Barnstaple inflict first defeat of the season on leaders Yate
Southern League and Somerset County League
YATE Town stayed top of Southern League Division One West, despite being handed a shock first defeat of the season by Barnstaple Town.
The Devon visitors sit second bottom in the table, but have improved massively in recent weeks and a 2-1 win at Yate was their third triumph in a row.
Ollie Mehew missed a good chance for Yate, before Barnstaple went ahead on 22 minutes when Harry Stevens scored with a deflected cross.
Yate made a good start to the second half and were rewarded with an equaliser from Josh Ford, who headed in a corner from Adam Price.
Tallan Mitchell volleyed home from a cross by Stevens to put Barnstaple back in front and they then defended well to deny Yate, who came close to finding an equaliser through Ben Brooks, Joe Guest and Jack Twyman.
Central defender Charlie Hitchings, just signed from Yate, made his Paulton Rovers debut in a 1-0 defeat at Slimbridge., with
Rob Brown made a good save from Simbridge’s Ewen Dunbar to keep the game goalless at the break.
Mitch Tippins and Jack Ball came close to giving the Paulton the lead in the second half, before Will Hawes capitalised on a poor clearance from Brown to give Slimbridge a 66th-minute lead.
Christian Turner cleared a Paulton effort off the goalline, while Brown saved from Liam Smith to deny Slimbridge a second goal.
Mangotsfield United battled out a goalless draw at Bideford, with on-loan Bath City goalkeeper Kieran Hodges in fine form for the visitors.
Hodges made good saves from Kevin Squire, Jordan Ricketts and Ryan Turner in the first half, and pulled off several more good stops after the break to deny Turner, James Mayne and Will Hancox.
Michael Bryant fired wide for Mangotsfield in the opening period, and he blazed another opportunity over the crossbar in the second half.
Louis Britton squandered a good chance for Mangotsfield when he shot wide after being through oneon-one with the goalkeeper.
» In the Somerset County League Premier Division, second-placed Shirehampton hammered bottom side Odd Down Reserves 11-1, with goals from Scott Bamford (5), Mark Johnson (4), Jay Spicer and Charlie Harris. Dan Taylor scored a penalty for Odd Down, who are without a point after 11 games this season.
Mike Purnell gave Clevedon United the lead at home to leaders Fry Club, who took a point from a 1-1 draw thanks to a late equaliser from Chris Allen.
Lee Millard’s lone-range strike on 29 minutes put Stockwood Green ahead at home to Wrington/Redhill, who equalised in the second half with a free-kick from Ollie Clements.
It also finished 1-1 at Nailsea & Tickenham, where Gary Freeman gave the home side a 78th-minute lead against Worle, who equalised in the closing minutes through Jack Horiden.
In the Premier/Frst Dvision Cup, Keynsham Town Reserves had a shock 2-1 win at Chilcompton Sports.