Borough ruthlessly beaten by flowering Bluebells
By Connor Steel
GOSPORT BOROUGH suffered their fourth successive defeat within the Southern League Premier as they played in-form Yate Town on Saturday afternoon (April 11); eventually slipping to a two-nil loss versus the Bluebells following a highly disappointing performance throughout the ninety minutes watched by 892 fans at a dry but windy AEI Stadium.
Both sides had good spells of possession in these early stages and it was Borough who created the first chance after eight minutes; the interplay finding Jordan Ngalo who sliced tamely towards the gloves of Aaron Sainsbury. Down the other end Yate saw Alex Monks fire towards goal but the ball went wide whilst Rex Mannings lashed inches off-target.
Sainsbury was the first goalkeeper to be fully tested when he dived down low to deny Hisham Kasimu and awkwardly saved the rebound on eighteen minutes; the referee rejecting a loud appeal that the shot had crossed the goalline. In response Marlon Jackson played a short ball across the corridor of uncertainty, but it missed this run of his teammate.
Ngalo was forced off with an ankle injury on thirty-two minutes and the stoppage saw a lull that finished as Oli Jenkins lashed over a free kick soon afterwards. Down the other end Hisham Kasimu cut inside and curled it off the woodwork before Dan Wooden saw his effort blocked at source; Yate responding with many ‘poor corners’ as the first half ended.
Yate came out rapidly and opened the scoring within sixty seconds of the restart; Josh Bennett converting a low finish following a poor defensive clearance inside the area. Things worsened for the hosts as Harvey Rew was shown a red card after a collision with Mannings; the game being halted for several minutes as this player hit the advertising board.
Proceedings resumed for the hour mark and it took a while to recover similar intensity; Lloyd James rifling it over after sixty-two minutes before right back James Taylor was denied by the gloves of goalkeeper Thomas with the fiercely hit arrowed shot. Borough in contrast were unable to create any real chances with Joe Morrison’s effort this only glimpse.
Another injury delay allowed Yate to reduce the momentum as they seemed likelier to net again; Olly Mehew having a low shot blocked on eighty-five minutes before the visitors made changes to kill this game further. But they didn’t need this as a counter-attack was played into Henry Sady, who slotted home deep in additional time to earn a deserved win.
This success means that Yate remain two points above the relegation zone with two big fixtures left to play; their huge celebrations at the end matching their ‘fight’ shown throughout this afternoon. For Gosport, their season appears to be petering out as they sit tenth in the current standings and have three left to play this campaign, which ends on April 25.
PICTURED BY YATE TOWN MEDIA: Josh Bennett reacts ‘quickest’ and guides shot inside the corner to begin scoring.
