YATE Town manager Craig Laird will be looking for a big effort from his side in the coming fortnight as they face two big Evo-Stik Southern League Division One clashes, starting on Saturday with second-placed Swindon Supermarine.

The Bluebells’ two-match unbeaten run, after wins against Bashley in the league and Slimbridge in the Red Insure Cup, came crashing down last Saturday as they lost at Marlow.

The ball would just not go into the back of the net as the chance to put the squeeze on fifth-placed Shortwood, whom the Bluebells meet at the end of the month after Supermarine visit Lodge Road, went west.

Marlow could have gone ahead earlier than the seventh minute when Callum Laird came to the rescue of goalkeeper Martin Horsell.

The keeper punched a ball clear to the edge of the box only for Marlow’s Jahson Downes to return it first-time over Horsell’s head. Luckily, Laird saved the day.

Three minutes later, a free-kick from Marlow’s Jordace Holder-Spooner found the head of Adam Richards near the far post, who headed across Horsell into the net.

Two minutes later things got even worse for Yate as Chris Ovenden played a ball in to the feet of Jordan Brown who put the ball inside the near post past Horsell.

Minutes after Marlow’s second goal, Lewis Fogg got behind the home back line on the left and sent a hard, low cross across the face of the Marlow goal.

However, it was too quick for the players in support and the chance went begging.

Right on half-time, Holder-Spooner did the same at the other end but again there was nobody to make it count.

Yate had to chase the game during the second-half, and seven minutes after the restart, Holder-Spooner fed Downes who then set up Kunle Otudeko for a dangerous strike on goal.

However, Horsell managed to beat the shot away and saw it cleared for a corner. Yate looked to get on top and it was the turn of the home defence to step up to the mark.

Just past the hour a Yate corner was flicked across the face of the home goal and a further touch saw it clear the Marlow bar.

Marlow nearly got another goal in stoppage time when Jamal Branker looked to have the ideal opportunity to put the icing on the cake, when Stephen Peacock headed on to him inside the Yate box only for Branker to take the ball past the keeper, turn back and fluff his shot.

Yate were left to regroup ahead of the two games coming up in which Laird and the squad will be desperate for league points.