Match Report
Unbeaten run comes to an end at Gloucester
Gloucester City 1 Yate Town 0
Baidoo 45
Southern League Premier Division South
Friday 5th December 2025
On a wind swept and wet evening, under the floodlights at second placed Gloucester City, the Bluebells suffered their first defeat since leaders Walton & Hersham won 2-1 at the South West Interiors Stadium, having since taken 13 points out of 15 in their next five games.
Yate Town manager, Darren Mullings, was forced into a couple of changes from the side that beat Basingstoke, with the suspended Josh Bennett and Matt Britton replaced by James Taylor and Alex Monks, who were both on the bench in the previous game. New signing from Merthyr, Adulai Sambu and Jack Karadogan were on the bench.
This was a game of few chances, with defences on top for much of the game. The first opportunity was after just 5 minutes when Corey Evans broke down the right, but when on the byline, rather than wait for the on coming Yate players to arrive in the box, just sent a cross straight into the arms of Gloucester goalkeeper Jared Thompson, who was to have a very quiet evening.
An interesting contest was that between former Bluebell, King Baidoo and full back James Taylor, and it was not long before the threat of Baidoo was evident as Gloucester won a succession of corners but visitor’s goal was never really threatened as the Yate defence coped with the home pressure and Aaron Sainsbury, in the Yate goal, was not tested.
After 22 minutes Lucas Tomlinson and James Tylor combined but Taylor’s cross was overhit and this rare Yate attached petered out. In another foray forward King Baidoo brought down James Taylor as he broke down the right wing and Baidoo was booked for his clumsy tackle.
Yate Town defender James Taylor and former Bluebell, King Baidoo, in action during the first half.
The game appeared to heading for a goalless first half, when out of nothing a ball was played forward by Gloucester and King Baidoo found himself in space and was able to round Sainsbury and put the ball into an empty net to put the Tigers in front on the stoke of half-time.
The second half started with Gloucester immediately winning a corner via King Baidoo and soon afterwards Lloyd James’ timely interception prevented Baidoo adding a second but James was very close to diverting the ball into his own goal. Sainsbury was quick off his line to get to the ball before Kane Simpson and the Yate Town goalkeeper then blocked a shot from Simpson with his body as the home side went looking for their second goal.
Gloucester City goalkeeper, Jared Thompson, is called into action during the second half, with Marlon Jackson ready to pounce.
In a breakaway down the left Yate Town full back Oli Jenkins cut inside but blazed his effort well over the crossbar and when Taylor broke down the right, King Baidoo, just inside his own half, crashed into Yate defender and was sent off by referee Richard Walker for his second bookable offence. Alex Monks and Rex Mannings both shot wide from just outside the Gloucester penalty area but Yate offered little as an attacking threat against the 10 men of Gloucester who were happy to see the game out but still managed to carve out a couple of chances when ex-Gloucester City defender Dan Ball was out muscled by Simpson but the ball was eventually put out for a corner. In stoppage time Sainsbury saved from Simpson, whilst Corey Evans’ volley just cleared the crossbar as Yate went looking for an equaliser with the clock ticking down to full time.
Disappointed Yate Town players thank the travelling fans at the end of the game.
This was a below par performance from the Bluebells which ended their good run of late and they will now have to pick themselves up before their next game and get back to the high standards that they have recently achieved.
The Bluebells now have two home games before Christmas, with Havant & Waterlooville visiting the South West Interiors Stadium next Saturday followed by Taunton Town the following Saturday, 20th December.
Gloucester City: Thompson, Leadbetter (Jones 9), O’Regan, Spence (Roberts 89), Hanks (Wildig 85), Richards-Everton, Day, Pinchard, Emmett, Baidoo, Simpson
Unused subs: Morgan, Thompson
Bookings: Baidoo (31)
Sending off: Baidoo (second bookable offence 62)
Yate Town: Sainsbury, Taylor (Karadogan 85) Larvin, Ball (Taylor-Clarke 90), Jenkins, Monks, James, Tomlinson (Sambu 72), Jackson, Ollis (Mannings 54), Evans
Unused subs: White
Bookings: Larvin (54)
Attendance: 1,907
Referee: Richard Walker
Photographs by Aaron Norman