Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South and West

Yate Town 3 North Leigh 2

BACK in the dark days of October, North Leigh ran all over Yate Town at the Jelf Stadium to knock them out of the FA Trophy by a comprehensive 6-1.

But on Saturday, it was the Bluebells who had North Leigh on the run in the first of their back-to-back Evo-Stik Southern League Division One South and West meetings within four days before going to sleep and nearly giving away a big advantage.

Yate have enjoyed a sublime March after a winter of pain in which they suffered a long run between victories.

But a win against Bishop's Cleeve a month ago did the trick and Yate have done superbly well ever since.

Even their 2-1 defeat to Swindon Supermarine a week before Saturday's encounter with North Leigh saw the first half described by manager Paul Britton as the 'best of the season '.

It looked like Yate had fallen back to their old ways during the opening 25 minutes of the flash with North Leigh as their passing was haphazard and their shape was all over the place.

But one connecting sequence instilled confidence and the plan started to work.

Captain Charlie Hutchings saw a shot go over the bar as Yate put the pressure on eighth placed North Leigh, earning a couple of corners for their efforts.

Ciaran Greening put a great cross I to the opposition box but nobody was there to connect with it and the danger was cleared.

However, on 35 minutes, the breakthrough came when a long throw - in on the left was headed to the far post by Tom Harrison for Jack Ball to lift it with his head over the grasp of North Leigh keeper Morgan Williams.

And defensively Yate were good value before the break as they snuffed out the attacks North Leigh presented their way.

After the break, Yate threatened to run up a cricket score as they had North Leigh at sixes and sevens.

A great move I to the opposition box saw Ball fire wide and the second goal seemed certain when Trey Anderson grabbed the ball on the left of the opposition box and side footed it past Williams only to see the ball bounce off the post.

But the second goal eventual came when full back Mayson Evans was on the far post when a cross came in and bent low to head past Williams.

And the third came quickly afterwards when Ball found space to rifle home.

Yate were well on top but it all started to go against them from there.

North Leigh 's Roger James was to prove to be a big threat in the final third for the rest of the game. James planted the ball past Rivers and after a cracking strike from Michael Hopkins rattled the Yate goalposts, Hopkins saw a soft ball from the right rumbled past two defenders and also Rivers, who expected it to go wide, to set up a tense Fi is.

James threatened Yate continuously and tested the Bluebell 's defensive resolve.

And the Bluebells were down to ten men by the end of the match as Evans was sent off for his second bookable offence.

Yet, after four minutes of added time, the referee blew the final whistle and Yate had put to bed that horrible October evening.