Yeovil Town extended their run without a win in all competitions to six matches as they lost to a first half goal at Scunthorpe United on Saturday.

The only goal of the game came from a mistake from defender Kyle Ferguson after 22 minutes. His loose back pass put goalkeeper Jed Ward in trouble and allowed Tyrell Sellars-Fleming to tap home.

It performance was an improvement on the dismal display in a 2-0 home defeat to Wealdstone four days earlier, but the Glovers leave Lincolnshire with the same amount of points.

First half

Manager Richard Dryden made four changes from the 2-0 home defeat to Wealdstone on Tuesday night with Kyle Ferguson and Alex Whittle coming in at the back with Harvey Greenslade and Josh Sims returning up front. Strikers Aaron Jarvis and Tahvon Campbell dropped to the bench whilst loanees Andrew Oluwabori and George Nurse were out of the squad completely.

 
It took three minutes for Ferguson to get involved with a booking in his first altercation with Scunthorpe striker Danny Whitehall, a player who the Iron’s fans warned is about before kick-off. A minute later a nice move down the right saw the ball break to captain Jake Wannell on the edge of the box and his effort flew just wide of the post.

At the other end, it took a further minute for Declan Howe to have an opportunity when he was slotted through with just Jed Ward to beat, but he lost his footing and could not get the connection to trouble the keeper.

It was a goal entirely of Yeovil’s own making which saw them gift Scunthorpe the lead. Ferguson confidently let the ball run through his legs unaware Tyrell SELLARS-FLEMING was breathing down his neck. The on loan Hull City player forced Ferguson to play a ball back to Ward who could not get to it before Howe who squared to Sellars-Fleming who tapped home with 22 minutes gone.

It was a mistake which was harsh on Yeovil who had at least put in the type of effort we as supporters had been calling for after the lacklustre display at home to Wealdstone four days earlier.

The next 15 minutes saw Scunthorpe dominate the possession, probing at the Yeovil defence with the left side where Sellars-Fleming was a constant threat. For the most we did well to prevent anything turning in to a meaningful opportunity, but whilst we were defending there was little threat going forwards.

It was not until the 43rd minute that hosts’ keeper Rory Mahady was called in to action when James Plant’s effort from the edge of the box was tipped over the bar.

Speaks volumes for our confidence – both players and supporters – that I am thinking that 1-0 down at half-time is not a bad performance.

Half time: Scunthorpe United 1 Yeovil Town 0

Second half

Yeovil made a double substitution at the start of the second half with Aaron Jarvis and Dan Ellison replacing Josh Sims and Kyle Ferguson.

Ellison playing his first action since joining on a permanent deal from Bristol Rovers last month took less than two minutes to get his first booking in green-and-white. He fouled Alfie Beaton in the middle of the pitch.

On 50 minutes, Plant made a good move down the left and swung a ball in with Jarvis met but  could not direct his header towards goal and it sailed harmlessly over the bar.

Around the hour mark, a chance out of nothing saw Jed Ward make one (possibly two) saves to keep out a scramble on the edge of his area before the ball dropped to Zain Seabrooke lifted his shot over the bar with the keeper racing back to his line.

On 66 minutes, Junior Morias replaced Harvey Greenslade and a minute later a great one two between Kian Scales and Whitehall led to Scales flashing a shot just past the far post.

Plant looks like the only real attacking outlet at the other end and he linked up well with Max Joliffe on the left side but the on loan Colchester man’s cross was well held by the Scunthorpe keeper.

With 15 minutes remaining, a spell of Yeovil pressure saw Jarvis take the ball off the toe of Luke McCormick as he was about to swing a boot at the ball on the edge of the box, before taking a shot himself which went wide.

Yeovil’s final change came on 78 minutes and it was an attacking one with Tahvon Campbell and James Daly replacing Alex Whittle and Joliffe. No idea what the formation is now, but manager Richard Dryden responding to criticism he didn’t make enough changes four days earlier!

Two minutes from the end Westbrook’s linked up with substitute Carlton Ubaezuonu who dragged his shot wide. One parting me feels we have had a go in the second half, but another part feels like Scunthorpe have just kept us where they wanted us.

If the bar set by the performance four days prior against Wealdstone was low, this display offered something extra in terms of commitment, but there was still a lack of confidence and quality compared with Scunthorpe. You only need to look at their league position and form to realise why that is, but you just feel the rut is getting deeper.

Substitutes: Finn Cousin-Dawson, Dan Ellison, Junior Morias, James Daly, Tahvon Campbell, Aaron Jarvis, Matt Gould.

Yeovil Town turned in a performance as damp as the weather at Huish Park as they slumped to a 2-0 defeat to Wealdstone on a miserable Tuesday night.

The Glovers failed to take advantage of the wet and windy conditions being in their favour as they failed to trouble the visitors’ goal and then in the second half Wealdstone showed them how it should be done and goals from Dominic Hutchinson and Max Kretzschmar sealed the win.

There were boos around the stadium at the final whistle and, having been forced to watch a poor performance in terrible conditions, you cannot blame the home crowd.

First half

The game started in atrocious conditions with strong wind and driving rain working against Wealdstone who were attacking the Thatcher’s Stand from the kick-off.

Jake Wannell was the first Yeovil player to try his luck from distance with a wind-assisted effort from fully 30 yards after seven minutes, it went high over the bar in the away end but worth a goal in these conditions. Wealdstone had a lot more of the ball in the opening 15 minutes with ex-W*ymouth midfielder Omar Mussa dominating in the middle of the park whilst Yeovil tried to play the ball over the top without much success. You’d need rockets on players’ boots to get on the end of those balls.

With 16 minutes gone, Dom Hutchinson got away and it required a good block from Miche Efete to deny Wealdstone an opportunity at the back post. It all feels a bit too easy for the visitors who appear to have played in the wind and rain before, not sure our players have on these opening exchanges.

The first moment came just before the half-hour when Wannell moved forward and took us higher up the pitch, suddenly we had more players in the attacking third and broke to Jarvis and the ball went out for a corner. That’s about the nearest to anything we have managed in this opening 30 minutes. One moment of aggression and something happens. 

To say we have not adapted to the conditions would be an understatement whereas Wealdstone have been dynamic and not been afraid to press higher up the pitch. We have sat back and tried to catch them on the counter attack, but every ball forward has been overhit. Everything we have not been, they have been. That said, there’s not been any real saves from either goalkeeper.

Half-time goalless. Need to something better from us against the wind in the second half than we did with the wind in the first.

Half time: Yeovil Town 0 Wealdstone 0

Second half

In under two minutes of the second half, James Plant drove forward, Luke McCormick clipped the ball in to the box almost found the chest of Aaron Jarvis, just millimetres away. Moments later, a long George Nurse throw broke to McCormick on the edge of the box, his effort flew wide but we are already showing some attacking intent which is an improvement.

On 51 minutes, McCormick squared a ball from the right and picked out Jarvis in front of goal, his effort went wide. As close as we’ve come even if that is a low bar. But we are looking more aggressive and on the front foot.

But, on 57 minutes the visitors took the lead. Wealdstone won the ball back and Sak Hassan got away down the left, whipped a ball in and it came to Dominic HUTCHINSON on the spin at the far post and he fired a shot in to the near post. A very clever finish and you cannot say Wealdstone do not deserve it.

Richard Dryden did not hang about to respond to going behind with Junior Morias replacing James Plant. The substitute was involved in a good moment on 68 minutes when he fed in Andrew Oluwabori who powered forward, fed the ball out to the right side where Campbell had a shot from a tight angle which was deflected away for a corner.

Moments later, Micah Obiero got away with just Efete between him and Jed Ward and flashed his effort just past the post and then on 70 minutes the ball broke to McCormick inside the box and his powerful effort was pushed away by Dante Baptise in the Wealdstone goal. I think that is the first time I have mentioned the visiting goalkeeper. More of that.

On 73 minutes, it was 2-0 to Wealdstone. Yeovil did not clear the danger and two headers from the visitors landed to the feet of Max KRETZSCHMAR who smashed home the second from point blank range. Heads are down.

A poor back pass from Baptiste gifted the ball to Oluwabori, he weaved towards goal but rather than going further forwards he laid it off to McCormick who tried to find Campbell but lost possession. Sums us up. That was the last action for Oluwabori as he was replaced by James Daly with nine minutes remaining. Pretty late to make any changes.

The second half was an improvement from the first, not that that is saying much. But for many of those 90 minutes there was a lack of intent to either put pressure on Wealdstone or look to take the game to them. They had both those things and were worthy winners.

Substitutes: Junior Morias (for James Plant, 58), James Daly (for Andrew Oluwabori, 81), Alex Whittle (not used), Dan Ellison (not used), Kyle Ferguson (not used), Ollie Hughes (not used), Matt Gould (not used).

Wealdstone: Dante Baptiste, Jack Cook (for Steven Turner, 71), Anthony Georgiou, Omar Mussa (for Eddy Nsasi, 71), Enzio Boldewijn, Max Kretzschmar (for Nathan Tshikuna, 76), Sak Hassan (for Olufela Olomola, 90+4), Micah Obiero (for Daniel Nkrumah, 76), Dom Hutchinson, Connor McAvoy, Terrell Agyemang.

Substitutes (not used): Hubert Graczyk, Moussa Diarra.