Match Reports (Page 22)

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Venue: York Road
Tuesday, February 22nd, 7.45pm kick-off

Conditions: Cold but dry
Pitch: Sandy in the penalty areas and cutting up everywhere else.

Attendance: 1153

Scorers: Olomola 18, Ferdinand 44

Bookings: Wilkinson, Williams, Massey, Clerima

Referee:


Yeovil Town : (4-4-2)

Grant Smith

Mark Little, Luke Wilkinson, Ben Barclay, Morgan Williams

Lawson D’Ath (Jordan Barnett 62), Josh Staunton, Alex Bradley(Adi Yussuf 87)

Charlie Wakefield, Olufela Olomola (Reuben Reid 54), Tom Knowles

Substitutes: Matt Worthington, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton

Maidenhead United

Gyollai, Beckwith, Blissett (Smith 77), Clerima, De Havilland, Donnellan, Ferdinand, Kelly, Massey, Sheckleford, Sparkes (McCoulsky 83)

Substitutes: Adams, Parry, Upward

Match Report

A first half goal for both sides saw Yeovil Town earn a point on the road at Maidenhead United this evening.

The Glovers had two goals disallowed on the night, but Olufela Olomola’s 18th minute opener. Kane Ferdinand levelled things up before half time and neither side could find a winner in the 2nd half. Although, Reuben Reid was denied a late winner by an offside flag which our man at the ground, David Coates couldn’t understand.

Here’s how he saw the game… 

First half

It was Maidenhead danger man Josh Kelly who had the first opportunity, the ball breaking to him inside and Grant Smith was equal to his effort from a tight angle.

Shortly after Olomola was found from a long throw by Tom Knowles but could not get an effort in on goal.

The first opportunity half-chance for the Glovers as Tom Knowles’ long-throw escaped everyone and fell to Olufela Olomola who couldn’t get a clean connection on the ball.

But on 14 minutes, the visitors had the ball in the net when Alex Bradley (released from incarceration) found Luke Wilkinson at the back post and he headed home.

A pint went up from the away end but it was in ruled out for climbing – seen a lot worse.

The officials levelled it up on 16 minutes when Maidenhead were denied by the offside flag. Smith pulled off a fine save before a barrage of shots with the ball in the net from Remus Clerima, but the flag denied him.

The deadlock was broken on 18 minutes when Knowles’ persistence saw the ball broke to Olufela OLOMOLA whose effort took a deflection on its way in to the net. If Adi get the one against W*ymouth, they one belongs to Fela. 1-0

A free-kick from Dan Sparkes came rattling back of the back off the bar and, from the second ball, a superb intervention from Ben Barclay denied the home side on 24 minutes.

For the remaining 20 minutes, neither side threatened with the combination between Olomola and Lawson D’Ath proving fruitful without carving out a meaningful chance.

The punishment came a minute from the break when a corner from Sparkes appeared to be missed everyone including Smith for Kane FERDINAND to prod home the equaliser. 1-1

Nathan Blissett put a header wide for hosts moments later, but the game was level at half time.

Half time: Maidenhead United 1 Yeovil Town 1

Second half

The first action of the second half saw Olomola hit with a heavy tackle. The loanee got up and carried off, but went down in the 55th minute replaced by Reuben Reid.

In only his second match, Olomola again showed flashes of what he is about and his desire to have a shot shows a lot of what we have been missing up front. Let’s hope the change was precautionary.

Sparkes had a free-kick deflected wide, which Smith may have got a touch on, it was hard to see from the away end. But there was no doubt the keeper did superbly to deny Sparkes with a smart stop on 63 minutes.

D’Ath was replaced by Barnett and he took much of the quality out of midfield, and at the other end it was Sparkes versus Smith.

The Magpies’ number 11 fizzed in another effort from the edge of the box which the keeper turned wide with another stop.

In the away, the supporters broke in to a burst of The Great Escape and there was a feeling of holding on.

Knowles had a free kick deflected wide before another effort from the edge of the box was dragged wide.

Three minutes from the end we threw Adi Yussuf as a Hail Mary, but there was no sign of divine inspiration.

It almost came when a minute in to stoppage time a corner was met by the head of Wilkinson and broke to Reid and whose stabbed it in, only to be denied by the the offside flag.

The linesman had his flag up early but, for the life of me, I don’t see how he can be offside from there.

Three points for either side would have been an injustice, so perhaps there was a divinity involved.

Full time: Maidenhead United 1 Yeovil Town 1

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Venue: Huish Park
Tuesday, February 15th, 7.45pm kick-off

Conditions: Clear
Pitch: Good

Attendance: Not announced

Scorers: Alex Bradley 21, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton 33

Referee: Richard Hulme


Yeovil Town : (4-4-2)

Max Evans

Mason Hunter, Finlay Ridout, Morgan Williams, Jordan Barnett

Matt Worthington (Benjani Jr) Toby Stephens Alex Bradley

Sonny Blu Lo-Everton

Reuben Reid (Fin Skiverton) Adi Yussuf (Sam Hodges)

Substitutes:

Cheddar (5-4-1) Dan Jackson, Kyle Sampson, Jamie Laird, Joe Woodley, Steve Holland, Chris Coombs, Kris Bell, Ricky Bennett, Ethan Reed, Harry Taylor, Robbi Maggs. Substitutes: Webster, Groom, Biggs, Hucker, March.

Match Report

Yeovil Town are through to the semi finals of the Somerset Premier Cup after a 2-0 win against Cheddar at Huish Park.

All the action was in the first half with goals from Alex Bradley and Sonny Blu Lo-Everton and plenty of efforts at goal.

The second saw Bradley hit the post, and a couple of half chances for Cheddar but the Glovers were more than comfortable on the night.

First half

Cheddar came out of the gates pretty quickly and their number 8, Ricky Bennett had a hopeful effort float wide of Max Evans goal less than a minute in.

After that Yeovil’s superiority took hold and they controlled proceeding as you’d expect. Matt Worthington’s lofted pass released Jordan Barnett on the left and his cross was a touch too high for Adi Yussuf.

A few minutes later, Yussuf should have put Yeovil a goal ahead after being released in the penalty box. His left footed shot struck the post, though, and Sonny Blu Lo-Everton couldn’t get the rebound on target.

Chris Coombs tickled the top of Evan’s crossbar with a delivery from the right hand side which drew a sharp intake of breath from the die hards at Huish Park. Real who?

Cheddar nearly scored an own goal worth of the Somerset Premier Cup Blooper Blu Ray in the 17th minute with an ricochet flying towards goal that Dale Gorman would have been proud of.

20 minutes in Morgan Williams appeared on the edge of the box and struck a fierce effort that took a deflection of the bar.

From the resulting corner, played short, Alex BRADLEY did his best Tom Knowles impression cutting inside and drilling a left footed shot inside Dan Jackson’near post. 1-0.

The best back to goal striker in the Somerset Premier Cup showed what he was all about half an hour in. Holding off three defender before shooting straight at the keeper.

The Glovers doubled their advantage in the 33rd minute through with neat interplay releasing LO-EVERTON on the right of the the penalty box and he finished comfortably. 2-0

Two goals up and confidence flowing, Sonny had another effort from distance which was flapped at by the Cheddar keeper.

Not to be out done by Sonny, Bradley had a swerving effort from distance himself which forced the purple-clad Jackson into a flying save to his left.

The woodwork shook again just after 40 minutes, this time Toby Stephens left Jackson rooted to the spot willing the net not to bulge.

Half time: Cheddar 0 Yeovil Town 2

Second half

It took a few minutes to liven up in the second half and the first opportunity fell the Glovers way.

Yussuf was played into a good position on the left side of the box, he shot was saved, but had he squared it to Reid, the goal was a sure thing…I expect.

The second half didn’t liven up much more. A couple of half chances for Cheddar went awry.

Bradley came close to scoring he second with a good low shot rebounding off the post and across the line.

Darren Sarll introduced Fin Skiverton, Sam Hodges and Benjani Jr towards the end but it was a good outing for two of the youngsters in Mason Hunter and Finlay Ridout who both completed 90 minutes.

Full time: Cheddar 0 Yeovil Town 2

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Venue: Silverlake Stadium
Saturday, February 12th, 3pm kick-off

Conditions: Dry but still
Pitch: Fine

Attendance: 2716 (no away figure given)

Scorers: None

Referee: Lee Collins

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Gorman ’79, Knowles ’83, Bradley ’90+
Eastleigh: Miley ’30, De Barr ’67, Hill ’83, Boyce ’83,

Sending off: None


Yeovil Town : (4-3-3)

Grant Smith

Mark Little, Ben Barclay, Luke Wilkinson, Morgan Williams

Josh Staunton, Dale Gorman, Jordan Barnett (Yussuff ’88)

Charlie Wakefield, Olufela Olomola (Lo-Everton ’72), Tom Knowles (Bradley ’90)

Substitutes: Max Evans, Alex Bradley, Rueben Reid, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Adi Yussuf.

Eastleigh: McDonnell, Boyce, Broadbent, Hare, Harper, Hill, Miley, Pitman, Pritchard, Whelan, Whitehall.
Substitutes: Hesketh (for Pritchard 62), De Barr (for Whitehall), Barnett (for Pitman 88), Bragg, Kelly.

Match Report

It was another story of what could have been for Yeovil Town as our ability to find a killer ball or a goal (or both) saw us peter out to another goalless draw.

The story was one of two sides with inability to turn chances in to meaningful opportunities with Yeovil dominating the play in the first half but a late strike from debutant Olufela Olomola was as good as it got.

After the break, the visitors imposed themselves on the game, but it was Glovers’ defender Ben Barclay who came closest to scoring when his header came off the top of the crossbar from a corner.

A late surge from the Spitfires saw a fine stop from Grant Smith parried to striker Tyrone Barnett who fired wide.


First half

The talk of the team news was a (third) debut for Olufela Olomola, following his arrival on loan from Hartlepool United until the end of the season.

He was joined in a front three by Tom Knowles and Charlie Wakefield with Mark Little returning at right back and Jordan Barnett coming in midfield. Jack Robinson and Matt Worthington dropped out from the midweek defeat at Wealdstone.

The first chance for either side came after ten minutes when done good approach play broke to Tom Knowles from the edge of the box and his effort was tipped over over Joe McDonnell in the hosts’ goal.

Ben Barclay’s header flashed over from a corner three minutes later, but that was all Yeovil had to show for the greater attacking pressure in the opening 20 minutes.

There was not much opportunity for Olomola to show much until the 23rd when he lashed a shot just over but a neat link up with Knowles shortly after to set Wakefield away showed what the new boy can bring. Charlie’s run was just too soon to beat the offside flag, however.

There was good movement, nice touches from the new boy, enough to suggest a partnership with Knowles and Wakefield could be fruitful – but just lacking that final well, anything.

Then with the final minute of the half ticking away, Dale Gorman latched on to a loose ball fed it to Olomola inside the box and the striker got his shot away but crept over. Best chance of the half.

The fact that Grant Smith did not have a meaningful effort to deal with says everything about the hosts’ attack and the visitors’ defence.

Indeed, a weakness in the structurally unsound away end from jumping Yeovil fans proved the highlight of the action in that direction during the opening 45 minutes.

Half time: Eastleigh 0 Yeovil Town 0

Second half

A bit of harem scarem in the both boxes did not lead to an effort on goal until the 53rd minute when Wakefield cut inside the box and found Josh Staunton whose shot was blocked.

Though they could not have created less than their first half tally, the opening 15 minutes of the second period with winger Ryan Hill in the thick of the action.

Spitfires’ striker Brett Pitman put an effort over soon after before defender Josh Hare’s low ball in to the box shortly before the hour mark took a deflection off a Yeovil defender and away.

The momentum had certainly swung the way of Eastleigh, but on the 66th minute a corner found Luke Wilkinson at the back post and his header across goal came to defensive partner Ben Barclay who got his head to it but saw his effort come off the top of the bar.

Olomola’s afternoon came to an end when he was replaced by Sonny Blu Lo-Everton. It was far from a dream return for the former Southampton youngster, but there seemed to be enough in his performance to think he will help out lacklustre attack.

After 75 minutes, former Yeovil midfielder Tom Whelan fired a shot over from fully 20 yards which in the second period could be counted as an opportunity.

Barclay broke forward and his shot was deflected wide, and that is what it is going to take to break the deadlock. A mistake, a lucky break, a moment of brilliance.

Brilliance was in short supply, from as the resulting corner, the hosts took the ball away and broke away only for Gorman to make a ‘necessary’ foul. Unfortunately, it led to a booking, his inevitable tenth of the season. A two-match ban awaits.

Seven minutes from the end, Wakefield broke forward and forced a good save out of McDonnell.

Grant Smith didn’t have a lot to do, but he did pull off an important stop at the end. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

In the aftermath, Knowles charged down the keeper, Hill took exception and put a hand in to the throat of his opponent. Referee Lee Collins decided it was a booking apiece. Hill can certainly count himself lucky not to have seen red.

But the best chance of the match took until the final chance of the match when Smith reacted smartly to push a shot out as far as substitute Tyrone Barnett who inexplicably fired wide.

Full time: Eastleigh 0 Yeovil Town 0

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Venue: Grosvenor Vale
Tuesday, February 8th, 7.45pm kick-off

Conditions: Dry and still
Pitch: A bit thin in places and a bit of a slope

Attendance: 1,175 (135 away supporters)

Scorers: Josh Umerah 38 (0-1), Nikola Tavares 43 (0-2), Dale Gorman pen 62 (1-2)

Referee: Aji Ajibola

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Williams 77, Wilkinson 85
Wealdstone: Wickens 63,

Sending off: 


Yeovil Town : (4-3-3)

Grant Smith

Morgan Williams (for Alex Bradley, 78) Luke Wilkinson Ben Barclay Jack Robinson

Matt Worthington (for Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, 57) Josh Staunton Dale Gorman

Charlie Wakefield Reuben Reid (for Adi Yussuf, 57) Tom Knowles

Substitutes: Max Evans, Alex Bradley, Toby Stephens Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Adi Yussuf.

Wealdstone: Wickens, McAvoy, Cook, Okimo, Tavares, Mascoll (for Mundle-Smith, 73), Ferguson, Henry, Elito (for Browne, 82), Umerah, Jackson (for Cooper, 64).
Substitutes: Browne, Sesay, Dyer, Mundle-Smith, Cooper.

Match Report

Shoddy defending and a lack of goal threat saw Yeovil Town‘s awful form against the National League’s lower ranked sides Wealdstone.

The performance lacked the energy which has characterised many performances this season, whilst their part-time opponents displayed it and got themselves 2-0 ahead at half-time.

A penalty kick from Dale Gorman gave the visitors almost half-an-hour to salvage some respectability from the performance but our powder puff attacking play let us down yet again.

 

First half

Reuben Reid was brought in as part of a front three supported by Tom Knowles and ex-Stones’ man Charlie Wakefield in place of Jordan Barnett, who missed out with an ankle injury which saw him go off in Saturday’s goalless draw with Solihull Moors.

The other change saw Jack Robinson replace Mark Little, who played 76 minutes at the weekend as he continues his recovery from foot surgery, with the Middlesbrough loanee in at left-back with  Morgan Williams coming on the right side.

It was an end-to-end start with the home side starting the fastest. The speedy Ira Jackson which Grant Smith in the visitors’ goal had to turn over after six minutes, and five minutes later a poor goal kick from the stopper landed to Josh Umerah whose shot well blocked by Williams.

The first meaningful effort for the visitors fell to Wakefield who twisted and turned and unleashed a shot which Fulham loan keeper George Wickens did well to keep out.

On 21 minutes, Yeovil had the ball in the net when Dale Gorman surprised us all by floating a ball in (rather than his trademark shot) and he effort was well turned home by Josh Staunton whose run was mistimed and the flag was raised against him.

Knowles had an effort stopped by Wickens soon after and if the either side could finish a chance, this could have been a lot more entertaining. Give us Kabongo Tshimanga and we could be top – honest!

The big difference with this first half performance from Yeovil was that defensively we looked wobbly against one of the few teams who have scored less than us this season.

But, out of nothing, the shot from Jackson was partly blocked by Ben Barclay and despite that taking the sting out of the ball, Josh UMERAH was quickest to get in front of Luke Wilkinson and the ball to stab it home. 1-0 to the home side on 38 minutes.

Then four minutes later it was 2-0 through more shambolic defending, this time from a corner. Aaron Henry’s ball found its way to the back post and, whilst the visitors’ defence were statuesque and it landed at the feet of Nikola TAVARES.

We’ve been told that our lack of goals means we cannot afford to make mistakes, but there’s two we’ve made. Ugh.

Half time: Wealdstone 2 Yeovil Town 0

Second half

A high, wide and not so handsome effort from Gorman and a 20-yard shot from Knowles were as near as the visitors got to testing Wickens in the hosts goal.

But, in an attempt to change the game, Darren Sarll introduced Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, who spent the end of last season with Wealdstone, and Adi Yussuf in place of Matt Worthington and Reid.

Dale Gorman scored the visitors only goal from the penalty spot.
Credit: Weymouth Flickr

It seemed that something had to come from nowhere for Yeovil and on 62 minutes it did. Gorman appeared to be going nowhere inside the box and he was brought down and GORMAN stepped up to coolly slot home the penalty. 2-1.

You would have hoped that would have put the visitors’ tails up, but unfortunately it did not seem to spark much of a reaction.

In the final 30 minutes, the biggest problem for Yeovil seemed to be getting the ball off their hosts with the next biggest problem doing anything with it when they got it.

It took until ten minutes from time for either side to fashion a chance. Initially Umerah had a shot blocked for the home side and then the game swung to the other end where Knowles and Gorman both had efforts before the ball broke to Robinson whose effort went wide.

Former Glovers’ winger Rhys Browne, on as a substitute, nearly added the old boy’s curse to the indignity already felt by his old employers but one effort crept just the wrong side of the post and then was denied by a good save from Smith.

The result in one of our games in hand over those in the top half of the table was yet another missed opportunity for the Glovers.

We remain in 12th place in the National League, ten points off the play-off places and 19 points off W*ymouth who occupy the division’s last relegation spot.

Full time: Wealdstone 2 Yeovil Town 1

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Venue: Huish Park
Tuesday, February 5th, 3pm kick-off

Conditions: Swirling wind
Pitch: Held up well

Attendance: 1,965 (65 away supporters)

Scorers: None

Referee: Greg Rollason

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: None
Solihull Moors: Cranston, 88.

Sending off: Cranston 90+2 (second bookable offence)


Yeovil Town : (4-4-2)

Grant Smith

Mark Little (for Jack Robinson, 76) Luke Wilkinson Ben Barclay Morgan Williams

Matt Worthington (for Reuben Reid, 71)  Josh Staunton Dale Gorman Jordan Barnett (for Lawson D’Ath, 22)

Charlie Wakefield Tom Knowles

Substitutes: Jack Robinson, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Adi Yussuf.

Solihull Moors: Boot, Clarke, Cranston, Gudger, Sbarra, Maycock (for Storer, 86), Osborne (for Barnett, 86), Dallas, Ellis, Newton, Maynard. Substitutes: Rooney, McNally, Myatt.

Match Report

Yeovil Town made it five points for the week with a goalless draw at home to in-form Solihull Moors at a windy Huish Park.

Once again, it was a solid defensive performance from the Glovers who kept out the visitors’ forward line who had scored 15 times in their previous four games, but going forward was (yet again) the struggle.

The best chance for the home side came right at the end of the first half when Charlie Wakefield broke clear but his shot was saved by visiting keeper Ryan Boot.

Having been dominated in the opening period, the Glovers upped the tempo after the break but for all their resoluteness at the back, could not find a breakthrough.

The result sees us drop one place to 12th in the National League table, leap-frogged by Torquay United who have played a game more, ten points off the play-offs and 19 off W*ymouth who occupy top spot in the division’s relegation zone.

First half

For the first 30 minutes of the half, there was very little to make any of the missing home fans who decided against returning after the midweek draw against W*ymouth to question their decision.

Solihull certainly looked the more confident and controlled on the ball, perhaps unsurprising given they had won their last four matches, scoring 15 times and conceding none in the process, whereas Yeovil looked more than a little disjointed.

The first chance of the game fell to Moors’ midfielder Callum Maycock who was found by Andrew Dallas‘ ball in from the right after six minutes, but Grant Smith in the Yeovil goal was equal to the effort.

The visitors stranglehold on the game continued with full-back Jordan Cranston, who saw red in the reverse fixture in the Midlands at the end of October, found defensive colleague James Clarke who was unable to get a shot on target.

On 22 minutes, Jordan Barnett limped off with what looked to be an injury to his foot and he was replaced by Lawson D’Ath, who had played 23 minutes in the past nine months. The took up Barnett’s position on the right side of midfield.

To say his manager was less than impressed with Barnett’s decision to come off would be an understatement.

Solihull forward Joe Sbarra, who has eleven goals to his name this season, had a great opportunity on 36 minutes when Maycock found him inside the box, but his header went wide.

As we crept in to the final five minutes of the half, the hosts were still looking for their first shot of the match.

Charlie Wakefield. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

It came in the 42nd minute when Charlie Wakefield broke clear of the defence, but seemed to have too much time to think on it as he journeyed from the edge of the centre circle, and Ryan Boot in the visitors’ goal saved with his feet.

Three minutes later, Knowles tried an audacious chip over Boot from almost on the halfway line which went off target.

Having weathered a storm for the majority of the half, those opportunities towards the end of the half gave the performance a bit more of a balanced feel. Goalless at the interval.

Half time: Yeovil Town 0 Solihull Moors 0

Second half

There was a swirling wind blowing around Huish Park which seemed to be favouring the team shooting towards the Thatcher’s End, and that was Yeovil Town.

It was certainly a brighter start for the Glovers with the quality of D’Ath shining through whenever he had the ball on the left side of midfield.

On the 56th minute, Matt Worthington found Knowles who broke in to the box, beating two visiting defenders and poked a shot in and his effort was deflected away for a corner.

Just after the hour mark, Danny Newton fashioned the visitors’ first opportunity of the second half when he got clear of Luke Wilkinson, rounded Smith but fired his shot in to the side-netting.

With Solihull starting to carve out more opportunities and the shot-shy Yeovil forward line starting to quieten down, Sarll brought on striker Reuben Reid in place of Worthington after 72 minutes.

As the game entered the final ten minutes, Maynard had another good opportunity blocked at one end before Wakefield went forward at the other and his ball found Knowles whose shot went for the near post, but only found the side netting.

Five minutes from time, good forward play by Dallas saw him clipped, the referee played the advantage and Cranston fired wide.

That was the final chance of the game, but there was still time for Cranston to get his second red card of the season against Yeovil, picking up his second booking for a cynical foul on Tom Knowles.

Full time: Yeovil Town 0 Solihull Moors 0

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Venue: Huish Park
Tuesday, February 1st, 7.45pm kick-off

Conditions: Clear but blowy
Pitch: Held up nicely

Attendance: 3,936 (461 away supporters)

Scorers: Shields 4 (0-1), Cordner o.g. 52 (1-1)

Referee: Scott Jackson

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Robinson 38, Worthington 63, Wilkinson 88
W*ymouth: Murray 51, Mussa 53, Fitzsimons 63,

Sending off: Mussa 90 (second bookable offence)


Yeovil Town : (4-3-1-2)

Grant Smith
Morgan Williams Luke Wilkinson Ben Barclay Jack Robinson
Matt Worthington (for D’Ath, 67) Dale Gorman Jordan Barnett (for Alex Bradley, 84)
Sonny Blu Lo-Everton (for Reid, 46)
Charlie Wakefield Adi Yussuf

Substitutes: Alex Bradley, Toby Stephens Lawson D’Ath, Max Evans

W*ymouth: Fitzsimons, Cordner, Mnoga, Mussa, Harfield, Drewe, Murray, McQuoid (for Rose, 75), Bearwish, Mampala, Shields (for Blair, 86). Substitutes: Morgan, Goodship, Blair,  Greenidge.

Match Report

The W*ymouth wait for a win at Huish Park stretched out to 33 years, but that mob down the road managed to hold Yeovil Town to a draw.

The Terras took the lead after just four minutes when midfielder Sean Shields gave the visitors a fourth minute lead in front of the Thatcher’s Gold Stand.

That set the tone for a woeful first half with the visitors controlling much of the play and leading to boos from the home fans at the interval.

The reception seemed to spark Yeovil who came out brighter after the restart and drew level when Adi Yussuf’s shot was turned in to his own net by Tyler Cordner on 52 minutes.

Midfielder Omar Mussa saw red for a second booking in the 90th minute just moments before Yussuf missed a golden opportunity to win it in injury time.

Here’s how Ian saw it…………

First half

The changes from the win at Woking the previous weekend were enforced with defender Mark Little and forward Tom Knowles out through suspension. Their replacements were on-loan full-back Jack Robinson and striker Adi Yussuf respectively.

The Glovers got off to the worst possible start conceding a 4th minute opener with stunned the crowd into silence. Josh McQuoid picked up Sonny Blu Lo-Everton‘s loose header on the edge of the Yeovil box and his cross to the back post found the unmarked Sean SHIELDS who blasted a left-footed shot into the roof of Grant Smith‘s net. 1-0.

Shortly after a goal scramble nearly fell kindly to Adi Yussuf, but the Tanzanian couldn’t connect cleanly and scooped his effort into the travelling support.

Rattled by that early opener, Yeovil couldn’t impose themselves on the game, while W*ymouth played with an unburdened freedom finding space on the wings and looked assured in possession.

Charlie Wakefield. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

In the 20th minute, Charlie Wakefield stung the gloves of Ross Fitzsimons in the W*ymouth goal. The ‘star man’ found space in the right and Lo-Everton’s through ball teed him nicely for a good effort that wasn’t quite dynamite.

On the 27th minute, a minor injury to Lo-Everton allowed Glovers’ boss Darren Sarll to gather his players together and presumably tell them to sort it out, perhaps in stronger words than that.

The Glovers looked disjointed, and a polar opposite from their last performance at Huish Park against Wrexham. The front three lacked cohesion with Wakefield the bright spark with a couple of promising runs and an inviting cross which no one latched on to.

A lax pass from Dale Gorman allowed W*ymouth a good chance to counter inside his side’s own half but a combination of Jordan Barnett and Luke Wilkinson held things up conceding a free kick in a dangerous position. It was dispatched tamely wide by Tyler Cordner.

The first half faded away with neither side willing to take any risks and the half-time whistle was met with boos from Thatcher’s terrace.

Half time: Yeovil Town 0 W*ymouth 1

Second half

Sarll withdrew Lo-Everton for Reuben Reid at half time, switching to a 4-4-2. Reid partnered Yussuf up front and Wakefield and Barnett moved to the flanks.

The switch worked and Yeovil took control of the game and grabbed an equaliser in the 52nd minute through Yussuf. The ball broke loose just inside the box and his low not-so-cleanly struck shot ricocheted off W*ymouth defender Tyler Cordner  and trickled into the corner of the net for an OWN GOAL. 1-1

Roared on by the Thatcher#s, the energy and urgency couldn’t have been further from that in the first half. But there was sharp intake of breath on the hour when Tom Bearwish met a cross in the six yard box only to direct it straight at Smith.

Smith was called into action minutes later as McQuoid fired in a low effort that was heading for the bottom corner.

With Reid growing in confidence and fitness and the returning Lawson D’Ath entering the fray, the Glovers added experience and nous when they needed it most. They did have to contend with time wasting from the bar stewards in terracotta and blue, and the odd counter.

Adi Yussuf missed a golden chance to seal the win at the death. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

As ever, it was the marauding Wakefield causing problems on the right trying to recreate the golden years with some Nick Crittenden-esque runs. His well flighted cross flew past the back post and could have had Glovers dancing in the street had a teammate connected.

That energy which came at the start of the second half dissipated as fatigue began to take hold and Sarll introduced some freshness with Alex Bradley replacing Barnett with seven minutes remaining.

As the game entered stoppage time, Mussa received a second booking for bringing down Wilkinson as he looked to haul Yeovil to victory.

Yussuf had a golden opportunity to clinch it at the death but somehow couldn’t connect to send the fans home happy.

However, it remains Boxing Day 1988 since our the slime from the seaside managed a win in Somerset.

Full time: Yeovil Town 1 W*ymouth 1

 

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Venue: Kingfield Stadium
Saturday, January 29th 3pm kick-off

Conditions: Blustery but dry
Pitch: Perfect, deserved more quality than it saw

Attendance: 2496 (501 away)

Scorers: Wakefield 15 (1-0)

Referee: Tom Bishop

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Knowles 37, Little 39, Barclay 48, Wilkinson 57
Woking: McNerney 38, Casey 61

Sending off: Little 62 (2nd Booking)


Yeovil Town : (4-3-1-2)

Grant Smith
Mark Little Luke Wilkinson Ben Barclay Morgan Williams
Dale Gorman Matt Worthington Jordan Barnett (Bradley 78)
Sonny Blu Lo-Everton (Robinson 64)
Charlie Wakefield Tom Knowles (Yussuf 72)

Substitutes: Lawson D’Ath, Reuben Reid

Woking: Smith, Anderson, Diarra, Effiong, Ince, Johnson (Kabamba 62), Lofthouse, Longe-King, Loza, McNerney (Casey 46), Nwabuokei (Allarakhia 46)
Substitutes: Ross, Rumble

Match Report

Yeovil Town picked up their first points of 2022 against Woking this afternoon thanks to a first half goal from Charlie Wakefield.

Mark Little was sent off in the second half after receiving two bookings, giving the ten-man Glovers a difficult final half an hour to keep Woking out.

It wasn’t pretty, there were plenty of bodies put on the line in the second half, but Yeovil go into Tuesday’s derby against Weymouth with a bit of wind in their sails.

Here’s how Coatesie saw it…

First half

The main talking points of the team news was a start for loan signing Ben Barclay alongside captain Luke Wilkinson, who was returning from injury, in the heart of defence.

Up front, manager Darren Sarll stuck with a front three of Charlie Wakefield, Tom Knowles and Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, who had impressed for large parts of the previous match against Wrexham.

The first chance fell to the home side after just three minutes as a corner routine found its way to central defender Joe McNerney, but his effort sailed over the bar.

A lung-bursting run from Matt Worthington created the first opening for Yeovil which fell to Lo-Everton, whose shot was blocked.

But as the game got going, Yeovil’s pressing game began to tell.

It was that tactic which told after you 15 minutes when a through ball forward from Morgan Williams, back in a left-back position to accommodate for the arrival of Barclay and Wilkinson, set Charlie WAKEFIELD free, he moved forward made no mistake to smash the visitors in front. 1-0.

That put Yeovil tails up and Jordan Barnett was the next to have an effort which well stopped by Woking keeper Mark Smith.

The fans in the stand behind the goal unfurled a banner in protest against owner Scott Priestnall, which seemed to spark an atmosphere – perhaps sponsored by O’Neill’s, Woking!

A goal in front and with an opposition struggling to create anything, there was not a huge amount of feed the atmosphere after that.

The biggest talking point of the final 25 minutes of the first half was a booking for Tom Knowles. It is easy to blame Ben for mentioning that a yellow card would keep him out of the derby with W*ymouth, but in reality it was self-inflicted. Not retreating for a free-kick definitely goes on the list of ‘did you need to?’ reasons for picking up a yellow.

From that you can tell the rest of the half there was nothing much to write home about.

Woking’s inadequacies, admittedly minus star man Max Kretzschmar and top scorer Tahvon Campbell who had departed in the week, had as much to do with the lack of goal-scoring opportunities as anything.

For Yeovil, the tactic was to get the ball to their front three and you got the feeling they could create something.

There was huffing and puffing on both sides, but it was the visitors who went in ahead at the break.

Half time: Woking 0 Yeovil Town 1

 

Second half

The opening 15 minutes saw Yeovil have to weather a storm with the home side turning up the pressure, whilst balls up forward for Yeovil relied on us having a player to hold the ball up. For all their qualities, neither Wakefield, Knowles or Sonny are that, which meant possession repeatedly returned to the home side.

For the entire first half referee, Tom Bishop, was drawn in to giving easy yellow cards and the howls  of abuse he got from both sets of supporters and benches indicated his quality. That is within Rule 1, right?

But too often the fouls were easy decisions for the official to give, and on 62 minutes a tackle from Mark Little in front of the home dug out as too much of an opportunity. His second yellow and he was off.

Lo-Everton was sacrificed for Jack Robinson and the Cards smelt blood, but could not find the quality necessary to make the most of their numerical advantage.

On 72 minutes, Adi Yussuf, who came on to some effect in the FA Trophy game at Huish Park, came on in place of Knowles. A man to hold the ball up, says the optimist in me*.

Two minutes after that change came a moment of (almost) quality from the hosts, when former Yeovil loanee Rohan Ince found space to unleash a shot which was blocked by Wilkinson.

If Yeovil were to get anything it was going to be from a breakaway, and they got one on 79 minutes when Wakefield got away and found the onrushing Bradley who tried to curl an effort wide.

For the rest, it was wave after wave of attacks from the home side. There were bodies in the way, blocking shots, whilst the home side spurned opportunities time and again.

The final whistle sounded to a roar of relief and exaltation from the travelling faithful. It wasn’t pretty  but three more points are on the board.

Full time: Woking 0 Yeovil Town 1

* – I was too optimistic about Adi. Sorry.

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Venue: Huish Park
Saturday, January 22nd, 3pm kick-off

Conditions: Cloudy, calm and barely a breeze.
Pitch: Held up nicely with more attention required to the Thatcher’s End.

Attendance: 2,988 (814 away supporters)

Scorers: Tom Knowles 14 (1-0), Paul Mullin 59 (1-1), Williams o.g. 79 (1-2),

Referee: Sunny Sukhvir Gill

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Williams 86
Wrexham: Ponticelli 90


Yeovil Town : (4-1-2-1-2)

Grant Smith
Mark Little, Josh Staunton (for Alex Bradley, 75), Morgan Williams, Jack Robinson
Dale Gorman,
Matt Worthington (for Adi Yussuf, 82), Jordan Barnett (for Reuben Reid,86)
Sonny Blu Lo-Everton
Charlie Wakefield Tom Knowles

Substitutes: Max Evans,Toby Stephens.

Wrexham: Lainton, Hall-Johnson, Hayden, Tozer, Lennon, Hosannah (for McAlinden, 66), J.Jones, Young, Davies, Mullin, Thomas (for Ponticelli, 46).
Substitutes: Dibble, Cleworth, Angus.

Match Report

As listeners to the Gloverscast know we have some rules, the first of which is: Don’t complain about National League referees, they’re all rubbish.

It was the man in black, Sunny Sukhvir Gill, who was in the spotlight as big-spending Wrexham came back from two goals behind to win 2-1 at Huish Park and extend Yeovil Town‘s losing run to six matches.

Up until just before the hour mark, the referee was having a good game (by National League standards) but with Dale Gorman on the floor clutching his head, the allowed the game to go on and Paul Mullin made no mistake to cancel out a first half opener from Tom Knowles.

Before kick-off defender Max Hunt was spotted on crutches and in the second half Josh Staunton limped off with what appears a hamstring injury.

Another defeat, more pressure on the already threadbare squad – and that’s before we get to the off-the-pitch stuff.

Here’s how Ian saw it from his spot in the Huish Park press box……

First half

The soundtrack to the opening seconds of the match was that of “We want Priestnall out”, as home fans made their displeasure at their absentee owner.

The day after he attributed low attendances as his reasons for selling Joe Quigley to Chesterfield, the Glovers started the game with no recognised striker in the starting line-up and with Max Hunt on crutches at pitchside. Wingers Tom Knowles and Charlie Wakefield started furthest forward and Mark Little made his full debut after returning from injury, moving centre back Morgan Williams to…centre back.

Tom Knowles. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

It was the man I’ve warned you about since day one, who opened the scoring for Yeovil after 14 minute. Tom KNOWLES continues to make the #DFILWF mantra difficult to follow, and his cleanly struck left-footed shot caught just about everyone by surprise as it flew past Wrexham ‘keeper Rob Lainton into the bottom corner. A strike he enjoyed enough to cup his in front of that TikTok lot in Martin Baker Glovers’ Trust Terrace. 1-0.

The Glovers advantage was nearly doubled in the 26th minute, when Josh Staunton met Sonny Blu Lo-Everton‘s deep cross with a towering header. The captain’s effort flew over the bar into a sagging Welsh flag behind the goal.

Chances don’t come more gilt-edged than Charlie Wakefield‘s ten minutes later. A fluffed clearance by Lainton only reached the incoming Matt Worthington and he squared the ball to the unmarked Wakefield inside the 18-yard-box who had time to pick his spot but barely connected with the ball. The ball trickled to the relieved hi-vis keeper as the Yeovil supporters planted their heads in their hands with the precision Wakefield was missing.

The Hollywood boys of Wrexham offered very little in the first half. But for a couple of speculative efforts from their beloved Jordan Davies, the Yeovil defence held firm and went into half-time with the lead as Netflix no doubt pondered whether they’d bought the rights to the wrong psychodrama.

Half time: Yeovil Town 1 Wrexham 0

Second half

Yeovil started the second half with determination and some early pressing from Knowles forced a mistake in the Wrexham back line and very nearly created a carbon copy of Wakefield’s chance in the first half. Wakefield couldn’t bring the ball under control though and Wrexham cleared their lines.

Shortly after, Mullin took a tumble under a challenge from Morgan Williams and was adamant he should have had a penalty. The man in the middle, Sunny Gill, thought Mullin went down too easily and waved his appeals away.

Mullin, determined to grab Wrexham up to his level came close to equalising moments later, dragging his right footed shot wide of Grant Smith’s post.

He got his goal just before the hour mark in controversial circumstances. While Dale Gorman was on the floor clutching his head, the referee allowed play to continue around Gorman and last season’s top scorer in League Two put a fine strike into the top corner with Smith rooted to the spot. 1-1 Paul MULLIN.

Gill, who had been having a good game by National League standards, quickly became the villain of the piece as players and fans raged, bewildered by his decision to allow play to continue. Perhaps we missed a protocol where referees are allowed to judge the severity of head injuries, but it was largely shambolic and set him up for a difficult half an hour to see out with supporters well past boiling point.

Josh Staunton who limped off in the second half.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

With fifteen minutes left on the clock, Staunton was replaced by Alex Bradley (who had been booked already while warming up) and made his way down the tunnel gingerly. Probably the sight that Yeovil supporters feared the most given our depleted squad.

Three minutes later, Wrexham went ahead. A cross went all the way to the back post to the feet of Jordan Davies. He drilled a left footed cross across the box which was bundled into his OWN GOAL by the sliding Morgan Williams. 1-2

As the time faded away, and Wrexham took control of the game against Yeovil’s tiring legs, Darren Sarll threw on Adi Yussuf and Reuben Reid to salvage the game.

Grant Smith was forced into a good save, low at his near post, from Davies well-struck free kick in the 88th minute.

With six minutes added on, Yeovil searched for an equaliser and Yussuf nearly connected with Bradley’s cross, but Wrexham saw the game out with a string of a corners at the death sending their 814 supporters back cheerfully back to North Wales. For the Glovers, it was another defeat in 2022 as we head into another week of uncertainty.

Full time: Yeovil Town 1 Wrexham 2

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Venue: Huish Park
Saturday, January 15th, 3pm kick-off

Conditions: Cold and cloudy
Pitch: Okay, getting a bit bobbly in areas.

Attendance: 1649 (58 away)

Scorers: Williams 29, Fowkes 45.

Referee: James Durkin

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Bradley 85
Needham Market: Some! 


Yeovil Town : (4-3-3)

Grant Smith
Morgan Williams, Josh Staunton, Max Hunt (Little 79), Jack Robinson
Dale Gorman,
Matt Worthington (Bradley, 70), Jordan Barnett
Sonny Blu Lo-Everton
Adi Yussuf (Knowles 63), Reuben Reid

Substitutes: Max Evans

Needham Market: Garnham, Dye, Sayer, Hammond, K. Morphew, D. Morphew, Page, Collard, Ingram, Clark (Marshall Miranda), Fowkes

Substitutes: Mpongo, Cullum, Sturgess, Santa De La Paz, Northwood, Fitzgerald

Match Report

Yeovil Town were knocked out of the FA Trophy on penalties at the hands of Needham Market in a disappointing affair at Huish Park.

The Southern League side more than held their own against an out of form Yeovil team who never stretched their opponents.

Morgan Williams opened the scoring after half an hour but poor defending before the break allowed Needham Market to go in on level terms.

It took penalty shootout drama to decide the match and the part-timers clinched it with Marcus Garnham the hero, saving Morgan Williams sudden death penalty and launching scenes of jubilation amongst their 58 travelling supporters.

Here’s how Ian saw the game…

First half

What a difference seven days makes in football. The electric atmosphere generated by 8,000 supporters for the FA Cup tie against Bournemouth was replaced by a rather muted atmosphere of 1649 at Huish Park for the visit of Needham Market in the FA Trophy.

Diamonds aren’t forever, but Darren Sarll returned to most-used formation since becoming manager in 2019, with Adi Yussuf partnering Reuben Reid up front and Sonny Blu Lo-Everton in the hole, as they say. Josh Staunton dropped to back line in place of the injured Luke Wilkinson with Matt Worthington returning to midfield and Jack Robinson and Morgan Williams at fullback.

The subdued atmosphere contributed to an equally subdued start by the Glovers and the Needham Market had the first half-opening through their left-winger Ben Fowkes, who cut inside had his shot deflected over Grant Smith’s goal.

The towering Max Hunt could have opened the scoring in the 11th minute when he met Dale Gorman’s corner emphatically. He glanced his header wide of the left post after out-jumping the entire defence.

As Glovers adjusted to their new shape, they didn’t keep hold of the ball as well as the gulf might suggest they should.  Lo-Everton had a sight of goal from distance and attempted a speculative lob over Garnham which went wide.

As the half wore on, Yeovil held onto possession more comfortably and started pressuring Needham Market into mistakes, with the goalkeeper looking particularly uncomfortable with the ball at his feet.

Adi Yussuf had a decent, if not awkward, chance to put Yeovil in front in the 26th minute. The striker found a chunk of space in the 18 yard box as the ball looped over his head, he swung his left foot at it but his connection wasn’t on point.

Just before the half an hour mark, the club’s music man got his moment to bring some samba music to the ‘masses’ as MORGAN WILLIAMS found himself in the unusual position of the opponents penalty box. The fullback strode onto Yussuf’s drilled cross and put past the keeper to open the scoring. 1-0

Seemingly content with 1-0, Yeovil took their foot off the pedal and allowed their opponents to have a bit of the ball. Just before half time, Yussuf had a good opportunity to double the Glovers’ lead but he dragged his left-footed shot wide.

The tie was evened up in first half stoppage time, after some dismal defending from a set piece and a couple of fortunate ricochets, BEN FOWKES smashed the ball past Smith. 1-1

Half time: Yeovil Town 1 Needham Market 1

Second half

The Glovers came out with more of a purpose in the second half, with Dale Gorman determined to get the shots in early.

Needham Market had a great opportunity to take the lead in the 52nd minute, but were denied by a determined, last ditch tackle from Josh Staunton.

And it was last-ditch defending at the other end of the pitch moments later. Barnett’s out-swinging corner was headed towards goal but blocked by Yussuf in front of the keeper who scrambled to clear the ball away from goal.

Needham Market had penalty appeals turned down by the referee on the hour, as their striker Luke Ingram went down with Josh Staunton nearby.

To liven up the attack, Sarll withdrew Yussuf for Tom Knowles, prompting a change of shape to the more familiar 4-3-3 with Reuben Reid the central striker.

The Glovers opponents weren’t fazed by the arrival of Knowles (#DWILWF) and carved out a good chance through Callum Page cutting inside from the right. His Bergkamp-esque effort wasn’t Bergkamp-esque in execution and it glided high and wide.

Buoyed by Yeovil’s lack of impetus and the increase in unforced errors, the Southern League side grew into the half and had Ingram’s header been a bit lower they would have been in-front. The striker beat Max Hunt to the ball and his attempt had green tinted supporters holding their breath.

As the clock ticked closer towards the 90th minute and a potential penalty shootout, Sarll urged his players forward and introduced our marquee summer signing, Mark Little, for his first competitive appearance in a Yeovil shirt.

There was a handful of hopeful crosses, but truthfully, Yeovil didn’t stretch their part time opponents who defended resolutely and nearly nicked it in stoppage time but for Smith’s heroics in goal. Fowkes, who was lively all game caused havoc in the box before his charged down shot rebounded to Ingram who should have clinched the tie.

In normal time, it finished 1-1 and the game went straight to a penalty shootout.

Full time: Yeovil Town 1 Needham Market 1

Penalties:

Needham Market:
Ingram – scored
Hammond – scored
Marshall-Miranda – saved
Page – scored
Fowkes – saved
Collard – scored
K. Morphew – scored
Dye – scored
D. Morphew – scored
Sayer – Saved
Garnham – scored

Yeovil Town:
Barnet – scored
Reid – saved
Gorman – scored
Bradley – scored
Lo-Everton – saved
Knowles – scored
Robinson – scored
Staunton – scored
Smith – scored
Little – saved
Williams – saved

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Venue: Roots Hall
Tuesday, January 11th, 7.45pm kick-off

Conditions: Damp
Pitch: Slippery

Attendance: 4,845 , 80 away supporters

Scorers: Jason Demetriou 29 (0-1), Clifford 60 (0-2), Reid 90 (1-2)

Referee: Adrian Quelch

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Gorman 76,
Southend United: Lopata 20, Neal 84

 


Yeovil Town : (4-3-3)

Grant Smith
Dan Moss, Max Hunt, Luke Wilkinson, Jordan Barnett
Dale Gorman, Josh Staunton, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton
Tom Knowles, Adi Yussuf, Charlie Wakefield

Substitutes:  Reuben Reid (for Lo-Everton, 56), Joe Quigley (for Yussuf, 56), Jack Robinson (for Barnett, 80), Morgan Williams, Max Evans.

Southend United: Arnolds, Ralph, Hobson, Murphy (for Rush, 76), Dalby, Clifford, Atkinson (for Ferguson, 46), Neal, Lopata, Demetriou, Dennis (for Kensdale, 85).
Substitutes: Coulson, Davies.

 

Match Report

Yeovil Town fell to a fourth successive defeat at Southend United after putting in a lacklustre performance for much of the match in Essex.

The visitors took the lead through Jason Demetriou after half-an-hour before Tom Clifford doubled the advantage in the second half and it took the Glovers until that second to wake up.

With the game seemingly out of reach, the visitors looked the stronger side in the closing stages with Joe Quigley denied by a fine stop from Shrimpers’ keeper Steve Arnold and Max Hunt having a ‘goal’ ruled out for handball with five minutes to go.

Substitute Reuben Reid got his first goal of the season as the clock ticked in to injury time but worryingly for captain Luke Wilkinson limped off with what looked like a hamstring strain to leave his side to play out the six minutes added on with ten men.

Despite the defeat, we remain in 11th place in the National League table eight points off the play-off places and 16 points off the relegation zone.

Here’s how it went down at Roots Hall……

 

First half

The team news saw Grant Smith returned between the posts in place of Dillon Barnes who dropped out of the squad after appearing in the home defeats against Torquay United and AFC Bournemouth in their last two outings.

There was no place in the squad for Matt Worthington who was replaced by Sonny Blu Lo-Everton in an attacking looking Yeovil side who also pushed Jordan Barnett to left-back and brought Charlie Wakefield in the front three alongside Adi Yussuf and Tom Knowles.

Having spoken of our relief to see Smith back in goal, the gloveman fluffed a tenth minute clearance under pressure from the hosts’ striker Sam Dalby who was unable to get the ball out of his feet and the visitors were able to clear.

Smith was in action again on 16 minutes when he was equal to the effort from Southend’s on-loan striker Matt Dennis.

There was not a huge amount to threaten either goalkeeper in the opening 25 minutes, but it was certainly the home side who had the upper hand and took the lead shortly before the half-hour mark.

It was former Glovers’ favourite Rhys Murphy who brought the ball forward and fed it to Jason DEMETRIOU whose effort from the edge of the box took a deflection on its way past Smith.

Murphy has an effort blocked soon after and he rattled the visitors’ woodwork soon after with Yeovil’s defence looking rattled and out of sorts.

The first visitors’ first meaningful opportunity came on 35 minutes when Yussuf connected with Dan Moss’ cross but hosts’ keeper Steve Arnold made the save when the Tanzanian should have given him not chance.

Going the other way the home side looked increasingly menacing with every attack and Murphy had another chance to put his old employers to the sword with four minutes of the half to go, but Smith was equal to it again.

But, the final chance of the game fell to Yeovil with Dan Moss again finding Yussuf but his shot was blocked as the clock ticked over to 45 minutes.

The home side will be wondering how they were not further ahead at the break. Luckily, they weren’t.

Half time: Southend United 1 Yeovil Town 0

 

Second half

It was a brighter start for Yeovil with Barnett getting forward more in the opening five minutes after the restart than he had in the previous 45 minutes.

But, aside from a header from Dalby and a pot shot from Murphy in the first 15 minutes there was not a huge amount of threat from either side and on 56 minutes Yeovil introduced Joe Quigley and Reuben Reid to make a difference.

The switch was made to 4-4-2 and the there were signs of some good link-up between the two frontmen………but on the hour mark the home side doubled their advantage.

Dennis was allowed to bring the ball forward from deep inside the Yeovil area and laid the ball off to Tom CLIFFORD who was at the back post to tap the ball in.

The home side’s tails went up, the visitors’ heads dropped and it could have got worse when substitute Nathan Ferguson‘s was blocked inside the box.

Reuben Reid. Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.

On 73 minutes, Luke Wilkinson hammered a free-kick in to the hands of Arnold and five minutes later Quigley twisted and turned and force a good save out of Arnold.

The feeling was that it not going to be our night and, if you needed proof, we had the ball in the net through Max Hunt – only for it to be ruled out for handball. Was it? Let’s wait for the highlights.

There was time for REID to pull a goal back with his first of the season in the final minute of normal time. The substitute was at the back post to poke home a ball after Wakefield’s long-range was spilled by Arnold.

But, even more worrying was an injury to Wilkinson, who limped off the pitch to leave the Glovers to play injury time with ten men.

There was a final flurry to action from the visitors, but where was that last 20 minutes for the entire match.

 

Full time: Southend United 2 Yeovil Town 1