Southern Mullings wants repeat performance as Yate return to Cornwall

DARREN Mullings is urging more of the same from his Yate Town table toppers as they return to Cornwall for a crucial collision with one of Division One South's big guns tomorrow.

- Simon PARKINSON

Seven days on from Saturday's important 2-0 victory at relegation-threatened Helston Athletic, Yate are back on familiar road for the long excursion to face fourth-placed Mousehole hosts hell-bent on cementing a place in a play-off shake-up their opponents, as leaders, are trying hard to avoid.

The Bluebells extended their fragile one-point advantage at the summit to three at the weekend after second-placed Evesham United, who had been gaining ground at uncomfortable speed as far as the Bristol-based pacesetters were concerned, were held to a goalless draw by Exmouth Town.

While Evesham travel to take on tough-to-beat Westbury United, Yate, five without loss now following that Helston success, head into Cornwall once more in the knowledge they’re likely to have their hands full again, with memories of a 1-1 Lodge Road November stalemate between the teams still fresh in travelling minds.

Yate manager Mullings feels a repeat of his team’s weekend performance at Helston can only stand them in good stead for another maximum points haul at Mousehole.

"It was a much-needed weekend win for us, but more importantly it was the manner in which we achieved it that pleased me most, and in tough, windy conditions," he said.

"We were up against the strong wind in the first half, but we played our way out from the back nicely and created several opportunities from minute one which we couldn't quite capitalise on.

"We knew, having defended and attacked the elements well, that the second half would be a completely different story, and so it turned out.

"Helston didn’t have a shot at our goal while we should have finished up with five or six instead of Ross Stearn’s two fine poacher finishes.

"It was back to where we want to be as a team."