YATE Town have landed a coup by signing top goalkeeper Harvey Rivers to add to their clutch of recent signings.

And the fresh blood – Rivers being the fifth player to join the Bluebells in a week – has come as just the right time with a heavy Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South and West schedule ahead of them this month including a trip to Edgar Street to meet leaders Hereford.

Snapping-up Rivers was quite something, said manager Paul Britton. The 23-year-old who was on Cheltenham Town’s books as a teenager, was being chased by a number of clubs including Shortwood United.

But he chose to sign up with Yate, and Britton said: “We are delighted to get Harvey.

“He’s come highly recommended and there were a few clubs after him so for him to choose to come to us is great.

“He kicks well and he has got pedigree and it is all part of our re-building process through the middle.”

That re-building process has seen Britton re-sign midfielder Jack Camm, from Cinderford Town, Eugene Keary, who was with the club at the start of the season, and Sam Boulton, who is a former Yate Under-18 captain.

Britton has also nabbed Tyrone Fudgell from Oldland Abbotonians. All four can play in the centre of the pitch, either in midfield or, in Boulton’s case, in defence.

And they were boosted on Saturday with a 1-0 home win over Barnstaple Town despite having a depleted squad due to injuries and suspensions.

That was the first clean sheet Yate have had in the league since their 2-0 away win at Wantage Town in September.

A single goal from Harvey Baker was enough to seal the three points on Saturday in a game of very few chances.

The goal came in the 31st-minute after a scramble in the area with the ball falling for Camm who drew a save from Oliver in the Barnstaple goal.

However, the ball broke to Baker for an easy tap in. Yate could of had a second minutes later but a strike was ruled out for offside The second half saw Yate happy to sit back and thwart any attempt at an equaliser. Barnstaple had attempts at the Yate goal but they were either off target or well saved by Jonathan Brown.

Britton added: “It’s always nice to win 1-0. When you come off the pitch at the end of the game, you know you have done something right.

“The players knuckled down on Saturday. We start games terrifically but we don’t take our opportunities. This is our first clean sheet for a while and I was done to the bare bones with the injuries and suspensions.”

Britton’s phone has been red hot in the past month or so as he searched for new players to boost his young squad and, while he can take a break from transfer activity for a while, he is not taking a back seat.

“I am always looking to improve the squad,” he said. “Behind the scenes, there are a lot of good things going on.”