Match Preview – Yate Town vs Wimborne Town
This fixture brings the top two teams in the current form table (last six games) face-to-face at Lodge Road. Yate are number one with a W4 D2 L0 record, Wimborne second with W4 D1 L1.
But let me take you back seven weeks when things were a lot different. On 31st December, Yate, who were relegated from the Premier Division last season, were languishing in eighteenth spot in the league table, a mere three points above bottom club Exmouth, with a W3 D4 L9 GF 18 GA 27 record. Their last two games had been a goal-less home draw with Bashley, and a 0-1 defeat at Paulton, the two teams immediately above them. Manager Darren Mullings, appointed in October as the Bluebells’ third new incumbent in fourteenth months, was struggling to make a lasting impact, and his side had gone six games without a win including a 0-1 loss at New Cuthbury.
Fast forward seven weeks and there’s been a jaw-dropping turnaround! The Bluebells are now on an undefeated run of ten games which has lifted them twelve places to sixth with a W9 D8 L9 GF 41 GA 35 record, only one point outside the play-off spots. They have won their last four home games scoring an impressive sixteen goals (Larkhall 4-1, Bemerton 3-0, Tavistock 5-1, and most recently Melksham 4-1).
So what’s made the difference? Basically, new players. A few players have moved on, and Mullings has recruited well. Among the players he’s brought in are the experienced and prolific 35-year old striker Nick McCootie from National South Taunton, midfielder Joe Guest also from Taunton, full-back James Taylor on loan from National South Truro, central defender Toby Raison from Southern Premier Swindon Supermarine, and striker Callum English-Brown from the Zimbabwe Premier League. This all sounds expensive to me, but the manager has been helped by the “Bluebells Budget Booster” fundraiser.
The new recruits have clearly made an impact. McCootie has bagged nine goals in Yate’s last eight games, while English-Brown has scored three. Another man in goal-scoring form for the Bluebells is Oliver Jenkins with four in 2024.
Incidentally, Mullings, signed from Salisbury as player / coach in November 2022, was at Torquay in 2007-08 when our Tim Sills was also there.
The new year has also signalled an up-turn in the Magpies’ away form which has helped us stay top of the tree at the time of writing – Frome, a point behind, are scheduled to play on Friday night. After zero away wins for four months, Tim’s team won at Exmouth (4-1), Paulton (2-0) and Manor Farm (2-1). The only set-back was the 1-3 defeat in the abandoned game at Larkhall.
Harry Morgan is our man in form after bagging a brace at Manor Farm and one at Paulton. Manager Sills will still be without Jez Bedford, Connor Cocklin and Sam Roberts. But he’ll have been pleased with the goal-scoring form of Harry Baker, recent loan-signing Matty Burrows, Jack Hoey and Cam Munn in the county cup game on Tuesday evening.
Lodge Road has one of the best grass surfaces in the Southern League, and the groundsman has frequently won awards. So for the first time for ages, Tim’s team will have a decent surface to play on away from New Cuthbury. We’ve played there nine times in our Southern League days, and have a symmetrical record – winning four, drawing one, and losing four.
On Saturday there’ll be two in-form teams going head-to-head on a good grass surface in a proper non-league stadium with vital league points up for grabs. This is the type of game the boys want to play in; and the type of game supporters want to watch.
Bring it on – this has the makings of being a cracker!
———-
Ground address: Lodge Road, Yate, Gloucs BS37 7LE circa 71 miles
Average league attendance 295.
Admission: Adults £12; Concessions £8; 11-17s £5; Under 11s free
Weather forecast: cloudy; 13oC; 20% chance of rain.
