YATE TOWN manager Dave Mogg thinks it is a matter of time until his side take their first big scalp of the season, writes Rob Iles.
The Bluebells have failed to beat any of the top nine sides in Zamaretto League Division One South and West so far with high-flying Bridgwater Town visiting Lodge Road this Saturday (3pm).
Despite that unwanted record and Yate’s position just below halfway in the table, performances have improved recently in what was always expected to be a transition season following relegation from the Premier Division, and the 1-0 defeat at Andover last Saturday brought a six-match unbeaten run to an end.
In their last home game, Yate drew 2-2 with promotion hopefuls Paulton Rovers but third-placed Bridgwater are one of the form sides in the division with seven wins and seven clean sheets in a row before last night’s 2-1 shock defeat at Bishop’s Cleeve.
Mogg said: “Bridgwater have done very well but there’s no reason why we should not go in with the confidence we’ve approached the last few games.
“We are improving and maybe Saturday was a step backward to go forward - lets hope that’s the case.
“Bridgwater deserve a lot of respect but we’ve proved we can compete with those teams.
“We’re not far off, unfortunately we haven’t turned our play against those teams into victories but it could only be a matter of time.
“We went down there (Bridgwater) a few months ago, competed very well and were more than worthy of a point but lost 1-0. Before the Andover game I set a target of 12 points from the next 15 so now it’s 12 from 12.
“Whether we can do that remains to be seen and we’ve got our first big hurdle against Bridgwater.”
Yate’s defeat at Andover came as a cruel blow as Tom Gooding scored a 90th minute winner for the home side.
After an uneventful first half, Yate goalkeeper Josh Dempsey was called into action after the break, saving three goal-bound efforts.
Andover’s winner came from a route one move as Gooding latched onto a long ball to hit a low drive in off the inside of the post.
Mogg said: “If you relate it to a 12-round boxing match, we won the first six rounds, lost the seventh and eighth and maybe the ninth.
“We got back on our feet but did not make their goalkeeper work hard enough. Josh Dempsey made some outstanding saves and then to compound it all, just as it looked like we might win the game, they break away and score with a deflection.
“I felt at times that we were trying to force things. We did not put any telling balls into the box but I’ll give Andover credit, they did defend very well.”
Callum Stewart is still sidelined and Adam White (both knee) is also a doubt for the game against Bridgwater, whose midfielder Matt Beadle is set to return to Lodge Road for the first time since leaving Yate last summer.
Mogg’s side also visit Bedfont Green on Tuesday night (7.45pm).
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