Ben Barrett (Page 72)

A second half Morgan Williams goal was enough to seal Yeovil Town’s first three points since returning to the National League Premier at Braintree Town on Saturday.

The centre-half was in the right place to  convert a ball in from Frank Nouble with an hour gone of a hard-fought encounter against the home side who came up from National League South alongside the Glovers last season.

The second half also saw the appearance of new signing Josh Sims, the winger who joined last week having played for Ross County in the Scottish Premiership last season. He showed some good moments of class to suggest he could be a useful addition.

But, getting the first win, first goal and first clean sheet of the new campaign cannot be underestimated.

Here is how Dave saw it from the away end in Essex…..

First half

On a bone dry pitch on a scorching August afternoon, manager Mark Cooper made one change to his starting XI from the opening day defeat against Hartlepool United with Harvey Greenslade coming in for Dylan Morgan, who was not in the matchday squad still suffering from a knee injury sustained in pre-season.

For much of the opening exchanges it was a carbon copy of the frustrating moments of seven days ago with the visitors enjoying the majority of the ball, but unable to do much to threaten the Braintree goal. There were a few nice link-ups between Aaron Jarvis and Frank Nouble, but nothing even close to a meaningful effort on goal.

At the other end Matt Robinson had an effort blocked by Jarvis early on before Inih Effiong picked up the ball on the Braintree left and made a powerful run past Morgan Williams on 25 minutes. Eventually a combination of Williams and defensive partner Jake Wannell saw the ball out of play, but evidence of the threat of the big frontman.

From the resulting corner, Wannell blocked a shot from Robinson. The visitors dominating possession in this first half, but it is the home side who are having the better efforts on goal.

On the half-hour mark, Effiong had a shot blocked before the ball dropped to Callum Powell who fired over the bar. Probably the closest either side had come to a meaningful effort on goal – not that it was on target.

It was clear from the start that the pitch at Cressing Road had not seen water in a long time. The amount of parched turf  was not something you would expect to see in the second game of the season.

The best moment of attacking play from Yeovil came just before the break, some neat play on the edge of the Braintree box worked its way out to Michael Smith who broke down the right and put a quality ball in to the box. No-one there to take advantage.

More of that, that’s what we need.

Half time: Braintree Town 0 Yeovil Town 0

Second half

Just two minutes after the restart, neat footwork from Nouble saw him beat two players before finding Jarvis on the edge of the six-yard box, he turned and got his shot away but his effort was blocked on the line by Joe Grimwood. Once again, quick movement was the key to creating an opportunity.

On 55 minutes, Sam Pearson replaced Jordan Young and on the half-hour mark and he played a part in Yeovil opening the scoring five minutes after his arrival.

The Welshman’s quick corner found Nouble on the edge of the area and he played a sumptuous ball in to the box where Morgan WILLIAMS was in the right place at the right time to neatly turn the ball past Jacob Knightsbridge in the Braintree goal.

The home side made two substitutions with Effiong fading and Powell unable to get in to the game, Kyrell Libsie and the towering John Akinde replacing Chay Cooper and Jamie Vennings, but it was Yeovil who were in charge.

Williams almost doubled the advantage when he got his head on the end of a pin-point Brett McGavin corner but it was parried by Knightsbridge, Pearson turned home the rebound but referee Carl Walchester had blown up for a foul by Jarvis.

On 76 minutes, new signing Josh Sims made his first appearance in green-and-white as he replaced Greenslade and took up a position on the left side of the box. It was almost a dream start for the Yeovil-born winger as he combined with Alex Whittle and McGavin to find space on the edge of the box to flash an effort wide of Knightsbridge’s right-hand post.

The new boy was again in the middle of the action with five minutes remaining. He turned neatly inside the box to pick out Whittle in an advanced position, but the full-back’s effort crept wide of goal.

Williams’ goal proved enough to wrap up a 1-0 win in Essex for the second time in five months and seal the first win of the season.

Full time: Braintree Town 0 Yeovil Town 1

Match Details

Venue: The Rare Breed Meat Co Stadium
Date: Saturday 17th August, 3pm

Competition: National League Premier

Pitch: Twinned with the Sahara Desert.
Conditions: Factor 50 territory

Attendance: 1,128 (166 away)

Scorers: Morgan Williams 60 (1-0).

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Aaron Jarvis 54, Frank Nouble 69,
Braintree Town: James Vennings 7, Callum Powell 23,

Referee: Callum Walchester

Yeovil Town (4-2-3-1)

Substitutes: Sam Pearson (for Jordan Young, 55), Josh Sims (for Harvey Greenslade, 76), Charlie Cooper (for Brett McGavin, 83), Raphael Araoye (for Alex Whittle, 87), Jordan Thomas (for Aaron Jarvis, 90+3), Matt Gould (not used), Sonny Blu Lo-Everton (not used).

Braintree Town: Jacob Knightsbridge, Ryan Clampon, George Langston (for Tom Blackwell, 90+1), Louie Annesley, James Vennings (for John Akinde, 67), Marley Marshall-Miranda, Inih Effiong, Callum Powell (for Reggie Lambe, 86), Chay Cooper (for Kyrell Lisbie, 64), Matt Robinson, Joe Grimwood. Substitutes (not used): Jamal Fyfield.