Match Report
Evesham United 2 Yate Town 1
Messenger 42, Wright 53 Tomlinson 15
Southern League Division One South
Saturday 8th March 2025
This top of the table clash saw second placed Evesham United collect all three points against top of the table Yate Town and cut their lead to seven points with nine games left to play.
Yate Town manager, Darren Mullings, brought back Dan Dempsey into defence after his unavailability last Tuesday for the game against Willand Rovers, and James Taylor, who was feeling unwell, starting on the bench whilst Bristol City loanee, Isaac Finch, made his debut in goal.
The visitors started brightly, and with many Bluebell fans in attendance, after winning a couple of early corners, Yate took the lead in the 15th minute when King Baidoo and Nick McCootie combined for Lucas Tomlinson to score from close range.
Lucas Tomlinson (far right) races into reach the ball from King Baidoo’s pass to put Yate into the lead.
Lucas Tomlinson, far right, sees his shot hit the back of the net.
Yate had two golden opportunities to increase their lead when King Baidoo went close following a fine run, just missing the target and Jamie Adams fierce shot just cleared the crossbar from 15 yards out.
King Baidoo goes close and below, Jamie Adams fires just over.
Evesham equalised three minutes before the interval, when, from their first corner, Reegan Messenger rose unchallenged to head home Will Owens’ delivery.
The second half saw Evesham take a firm hold on the game but it was another simple goal that saw them take the lead when a long cross from Owen was met by Andre Wright after 53 minutes who headed past Yate Town’s debutant goalkeeper, Issac Finch.
Levi Steele, with a header just wide of the post, and a Reegan Messenger shot that was just off target, both had opportunities to increase the lead for the hosts but despite Yate Town making some changes, including that of Ross Stearn, who came on to make his 600th senior football appearance, the visitors were unable to break through a compact and organised Evesham defence. James Bryne and Marlon Jackson had efforts off target but this was a game when mistakes at the back cost the Bluebells dear and, a defence that stood firm for so many games, with numerous clean sheets earlier in the season, is now not as effective as it was and this is something that will need to be addressed in the final games of the season, in order to reach the target of promotion, that all of the squad has worked so hard for.
On his 600th senior appearance, Ross Stearn leaps high to challenge Evesham goalkeeper, Alex Harris and below in action, as Yate look for an equaliser during the second half.
Evesham United: Harris, Balow, Raison, O’Regan, Heap, Messenger, Steele, Awadh (Bojang 82), Wright (Dunn 85), Owens, N’Gathe
Unused subs: Bailey, Bennett, Middleton
Bookings: Owens (35), Steele (63), N’Gathe (89)
Yate Town: Finch, Byrne (Nderemani 75), Christopher (Taylor 69), Hall, Dempsey, James, Tomlinson (Stearn 69), Guest (Jackson 75), Baidoo, McCootie, Adams.
Unused subs: Lenihan
Bookings: Guest (40), King (51), Nderemani (90+1)
Referee: Jason Porter
Attendance: 537