P & WD League 4

 Nova Homes 0

Yelverton Villa 1

YELVERTON completed a well deserved double over fourth placed Nova Homes after a very closely contested match.

Villa started the game brightly, looking comfortable in possession and solid in defence. A couple of early surging runs from left back Steve Harwood signalled Villa's attacking intent. Lloyd Pomfret, Ben Maughan and Tom Scott provided a constant threat to the Nova defence, but they proved difficult to break down.

Nova struggled to create many chances themselves with the Murray twins breaking up play in midfield, whilst Adam Measom and Tom Lewis dominated the aerial battles. On the rare occasions that Nova did get beyond the Villa defence, keeper Mike Lopez proved to be a formidable obstacle.

Villa's best opportunities arose from set pieces. Pomfret went close from a free kick midway through the half, but the breakthrough came on the stroke of halftime when a Scott header from Jonny Leppert's driven free kick, wrong footed the Nova keeper.

Having taken the lead, Villa made life difficult for themselves in the second half, as their composure disappeared and panic set in. Far too often Villa gave away possession of the ball cheaply, inviting Nova to attack, but some dogged challenges from Jay Lambert and the Villa defence limited Nova to strikes from distant that did not trouble the keeper.

As Nova pressed forward in search of the equaliser they left gaps at the back which Villa began to exploit, and Scott, Maughan and Pomfret all had chances to extend the lead but failed to make them count, as Villa held on to claim the win and a rare clean sheet.