Match Report
Jenkins injury …..
Sholing FC 2 Yate Town 0
McCarthy 20, Riley-Snow 79
Southern League Premier Division South
Saturday 10th January 2026
Yate Town eventually got their 2026 fixtures under way at the third attempt but the game at Sholing was overshadowed by a serious injury to 21-year-old, Yate Town full back, Oli Jenkins, early in the game.
Yate Town manager, Darren Mullings, made a couple of changes from the side that won at Evesham at the end of 2025, with Dan Ball coming into the defence in place of Jack Hopper and Rex Mannings started in place of Lucas Tomlinson.
The game, played on a 3G pitch, saw an early Corey Evans effort, which was easily fielded by Sholing goalkeeper Magnus Norman but with the game just 9 minutes old, Oli Jenkins and a Sholing defender tussled for the ball and as both players fell to the ground Jenkins hit his head on the surface and was knocked unconscious and the medical teams from both clubs rushed to his assistance. As Jenkins lay prostrate on the floor an ambulance was called, and both teams left the field of play. After treatment, Jenkins was eventually taken off to Southampton General Hospital and play resumed after a 55-minute delay.
Yate brought on Omar Taylor-Clarke to replace Jenkins with Lloyd James slotting into right back.
After the long break it was only after about 10 minutes of play resuming that Sholing took the lead through Jake McCarthy, who thumped the ball home from 25 yards, following a long ball by Sam Magri.
Sholing started to take control of the game and in one goalmouth incident Aaron Sainsbury and Dan Ball combined to smuggle the way away from danger after Vinnie Tune had set up Tommy Lee-Higgs. McCarthy, who had scored a hattrick the previous Saturday, went close with a shot that went just wide of the post following a long free kick and curled another effort just wide of the left-hand post.
Aaron Sainsbury made a couple of good saves and a Sholing free kick on the edge of the Yate penalty area kit the defensive wall and was cleared.
Right at the end of the half Corey Evans struck a fierce shot from 25 yards but Norman coped well to save this effort in a rare Yate attack.
Rex Mannings crosses the ball as he is closed down by a Sholing defender.
Early in the second half, Sholing substitute, Michael Folivi went on a mazy run but Aaron Sainsbury saved his effort. In what was a rather scrappy second period, Omar Taylor-Clarke set James Ollis free, however, his shot was blocked but Yate did start to get more into the game as they looked for an equaliser. Dan Ball headed wide from a corner and substitute Charlie Moody set up James Ollis but his header went just off target.
James Ollis goes close with this header.
With just over 10 minutes of the match remaining, a free kick from the hosts was not cleared and Blaise Riley-Snow smashed the ball home from 20 yards out to secure all three points for the Boatmen.
James Ollis shoots for goal.
The game was overshadowed by the events near the start of the game and all parties linked to the treatment and support of Oli Jenkins must be commended for their care and professionalism.
Sholing FC: Norman, Rabbetts, Riley-Snow, Taylor, McCarthy, Mason (D), Targett, Tume, Roberts, Magri, Lee-Higgs
Subs: Kelly, Mason (B), Jones, German, Folivi
Bookings:
Yate Town: Sainsbury, Jenkins (Taylor-Clarke), Larvin, Ball, Bennett, Monks (Moody), James, Mannings, Jackson (Sambu), Ollis, Evans (Tomlinson).
Unused sub: Hooper
Bookings: Larvin
Attendance: 551
Referee: Adrian Harris
Photographs by Jack Palmer.