yate at the end of last season,could have won it with three minutes left but headed over after Hulbert’s cross into the six-yard box.

Yate: Demsey, Warren, Maye, Cousins, Thomas, McAlinden, Lewis (Duggan, 64), Vahid ©, Reynolds, Church (Adams, 90), Cox. Subs not used: Ballard, Burt, Hughes.

Ref: Mr A Bird.

Att: 150 Gazette star man: Edd Vahid Reaction from Yate manager Dave Mogg and interview with Rob Cousins in next Thursday’s Gazette newspaper.