Evo-Stik Southern, West

Yate Town 3 North Leigh 3

YATE Town's unbeaten run has stretched to five games but this was another home draw that so easily might have been converted into three points.

It was very much a Jekyll and Hyde performance from Yate with plenty of incisive, attractive football going forward coupled with some inept defending against the through ball, particularly in the first half.

North Leigh went in front with one of the quickest goals ever seen at The Universal Components Stadium.

A free kick from the back in the first minute was headed onto the crossbar by George Seacole and Todd Hathaway reacted quickest to knock the rebound into the bottom corner.

Undaunted, the home side responded within two minutes, Adam Price picking up a poor clearance out of defence before driving his rising shot past Ross Grimshaw and into the top corner.

The Yate defence was then carved open on the left for Matt Grabe to go on and score North Leigh's second.

And it was almost 3-1 when, after an almost identical move, only a last ditch tackle from Chris Gregan prevented Hathaway adding the finishing touch on the far post.

Dave Sims-Burgess, a constant menace to the North Leigh backline throughout the game, then set up a close range equaliser from Steve Davies.

But yet another left wing counter attack, involving Tom Harvey this time, gave an unchallenged Seacole the chance to head the visitors into a 3-2 interval lead.

It took Yate only six minutes of the second half to get level again. Sims-Burgess caused more mayhem up the right flank and his cross into the box was neatly steered on target by Ross Langworthy, his fourth goal since joining the club.

For much of the second half the home side enjoyed plenty of possession but scoring the winner always seemed elusive particularly as a result of wayward finishing or poor decision making.

Davies had a volley saved by Grimshaw and later had an effort deflected for a corner. 

Ben Brooks lobbed an effort onto the roof of the net after taking advantage of some lax North Leigh defending, Langworthy fired over and Nick Peare wasted several good shooting chances.

After a run of home games, several tough away trips now follow, with the derby against Bristol Manor Farm on Saturday and a visit to Swindon Supermarine at the Webbswood Stadium on Tuesday week (March 27).

Yate Town: Rivers, Blake (Anderson 65 minutes), Gregan (Tanner 82 minutes), Peare, Boulton, Hitchings, Price, Sims-Burgess, Davies, Brooks, Langworthy. Sub not used: Llewellyn.