Yate United and Bristol Gladiators came away from Sunnyside Park with honours even after an exhilarating game.

Yate, who are urgently in need of points to boost their fight to beat the drop, twice took the lead and would probably have won but for a superb display by Gladiators goalkeeer Del Ford.

The game started brightly with both teams intent on attack and Yate's Adam Febrey saved well when Ajani Smith broke free down the right on seven minutes and fired in a powerful shot.

At the other end, a throw-in found Caolan Orchard unmarked inside the Gladiators penalty area but his left-footed shot was well saved low down by Ford.

Moments later, Yate failed to clear their lines properly and Tanzil Gibbons capitalised, finding Everton Spence in the middle of the box, but Michael Beecham came across and made a fantastic saving tackle.

Then Gibbons latched on to a long pass from defence, plucking the ball out of the sky brilliantly. But his finish did not match his control as he dragged his shot wide of the far post.

Yate came close just afterwards when Kyle Smith slid the ball inside to the unmarked Joe Davies, who surged into the box but sent his shot flying over the crossbar.

More good play from Smith almost brought the opening goal but Ford was on hand to save after Matthew White tried to flick the ball around the onrushing keeper.

Despite the exciting end-to-end football, neither team had managed to break through, but that all changed when Yate took the lead seven minutes before half-time.

The move started with Alex Turner, who played a great ball down the line for White. He skipped past his marker before cutting the ball back across the face of goal from the by-line where it found its way to Orchard, via a Gladiator foot, and Orchard managed to scramble the ball over the line.

Gladiators almost equalised when they were awarded a free-kick. Jamar Young struck his shot into the wall, but the ball came back to him and he smashed it low back at goal. It appeared to be going wide but a deft touch from a Gladiators' boot redirected it back on course and Beecham had to hack it off the line.

Seconds later, another good ball from Smith forced keeper Ford to slide out and make an important tackle. He was left stranded on the ground as the ball came back out to Smith, who promptly lobbed it back towards an empty net. But, remarkably, Ford managed to chase after the ball and scoop it off the line before making another save in the resulting scramble.

And, just before the half-time whistle, Ford pulled off two more marvellous stops for his side after Orchard went clean through.

Gladiators started the second half with a bang, equalising just two minutes in. Moments after Beecham made another goal- saving tackle to deny Kareem Ayton-Crawford after he had skipped past the Yate keeper, Ayton-Crawford won a penalty, which Young dispatched coolly into the bottom corner of the net.

Play became scrappy for a spell before, out of nowhere, Yate regained the lead. Turner swung a free-kick from the left into the box and Joe Davies met the ball at the front post with a glancing header, which just took it away from Ford and into the net.

Yate continued to attack and almost made it 3-1 after a break from Orchard ended with Turner forcing Ford into yet another smart save.

This time, the keeper could only parry the ball to White but he bounced straight back up and saved from the striker at close range.

At this stage, Yate looked likely to go on to win, but Gladiators refused to buckle and hit back to equalise on the break 10 minutes from time.

Young played a great ball through for Charlie Williams to chase and the Gladiators player kept his composure well to slide the ball past the keeper.

Shortly afterwards, Gladiators had a chance to win the game. After good build-up play, Ayton-Crawford flicked the ball around the corner for Young, but the powerful striker blazed over from close range.

Yate United: Adam Febry, Alex Loder, Alex Turner, Ashley Harris, Caolan Orchard, Joe Davies, Jon Morgan, Joshua Campbell, Kamil Kaclmarz, Kyle Smith, Michael Beecham, Matthew White.

Bristol Gladiators: Del Ford, Luchi Barnes, Kareem Ayton-Crawford, Ajani Smith, Tyrell White, Josh Dunwell, Jamar Young, Charlie Williams, Tanzil Gibbons, Tariq Dinnall, Everton Spence, Alex B.

Del Ford (Bristol Gladiators): Communicated well with his defence and made numerous outstanding saves to keep his side in the game.