FOOTBALL: Mistakes costly for Yate Town as they crash out of Red Insure Cup to Merhtyr Town

Yate Town 1 Merthyr Town 3

YATE Town went out of the Red Insure League Cup at the second round stage as a first-half blast from Merthyr Town proved too much for the Bluebells.

However, it was a useful test for the Bluebells squad before they face Wimborne on Saturday in the Evo-Stik Southern League.

Yate got off to a flying start as they took the lion’s share of possession and were rewarded when a beautiful cross from the left found full back Camen Harvey in acres of space inside the visitors six yard box.

It was a simple chance from point blank range as Harvey made no mistake.

However, it was a false dawn for the Bluebells as their mistakes at the back, an ongoing headache for the manager, cost them dear.

Yate had their chances but they gave Merthyr opportunities as well.

By half-time, that 1-0 advantage had turned into a 3-1 deficit – and it could have been worse.

Merthyr equalised minutes after Harvey’s goal when front man Kayne McClaggon forced an excellent point blank range save from home keeper Ben Reed only for Jaye Bowen to tap home the rebound.

Three minutes later, a poor ball in the Yate half by Kane Ingram allowed Bowen to attack.

Ingram put in a great tackle on the edge of the area but Reed could not stop the thunderbolt to the left corner of his net by McClaggon as Merthyr took the lead.

Yate were under the cosh but managed to get up the other end for Alec Fiddes and Jake Jackson trying their luck.

But the better chances were aimed at Yate’s net. McClaggon should have put Merthyr four goals to the good but he contrived the miss of the season when, with Reed beaten and two yards from an empty net, he hit a post.

Bowen added the third seven minutes from the break, and narrowly missed another clearcut chance while also hitting the post in successive attacks.

From there, it was a big ask for Yate to overturn an opposition who were tight in their marking and allowed the Bluebells little room.

Laird introduced fresh blood to try and invigorate the Bluebells.

And crosses came in from Jamie Cox and Jamie Laird but there were rarely target men available to get on the end of the threats.

Nevertheless, Yate tried hard to get another goal as the clock wound down. Lewis Fogg had a shot well blocked while a curling effort from Fiddes just went wide.

Yate keeper Ben Reed was the hero of the latter stages with some excellent saves but Yate must now pick themselves up for that Wimborne clash on Saturday.