Latest Yeovil Town News (Page 94)

Yet again we are finishing a National League match talking about refereeing decisions. This time the man in the middle was Andrew Humphries who denied Yeovil Town what looked a stonewall penalty with the last kick of the game.

On loan defender Ed James was felled inside the box from what the DAZN cameras show was a spot kick, but you’ll not be surprised to hear was not given. Even the Barnet manager Dean Brennan admitted it was a penalty in his post-match interview.

That came after a poor first half performance when Barnet were completely on top and took the lead after just ten minutes through Yeovil-born Ryan Glover, and they could have scored more with top scorer Nicke Kabamba spurning a glorious opportunity.

But it was a much improved performance after half-time and deservedly equalised when James Plant drove down the right and his effort found the far corner.

There was high drama in injury time with first Josh Sims seeing his stabbed shot turned on to the post by Nick Hayes before James was denied what everyone – except the man who matters – thought was a penalty.

First half

With four minutes played, a good run from Jarvis saw him fire a ball across with Frank Nouble arriving in the middle, but a Barnet defender saw the ball out.

The first real opportunity fell to Yeovil-born Ryan Glover on six minutes, who was given time and space to move to the edge of the box and fire in a shot which whistled the wrong side (for him!) of the post.

Four minutes later the visitors took the lead. After a good block on an initial effort from midfielder Bailey Hobson, the Yeovil defence did not react enabling Hobson to get a shot in on goal which found its way to Ryan GLOVER arriving at the back post. There were appeals for offside from the hosts’ defence, but they were in vain.

The opening 15 minutes was all Barnet who seemed to be running at Yeovil at will with Glover finding pockets of space and causing all kinds of problems.

In the 19th minute, a slip from Ed James down the Yeovil right side gave Callum Stead the opportunity to charge towards goal. Luckily rather than squaring it to one of his team-mates arriving inside the box, Stead tried to beat Ollie Wright at the near post who did well to make himself book and deny him.

The Barnet frontline are not giving us a second to breathe here, but the next chance came after Morgan Williams attempted a step over with Stead in close attendance. The Barnet man robbed him and floated a ball in for Nicke Kabamba who you would have put your house on heading home. Amazingly he put his header over the bar. A massive let off.

Just after the half-hour mark Idris Kanu, who has had the freedom of Huish Park, made another aggressive run down the Barnet left, the ball across the face of goal fell to Hobson who dragged his shot wide of goal. Minutes later Kanu was at it again, but this time Hobson could not get his shot away. We are completely unable to cope with the speed of the visitors’ attack and they are dictating everything.

In a similar way to the previous game at Huish Park, we seem to be matching Barnet up in terms of shape and they are doing it much better. Our forward players have not had a sniff, Barnet have utterly dominated. Manager Mark Cooper obviously spotted this and switched to a back four with Whittle and Smith on the left and right with Williams and James in the middle, whilst Pedro Borges moved in to a more central role with Nouble and James Plant in the wide positions.

That seemed to slow the pace of the game a bit and the wave after wave of Barnet attacks stopped, thankfully. But at the other end there was absolutely nothing to shout about. Very fortunate to only be 1-0 down at half-time. We need a spark in the second half.

Half time: Yeovil Town 0 Barnet 1

Second half

Kofi Shaw replaced Brett McGavin on 72 minutes and seconds after his arrival the home side were level. James PLANT drove in from the right side and fired a ball across. Possibly a touch from a Barnet defender? We’ll give it to you, Planty!

It’s been much better from the Glovers and if there’s a player who has run more than James Plant, I would like to meet him.

But there was almost an immediate reaction Stead miscued and the ball landed to Kanu, who fortunately fired it over the away terrace. That is a big miss.

The momentum was with Yeovil, the Thatcher’s Stand was in full cry and there was plenty of forward endeavour which has

However, it was Barnet who regained the advantage with nine minutes remaining. A corner was initially dealt with but was smartly fed back out to Hartigan who put a superb cross in to the box and Danny COLLINGE met it with a header which beat Ollie Wright.

That took the sting out of the game and the Yeovil attack. There was a free-kick over the bar from Hartigan which Wright touched over the bar as the game ticked in to injury time. Barnet have slowed this game superbly, a great away performance.

But with almost the last kick of the game there was a glorious opportunity to find an equaliser. Charlie Cooper lifted the ball in to the box following a cleared effort, Williams tried an overhead kick but the ball fell to Josh Sims, on as a substitute, but his effort agnosingly hit the post.

There was still time for more drama as free-kick in to the box and the ball broke to James who looked to go down under a challenge. It was a foul, a penalty all day long, but referee Andrew Humphries decided otherwise. No appeals for a dive from the Barnet players and, as someone who watched it several times on the replays, we have been robbed of one there.

Having been thoroughly second best in the first half, Yeovil performed much better in the second half and deserved a point. But yet again we are ending a game talking about the decisions of a referee.

Full time: Yeovil Town 1 Barnet 2

Match Details

Venue: Huish Park
Date: Wednesday 27th November 2024 – 7.45pm kick-off

Competition: National League Premier Division

Scorers: Ryan Glover 10 (0-1), James Plant 73 (1-1), Danny Collinge 81 (1-2)

Pitch:  Very wet, a few slips
Conditions: Absolutely chuffing freezing

Attendance: 2,722 (112 away supporters)

Bookings:
Barnet: None
Yeovil Town: Charlie Cooper 89, Michael Smith 90+3

Referee: Andrew Humphries

Yeovil Town (3-4-2-1)

Substitutes: Kofi Shaw (for Brett McGavin, 72), Harvey Greenslade (for Aaron Jarvis, 82), Josh Sims (for James Plant, 86), Dylan Morgan (for Pedro Borges, 90+2), Sonny Blu Lo-Everton (not used), Matt Gould (not used) .

Barnet: Nick Hayes, Danny Collinge, Nicke Kabamba (for Rhys Browne, 69), Callum Stead (for Mark Shelton, 86), Idris Kanu (for Zak Brunt, 79), Ryan Glover,  Anthony Hartigan, Adebola Oluwo, Nik Tavares, Myles Kenlock, Bailey Hobson.

Substitutes (not used): Jordan Cropper, Billy Clifford, Ben Coker, Giosue Bellagambi.