YATE TOWN’S hopes of staying up all but disappeared this afternoon after a crushing defeat against local rivals Gloucester City.

Gloucester started brightly and Mike Symons should have scored when he headed over Alex Sykes’ inswinging corner from five yards.

The powerful striker on-loan from Forest Green made amends on 25 minutes though when he picked the ball up in Yate’s half and used his strength to beat Neil Ward before shrugging off Scott Brice’s challenge in the box and stroking home from ten yards.

The hosts doubled their lead three minutes later but there was a great deal of fortune involved as Tom Webb’s high cross was headed goalwards by Jack Harris and the ball took a nasty deflection off Kes Metitri to wrong-foot Lee Matthews and crawl over the line.

Yate had their chances, most of them falling to leading goalscorer Dean Griffiths. He sent one header wide when unmarked from ten yards and from another header Gloucester goalkeeper Kevin Sawyer produced an outstanding one-handed save from point blank range.

The Bluebells also had shouts for a penalty either side of half time. Firstly, Griffiths went down in the box when he was crowded out by three Gloucester players after a mazy run and Joe White felt he was brought down by Sawyer when the goalkeeper went to reclaim the ball after inexplicably dropping a straight forward catch.

Shortly after Sam Duggan dragged the ball wide from ten yards after he cut inside his man in the box.

Yate somehow kept the ball out of the net on 58 minutes when Matthews made a great save to keep out Will Morford’s effort from Lee Smith’s cross, Metitri made an excellent block from Sykes’ follow-up and Matthews palmed away Luke Ballinger’s fierce drive.

At the other end Jake Reid volleyed over at the near post and Griffiths headed just over – both from Matt Beadle corners.

Gloucester wrapped the game up on 78 minutes when Ballinger got to the byline and pulled the ball back for Dean Grubb to fire home.

Five minutes later Ballinger’s blocked shot broke free to Symons, who turned and hit a low shot into the corner for his second.

Gloucester City: Sawyer, Sykes (Grubb, 75), Marshall, Mustoe © (Sysum, 78), Richards, Rose, Smith, Webb, Morford, Symons, J Harris (Ballinger, 40). Subs not used: Pitcher, A Harris.

Yate Town: Matthews, Metitiri, Vahid, Ward, Brice ©, Duggan, White, Beadle (Whittington, 77), Reid, Griffiths, Robbins. Subs not used: Simmons, Lacey, Yeo, Lakey.

Ref: Chris Husband (Worcester).

Attendance: 303

Gazette star man: Dean Griffiths.