Page 4 - Yate Town FC v Aylesbury Vale Dynamos 030922

WELCOME

Good afternoon and welcome to this afternoon's Emirates FA Cup First Round Qualifying tie versus
Aylesbury Vale Dynamos. We would like to extend a particularly warm welcome to Liam Dwyer and
Michael East and their squad, to all the supporters and officials and we wish them a safe journey home.
After a busy bank holiday of fixtures Beads and the squad have had time to recover and prepare for
today’s tie. Saturday saw us travel to North Leigh for the first time since we hosted them in the West
Division back on the 17th March 2018. The score in that game 3-3!! On that occasion the timings of the
goals was in all likelihood more spaced out than it was on Saturday. On a very dry sloping pitch the hosts
had the downhill advantage for the first half and it wasn’t long before the Bluebells defence began to
face the onslaught of long balls for the North Leigh strikers to run on to. Despite holding fast eventually
the defence was caught out and as the hosts number 9 ran across Toby Raison there was contact in the
area and the referee awarded the penalty on 24 minutes. With the spot kick converted the hosts looked
to hold on to the lead. Yate gained some momentum as the half wore on despite attacking up the hill.
Some good build up play ended with a cross from the left channel which Brandon Smalley expertly
headed home just before the break. At the start of the second half Yate found it difficult manage playing
down the slope and kept losing possession. This enabled North Leigh to counter on a number of
occasions one of which ended with them restoring their one goal advantage on 58 minutes. With the
Bluebells struggling to make any breakthrough Alex Lambert was introduced on 70 minutes. His fresh
legs and movement unsettled the home defence which allowed the Bluebells to pile on the pressure.
Now used to the slope the balls into the red area were much more accurate and just as it looked like
the hosts would hold out for the win Ben Hammett, an early sub for Ioan Richards due to injury, levelled
the scores on 88 minutes. Yate then pressed for the win and North Leigh failed to deal with a corner
allowing Joe Tumelty to put the visitors into the lead on the 90th minute. Alas this wasn’t the end and
Yate’s defence allowed the hosts Jenson Wright too much space to shoot and the draw was secured on
the 92nd minute!
Bank Holiday Monday saw a much sterner test. Hosting Dorchester, who had won four of their opening
five fixtures and on a run of three straight victories coming into this fixture, meant it was always going
to be a challenging afternoon. With Ioan Richards picking up an early injury at North Leigh and Omar
Taylor-Clarke recalled to Bristol City the manager was forced into making changes for this game and
naming assistant manager Stuart Fleetwood among the four substitutes (although in the end only Zak
Drew was used from the bench). The first half was a fairly even contest with Olly Mehew and Brandon
Smalley creating the only real chance. In the second half it was Yate who showed plenty of attacking
intent but to no avail and once again Brandon Smalley was involved in the Bluebells best chance of the
game with his shot bouncing off the underside of the bar and bouncing on the line! A goalless draw was
a credible result and importantly a point to move Yate up a position in the table.
Away from football and on a very sombre note the club was saddened and shocked to learn of the death
of former Youth Team player Takayo Nembhard. Takayo was a former Youth Team player, a prolific
striker in our 2018-19 season netting 29 goals in the Somerset Youth Floodlit U18 League and went onto
make two first team appearances. He was known by many at the club as "TK”. A talented footballer TK
was with Bristol Rovers academy until he was sixteen, more recently he had become a successful rap
artist. Bristol was home and he leaves behind his Mother and Father, Brother, two Sisters and his
Girlfriend who is expecting their child. Today we will be holding a collection to support his the family at
this tragic time.
And so we turn to today’s visitors. Aylesbury Vale Dynamos play in the Spartan South Midlands Football
League, Premier Division (step 5 of the NLS). Currently sitting in 12th position they have played 3, W1
L2, and in the FA Cup they have obviously won both knocking out Longlevens and recently Bristol Manor
Farm. In all matches, 3 league 2 FA Cup, the winning side has scored 3 goals (3-2, 3-2, 3-2, 3-1, 3-1).
Against Manor Farm it was the Portwaymen who took the lead on 30 minutes after Howe won a penalty
which he stepped up to score. The tie was turned around in the 2nd half with Baldwin scoring first for
Aylesbury, then Prince Nimoh giving them the lead. Farm thought they had equalised through Howe but
he was adjudged to be off side. Aylesbury showed that they can absorb pressure and counter when the
opportunity comes, which is exactly what happened with Fulton condemning the Portwaymen to a 1-3
defeat and early cup exit. In summary Aylesbury have been very successful in the South West during
this FA Cup so far, they will have belief in the squad and League Standing counts for nothing in this
competition.
C’mon you #Bluebells………….