YATE TOWN boss Rob Cousins is expecting big things from new signing Scott Wilson.

The former Bristol City trainee has quickly gained a reputation as one of the most prolific strikers in Southern League Division One South & West having scored 13 goals at Cinderford Town this season and took just 19 minutes to open his account in a Yate shirt by scoring a penalty in the 3-1 win over Shortwood United on New Year’s Day.

Youngster Wilson played for Gloucester City in the Blue Square North last season and rejected a contract offer there in November after joining Cinderford on a dual registration.

Cousins said: “We’re pleased to get him on board and he had the confidence to take the penalty.

“He needs to work a bit harder when he hasn’t got the ball because there were times when he was too far away. “It will come as he gets to know the players and we’re expecting big things from him as we are from everyone else who comes here. “We’re trying to get the right people in to do the right job and take this club forward.”

Cousins declared himself pleased with the maximum return his side took over the Christmas and New Year period, with the win over Shortwood following a 1-0 derby triumph at Mangotsfield on Boxing Day.

Yate have now taken 17 points from the last 21 available to move up to 16th in the table but they are still only seven points clear of bottom club Sholing and Cousins knows they have to keep their run going to stay clear of relegation trouble.

He said: “It’s very pleasing with the two performances in very difficult conditions.

“We’ve got to keep this momentum going because we could quite easily slip back to where we were. “We’ve got a difficult game at Poole away (on Saturday) and unfortunately Edd Vahid won’t be available, but we’ve got players itching to come in and perform well. “If we work hard like we have been doing then we’ll get our rewards.”

Good work by the ground staff at Lodge Road allowed Yate’s game against Shortwood to go ahead despite heavy rain in the previous weeks and Cousins was pleased with the way his side came through after a slow start, with second half goals from Matt Groves and Ibu Sarr clinching the three points.

He said: “Some referees might not have played it looking at the pitch before the game, but both sides tried to play. It was going to be a slog and eventually we came through it.

“I was disappointed with the goal we conceded because we were in possession and gave the ball away twice. “It looked like some of them had a good night seeing the New Year in so it took a few words at half time to put the work rate up like previous games and we had to show that. We upped the tempo and got our rewards.”

The games are now coming thick and fast for Yate with a trip to Poole followed by a home game against Cirencester Town next Tuesday (7.45pm).

Title hopefuls Poole are unbeaten at home with seven wins from eight games and have won their last six league games, while Cirencester have won just once in their last nine games.