South Gloucestershire | Archive | 2006 | February | 10
From the archive, first published Friday 10th Feb 2006.
Southern League Premier Division Yate Town 3 Merthyr Tydfil 2
YATE hoisted themselves up to eighth place in the Southern League Premier Division table with a fine win over Merthyr Tydfil.
This stretched their unbeaten league run to seven games.
As expected though, it was no easy ride. Yate were the better side in the first half but for 30 minutes after the break the Welsh outfit came back strongly.
Yate were most relieved to level the score with five minutes to go and over the moon when they grabbed the winner, just as the referee was getting ready to shut up shop.
Neither side made much impact in the first half but just before the break Darren Edwards opened the scoring with a lofted ball over Merthyr keeper Lee Worgan.
The visitors equalised with a far post header from Gary Shephard on 50 minutes and a period of strong pressure from them was rewarded on 71 minutes when Craig Steins wriggled through the box and finished well for 2-1.
With only minutes left Yate looked out of the points but Paul Metheringham levelled the game with a back header from Jason Wood's cross to set up a nail-biting finish.
Yate keeper Tony Court prevented what looked a certain score by Shephard before Metheringham picked out Edwards in the box who hammered in his second goal for the match-winner.
"We left it late and looked dead and buried," agreed Yate boss Rich Thompson, "but we found two goals in the last few minutes.
"I was happy when we got the equaliser but to get the win was a real bonus."
l Yate face a long trip to King's Lynn this Saturday to take on the third-in-table side.
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