Match Report
Bluebells win away
Evesham United 0 Yate Town 1
Evans 34
Southern League Premier Division South
Saturday 27th December 2025
Yate Town ended 2025 with the perfect away performance at Evesham United, scoring in the first half and restricting the home side to few chances throughout the game, with a fine all-round display to earn all three points.
With full back James Taylor injured, Yate Town manager, Darren Mullings, brought back the previously injured Josh Bennett into defence, this being the only change from last Saturday’s game against Taunton Town.
On a cold and slightly breezy afternoon, with this being the first meeting of the two teams this season, and both having been promoted at the end of last season, it was the visitors who started on the front foot with Lucas Tomlinson missing an early opportunity when the ball dropped to him following a Lloyd James free kick, but the Yate forward scuffed his shot wide of the post. Tomlinson then tried his luck from 25 yards but his effort was easily dealt with by Evesham goalkeeper Brendan Beard.
Lucas Tomlinson shoots from just outside the penalty area.
As Yate continued to have more of the ball, Corey Evans’ left foot shot was well saved by Beard.
Josh Barlow then went close for Evesham when his excellent effort from just outside the penalty area was inches over the crossbar after Evans had dallied on the ball and lost possession.
James Ollis then had a chance to put the visitors ahead but he completely missed his header in front of goal but Yate eventually found the opening, when after 34 minutes, an excellent cross by Ollis found Corey Evans in space around the penalty spot in the Evesham area, and he rifled his shot into the roof of the net.
Above: Corey Evans scores to put the Bluebells in front and below: celebrates with Alex Monks.
The second half started with Yate looking to increase their lead but only three minutes into this period Ethan Dunbar blazed his shot over the crossbar following a quick counter attack.
James Ollis curled a shot wide and midway through the half Marlon Jackson’s astute pass set Corey Evans free and as he raced towards goal a perfectly timed tackle by Ioan Richards denied the Yate player a shot on goal.
As Evesham brought on a number of substitutes to try to get back on level terms, Marlon Jackson set James Ollis free for the Bluebells, but he was quickly closed down by Evesham goalkeeper, Brendan Beard, and with the ball bouncing shoulder high, Ollis tried to lob Beard from just outside the penalty area, but his effort went narrowly wide of the post.
With Yate containing the home side and threatening on the break it was Evesham who had the best chance, with a quarter of an hour of normal time remaining, when a surging forward run by Yate defender, Will Larvin, ended when Larvin was surrounded by Evesham players inside the centre circle and when the ball broke loose Ethan Dunbar raced towards goal but fired over the crossbar from the edge of the area.
Apart from this Evesham did not threaten the Yate goal. Aaron Sainsbury did not have a shot to save all afternoon and the visitors dealt with the closing minutes effectively to record their third away win of the season and their fifth win in the last nine games, to end the year on a positive note.
Evesham United: Beard, Hutt, Barlow (Wright 58), Richards, Heap, Steele (Churchley 58), Awadh (McConnell 79), Liggett, Bojang (Middleton 69), Dunbar, Walters
Unused subs: Harris.
Bookings: Wright (72), Awadh (76), Heap (83), Richards (84)
Yate Town: Sainsbury, Jenkins, Larvin, Hopper, Bennett, Monks, James (Britton 61) Tomlinson (Sambu 61), Jackson, Ollis (Ball 90+2), Evans (Mannings 81).
Unused sub: Taylor-Clarke
Bookings: Monks (56), Ball (90+3)
Attendance: 531
Referee: Adam McAnoy
Photographs by Aaron Norman and Jack Palmer.