Yate Town 1 Marine 2

Southern League Premier South | Saturday 15th April 2023

Posted by Keith Yeomans on April 16th 2023

`Match Report from Aleck Everard`

HOOPER THE HERO AS YATE FINISH IN BOTTOM FOUR

Swindon Supermarine had their final road trip of the season with the short trip down the M4 to Yate Town. Manager Lee Spalding made two changes to the side that won at North Leigh on Monday, bringing back Will Tunnicliff at left back allowing Ryan Campbell to push forward and James Harding up top with George Dowling suffering from a thigh strain and Henry Spalding on the substitutes bench.

After an impeccable minute’s silence was observed for Yate Town volunteer Richard Jordan, it was the hosts who started the better with Kyle Tooze hitting a strike just over the crossbar on the turn. But Marine were quick to respond with top scorer Harry Williams linking up well with Zack Kotwica before striking the post with former Marine keeper Louis Evans well beaten.

Evans was finding it tough in the Yate goal but doing enough to repel Marine when he flicked away a Campbell cross on sixteen minutes. Matt Liddiard was booked soon after for a foul on Ben McLean but it was Marine who finally broke the deadlock. With 20 minutes on the clock Harry Williams set away James Harding whose flick found Ryan Campbell running onto the ball behind the Yate defence on the left and he made no mistake, drilling the ball into the far bottom corner, incredibly for his first league goal of the season, but for a lot of that time he has filled in a full back.

Williams was tormenting the Yate backline and appeared to be felled in the box just before the half hour but the appeal was waved away. Campbell came close to making it a goal and an assist when his driven cross was somehow just missed by Harding against his former team. Williams got a shot away soon after and despite hitting it over seemed to be clipped again by a defender after but once more there was nothing doing. Marine saw out the half and despite never being in control of the midfield would be happy with their lead against opposition fighting for the lives.

Yate were celebrating early doors in the second half when they netted at the back post but were brought back down to earth by the linesman flag who rightfully disallowed it for offside. Zack Kotwica then hit a strong volley just wide of the target to open Marine’s attacks for the second half before Lee Spalding opted for his first change of the day with Brad Hooper coming on to bolster the midfield and Tunnicliff in his first start for a month going off with Campbell dropping to full back once more.

Williams was sharp again but Evans got down well to turn away the low shot in front of the healthy 333 crowd before Marine made a second substitute with half an hour left. Tom Sharpe replacing James Harding as Marine looked to dominate the midfield battle. It seemed to work well with Sharpe and Hooper allowing Marine to gain more possession and control, but despite this against the run of play Yate found a leveller on seventy-two minutes.

Full back Sam Turl was booked for a foul and from the resulting free kick the ball was headed back across goal for former Marine striker Kyle Tooze to slot home past Charlie Searle from close from a couple of yards.

Despite the setback Swindon responded strongly with Sharpe driving a chance just wide followed by an extraordinary attack on 77. From a long throw Ty Duffus headed against the bar before Mat Liddiard’s follow up was blocked on the line and then appeared to clearly strike the arm of a Yate defender. However in a crowd of players the referee opted not to give the spot kick and a few minutes later there were more appeals in the box, this time for Yate. Tyrone Duffus leapt high to block a shot and Yate appealed for a handball with the referee once again waving away the appeals saying it struck the defender on the shoulder.

With time running out both sides were going for the winner. Searle pulled off a top stop with minutes left before being bundled over the line and a free kick awarded and then just as it seemed deadlock in the match up stepped Mr Supermarine. A few games ago Brad Hooper had been the hero stepping up to take the gloves in a keeping crisis and now he stepped forward again to grab the three points. From a Joe Tumelty corner the ball eventually was scrambled clear after a Mat Liddiard effort to the edge of the box where Brad Hooper struck a beauty of a half volley right into the corner of the net to give Louis Evans no chance.

The supporters behind the goal celebrated as Marine had somehow kept the slimmest of chances of the play offs alive with Hooper’s fourth goal of the season. Despite a lengthy added time period Marine held on to fight another day. The playoffs look very, very unlikely now as they and are now dependent on two Poole defeats and a 13 goal swing. However Marine take on Poole this Wednesday at home and every goal will be worth two in this race. A tall order but one we will be sure to have a crack at!

Attendance: 333

`Line Ups`

Yate Town
Manager: John Rendell
Colours: White & Navy
Line-up: 1. Louis Evans 2. Jack Stanley 3. Lewis Hall (14. Michael Baker 72’) 4. Chris Peck (15. Jamal Salawu 67’) 5. Darren Mullings (c) 6. Toby Raison 7. James Byrne (12. Alex Lambert 56’) 8. Ben McLean 9. Kyle Tooze 10. Liban Ibrahim 11. Lucas Tomlinson
Subs not used: 13. Martin Horsell (GK), 16. Tom Richards
Goalscorer: Kyle Tooze 72’
Editors Star Man: Lucas Tomlinson
Cards:
Alex Lambert 80’, Lucas Tomlinson 87’, Darren Mullings 88’ Yellow Card
None Red Card
None Yellow & Red Card