Sheerwater opened the season with goal less draw against Yateley United who gained promotion to the Combined Counties League from the Wessex League after winning the play off final last season.

Despite no goals the match was a tense affair with both sides giving their all in the heat at Sheerwater who would have felt that they should have taken the points with a series of chances.

The Sheers started brightly with holding possession and came to life with Elliot York bearing down on keeper Hugo Sobte who won the battle. On 11 minutes a long ball out to the right from Zac Jervis to Elliot York was sent into the box first time to Harvey Valter that produced a great save from keeper Hugo Sobte. Yateley United responded with a header that the Sheers keeper Joe Hill was down to save on 13 minutes. On 19 minutes Connelly forces a corner for Yateley with the delivery going long and then sent back that Downs volleys high over the Sheers target. On 20 minutes Sheers Tyrone Magala-Bryan sends a long ball onto York who heads into the box that has Yateley in a panic with the visiting defenders as the Sheers man Harvey Valter hovering in the area.

The Sheers have the visitors on the rack with two corners and a series of shots that the home side can’t make the break through against a resilient defence. On 35 minutes a long shot from George Mackie has United’s keeper Sobte scrambling to keep the shot out conceding a corner. With 34 minutes played the Sheers should have taken the lead after good play from York & Valter to set free Theo White who drew keeper Sobte to him but sends his shot wide of the post.

On 38 minutes Zac Jervis sends the ball forward to York that ends with a corner and the resulting set piece is headed just over the visitors bar from Razza Ajibola. Sheers increase the pressure in the later stages of the half with Harvey Valter turning in the box to send a shot goal wards only for keeper Sobte sticking out a leg to save the goal wards shot. Yateley break way with Connelly and Sheers Tom Gardner contesting the long ball that Connelly wins and takes a chance to chip that goes wide of the Sheers target.

Half Time 0-0

The chances continued for the Sheers in the opening minutes of the half that the Sheers should have taken. On 61 minutes a sizzling shot from Callum Mackie whistles past the far post. Despite a dominant first half from George Sellick it was a time to change with Kareem Foster coming on in place of Sellick on 61 minutes. On 63 minutes the Sheers men queue up to shoot but still no joy as Yateley hold out and then a minute later the visitors have their best chance with Connelly holding up play and releasing the ball for Sam Whitehead who shoots low that the Sheers keeper Joe Hill gets down to save. On 68 minutes the Sheers break away with Zac Jervis releasing the ball quickly to Theo White who passes into Harvey Valter who takes a shot despite Kareem Foster better placed to score but credit to the Yateley defender Storm who made the block on Valter. Sheers make another change with Seb Rowland replacing Harvey Valter on 68 minutes. The save of the day on 73 minutes from the Sheers Theo White who rifles the ball goal wards that brings out a full length save from Yateley’s Hugo Sobte.

The Sheers continue to press but can’t make the break through and the Yateley keeper Sobte is there again to makes another good save from Theo White clawing the ball over the bar on 88 minutes. With the Sheers dominance in the match the game changed to favour the visitors as the Sheers lost their attention giving away 2 free kicks in succession on the edge of the Sheers box that could have
resulted in a defeat for the home side.

Joe Hill, George Mackie (George Walker 88), Callum Mackie, Zac Jervis (Charlie
Rose 92), Tom Gardner, Tyrone Magala-Bryan, Elliot York, Rahman Ajibola, Harvey
Valter (Seb Rowland 68), Theo White, George Sellick (Kareem Foster 61), Unused
Matt Bryant.