Page 18 - Yate Town FC v Harrow Borough 150122

The Pitching In Southern League Premier Division South had five of its eleven scheduled
matches on Saturday postponed.
And amongst the casualties was the top clash between leaders Farnborough and a
Chesham United side who were third before the action started.
The Generals ended up in fifth spot after wins for Gosport Borough and Hayes &
Yeading United, who both moved above them, whilst second-placed Metropolitan
Police narrowed the gap on the leaders to five points after beating Swindon
Supermarine 3-1 at Imber Court. The pitch passed a late inspection, but conditions were
difficult. It was the Met who drew first blood on the half-hour mark when David Titov fired
a long-range effort past Martin Horsell in the ‘Marine goal. Then, three minutes into the
second period, Gavin Macpherson`s side doubled their lead with a neat finish from Jasper
Mather. But within a minute, the visitors got themselves back into the game when George
Dowling set up Harry Williams to fire past Liam Beach. And it was slightly against the run of
play when the Met made it 3-1 after 67 minutes with another good finish, this time from
Liam Ferdinand. The hosts held firm to claim three vital points and leave `Marine in 16th
spot.
Hayes & Yeading are third now after seeing off Hendon 2-1 at the SKYex Community
Stadium. It was goalless at the break, but within seven minutes of the restart, the home side
broke the deadlock when Kadell Daniel headed home at the far post. But the Greens
equalised after 69 minutes when Jayden Clarke set up Joe White to beat Ravan Constable
in the home goal. The home side rallied and re-took the lead on 72 minutes when Francis
Amartey headed a corner past Fred Burbidge. A crucial moment in the game occurred after
a minute or so later when Hendon’s Hamza Semakula received two quickfire yellow cards to
leave his side with ten-men. And they almost claimed a leveller right at the death when
White was denied by Constable.
Gosport are fourth now after edging a 1-0 win at Privett Park against an in-form Walton
Casuals side. A crowd of 544 saw a tight game which was eventually settled in the 67th
minute when new boy Ay Harris-Sealy and Harry Kavanagh combined to set up Mason Walsh
to score. However, Adam Liddle came mighty close to levelling for the Stags when his 85th-
minute header hit the bar.
Taunton Town are now sixth, just a point behind Chesham with three games in hand
after claiming a 1-0 win at the Avenue Stadium against a Dorchester Town side who are
now 18th and winless in four. What proved to be the only goal of the game came after 16
minutes when a Zac Smith cross was headed past Jack Bycroft by Jared Lewington. In front
of 389, the Magpies fought hard to get back into a game that became a little fractious late
on, with two of the Peacocks` coaching staff being sent-off near the end.
Weston-super-Mare moved into ninth spot, five points adrift of Chesham with four
games in hand after recording a 3-1 win at a virtually empty Met Coaches Stadium, as
Merthyr Town are being forced to play home games behind closed doors by the devolved
Welsh Government. It was the Martyrs who took a 25th-minute lead when a mistake by
Seagulls` keeper Max Harris was capitalised on by Lewis Powell. But the visitors were behind
for less than three minutes as Dayle Grubb jinked past a couple of defenders before firing
home. Weston went in front in the 57th minute when they were awarded a penalty for a foul
on Nick McCootie in the area and Grubb stepped up to net his second of the game from the
spot. And it was game over as far as the Welshmen were concerned in the 65th minute when
McCootie’s cross was volleyed home by Marlon Jackson. Fortunately for the Martyrs, none of
the teams around them who played on Saturday managed a win. Merthyr stay second-from-
bottom on just 12 points, while Kings Langley remain a place above them on 19 after
losing 1-0 at Holloways Park to mid-table Beaconsfield Town. The only goal of a tight
game came after 65 minutes when Kaine Kennedy-Sinclair took advantage of a fortunate
break on the box to score.