Yate players will respond, says Britton

YATE manager Paul Britton has backed his players to get their title challenge back on track when they host Slimbridge today.

A surprise 2-1 midweek defeat at struggling Fleet cost Yate the chance to return to the top of Division One South, although they are on the same points as Blackfield & Langley, having drawn at home to AFC Totton last weekend.

But Britton is confident his players will respond today, with the Slimbridge game marking the start of their last ten fixtures.

“When we have lost games this season we have always bounced back and I know the lads well enough to know they have worked too hard to let this opportunity slip,” said Britton.

“We were below par at Fleet and no excuses, they deserved to win, but we wasted our game in hand and the chance to go back top and stretch the gap to Moneyfields in third.

“Now we have ten games to go and there are a few banana skins in there, for sure, and a lot of tough games, including Blackfield & Langley at our place and Cirencester away. But we have only lost four times in 28, so I am looking for us to keep that level of performance going.”

Mangotsfield could do Yate a favour at Blackfield & Langley, but more importantly for Ollie Price’s side is the need for points to stay clear of Fleet and out of the bottom two.

“That gap is down to five points after Fleet beat Yate, so we need to pick up some points and I think another three wins should be enough,” said Price.

However, there is a question mark over the game as Blackfield’s assistant boss Chris Farrell has died from a heart attack which he suffered after the game against Manor Farm last week.