An injury weakenned Yate team arrived at YOSC for what they expected to be their most difficult match of the season so far.

UWE had matched Yate match for match with the only result separating the 2 teams being the 5-1 loss to Yate earlier in the season. As such the Yate team knew that UWE would be out for revenge.

The match started, and UWE didn't dissapoint, pressuring from the outset, with Yate taking longer to settle into their stride. It was UWE who struck first when they managed to pick up a Yate clearance, drive into the D and slip the ball under keeper Justin Metcalfe. Rene Wickes managed to get a stuck on the ball, but was unable to prevent it from going in.

Yate continued to lack their usual composure on the ball, conceding several short corners, defending most of them in their usual stalwart manner. It was however from a short that the second goal came, with a bumbled push out confusing the defenders running 1 and 2, finally making it to one of the UWE strikers who struck the shot well, hitting the top of the backboard. 2-0 UWE.

Yate picked up and started to create chances, which on another day they would have taken readily, one in particular where Adrian Kitchen struck the ball strongly into the D, straight past Ian Crabbe's waiting stick, through the keeper's open legs striking the backboard hard.

The score remained 2-0 until the half time break, where a demoralised Yate set off for the opposite goal. The team talk focussed on the ball pace and composure that had let Yate down, and there was some re- organisation in the midfield.

The talk and changes paid off straight away, with Yate looking like an entirely different team. 2 minutes into the 2nd half Yate had a goal back, with the ball being worked well through the midfield to Chris Gillett who with his back to goal squeezed the ball into the bottom right hand corner of the goal.

2 minutes later the more movement from the midfield of Rob Child, Pete Lamb, Tom Johnston, Mark Pennicott and Adrian Kitchen moved the ball in to the UWE D to Ian Crabbe, who duplicated the previous strike, but into the left corner to level the score.

Yate finally were into their stride with strong defence from Ian Redfearn, Martin Emery, Nick Hare and Rene Wickes spreading the play, and had far more of the play, but were unable to break through.

3 minutes from the end Chris Gillett took a ball to the head, which needed 6 stitches.

The match ended 2-2, which was a fair result with each side having a better half. Yate remain top by 3 points and will look to improve on this performance next week to push towards being league champions.