A debut goal from defender Dom Bernard earned Yeovil Town three points in a madcap match at AFC Fylde which saw the Glovers battle back from 2-0 down at half-time in Lancashire.
The game could not have been one of two more contrasting performances from the visitors. In the first half, they appeared defensively all at sea with an anonymous midfield and unable to capitalise on their chances, but in the second half the roles were reversed as they went on the attack, took their chances and their hosts spurned theirs.
It was Fylde dangerman Nick Haughton who put the Coasters in control with a first half brace, but substitute Sam Pearson pulled one back on 66 minutes before Aaron Jarvis pulled the Glovers level three minutes later. It was substitute Sonny Blu Lo-Everton who put us ahead with a sumptuous strike on 78 minutes then with six minutes remaining Fylde debutant Tyler Roberts pulled the hosts level.
It was left to Bernard to smash home the winner from close range after a goalmouth scramble which sealed the points. Character, not half!
Here’s how Dave saw – once he got his heart-rate down – from the away end at Mill Farm……
First half
Yeovil Town fielded a patched-up looking defence with new signing Dom Bernard handed a debut the day after being unveiled alongside Finn Cousin-Dawson, there was a welcome return for Alex Whittle on the left side of defence.
However, within three minutes, Whittle was was out-muscled down the right side by Nick HAUGHTON who went on to lash a fine finish past Ollie Wright from a tight angle.
Three minutes later there was another close call which saw Frank Nouble having to clear a header from ex-Glovers’ loanee Corey Whelan after he was left unmarked at the back post from a Haughton corner.
Having been stung on a couple occasions, Yeovil began to find a bit of control. A neat touch from Aaron Jarvis allowed Brett McGavin to pick out Josh Sims just outside the box, but he lifted the ball over the bar. The visitors were enjoying plenty of possession, but the majority was played in our own half where Fylde were happy for us to have it.
The best opportunity the visitors had created came on 27 minutes with Jarvis again showing good link-up play this time to set up Michael Smith whose cross almost found Sims at the far post, but he could not get anything on it. Soon after, Finn Cousin-Dawson put a header harmlessly over the bar from a corner, but Fylde keeper Ben Winterbottom was still yet to be tested by anything approaching a meaningful opportunity.
Meanwhile, every time Fylde (or should I say Nick Haughton) went forward they cut through our defence like a hot knife through butter, and our patched up defence was rocking. Haughton fizzed an effort over the bar and Ethan Mitchell both had opportunities and you felt a second was coming.
It arrived on 39 minutes and Yeovil were architects on their own downfall. McGavin found himself with his back to goal on the corner of his own area, he was out-muscled (that word again) by Mitchell who teed up Nick HAUGHTON drill another unstoppable shot past Wright. How this lad is still playing at National League level, I have no idea.
From then on praying for no further goals before the half-time whistle was about all the visitors could do, and Haughton almost completed his hat-trick before it sounded when he smashed another effort just past the post.
A rocking defence, a non-existent midfield and forward players who could not finish their own dinner. Other than that, it’s been alright.
Half time: AFC Fylde 2 Yeovil Town 0
Second half
Half-time saw changes from Yeovil with Jordan Young and Sam Pearson coming on for Finn Cousin-Dawson and Josh Sims…..as full-backs, yes, full-backs. That meant a back three of Michael Smith, Dom Bernard and Alex Whittle.
The result was certainly more attacking from the visitors with much of the progress coming from the two new arrivals, Young was causing problems down the right and Pearson on the left.
With 62 minutes gone, a Charlie Cooper corner found Matt Worthington at the back post which looked to be looping in to the corner of the net only for Owen Evans to nod it off the line, before at the other end Haughton had another effort which forced Wright to get down smartly to deny.
Then the fightback began. Jarvis showed superb unselfish running to collect a ball forward from Michael Smith and play it in to Sam PEARSON, who brought the ball down and fired home (with a bit of a deflection off a Fylde defender) to reduce the deficit. But, this attacking business has its downside and almost immediately after pulling one back, Yeovil were carved apart again and again it was Haughton driving forward to play in Mitchell whose side was superbly saved by the feet of Wright.
The Glovers’ equalised on 69 minutes was all about superb forward play from Aaron JARVIS. It was his sheer determination and ability which controlled a nodded ball forward from Nouble, to find his strike-partner, who fed Pearson on the left and fired an effort across the face of goal where Jarvis was on hand to bundle it home.
Disclaimer: This is where I totally lost track of the match, you can excuse my excitement, I am sure. The rest of the report is written entirely from memory.
With 77 minutes gone, Sonny Blu LO-EVERTON replaced Brett McGavin and no-one could have guessed the impact the midfielder would have. With what I think was his first touch of the ball, he collected a pass from Nouble, moved to the edge of the area and smashed a beautiful effort past Fylde keeper Ben Winterbottom. Bedlam in the away end, absolute bedlam.
Remember how I said this attacking thing wasn’t all one way? On 84 minutes, Fylde winger Tyler ROBERTS, signed on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers this week, levelled the game again. Haughton (yes, him again) crossed to the back post, substitute Taelor O’Kane headed it back in to the danger area and Roberts was on home to bundle it in.
You’d take a point at that point, right? Not this second half Yeovil team, no a bit of it. They kept coming and an 88th minute corner was won in the air by Nouble, acrobatically helped back in to the danger area by Pearson and Dom BERNARD was on hand to smash it home.
There was still time for more action and step forward Ollie Wright. In injury time, Owen Evans lofted a high ball up to the back post where O’Kane met it with a header and the on-loan Southampton keeper did superbly to turn it aside.
A crazy, chaotic game which had served up one of the worst 45 minutes of football I have seen from us in a long time in the first half, but that was followed by second half performance built on determination, fearlessness and a character which at times took your breath away. Football, eh?
Note: At the end of the match, one Yeovil supporter required medical assistance from staff at the ground on the terraces at Mill Farm. We believe he was responsive following treatment and has been taken to hospital. We are sure we join with all Glovers’ fans in wishing him a full and speedy recovery.
Full time: AFC Fylde 3 Yeovil Town 4
Match Details
Venue: Mill Farm
Date: Saturday 7th September – 3pm kick-off
Competition: National League Premier
Pitch: Very flat
Conditions: Very welcoming on the Lancashire coast.
Attendance: 1,305 (144 away supporters)
Scorers: Nick Haughton 3 (0-1), Nick Haughton 34 (0-2), Sam Pearson 66 (1-2), Aaron Jarvis 69 (2-2), Sonny Blu Lo-Everton 78 (3-2), Tyler Roberts 84 (3-3), Dom Bernard (87 (4-3).
Bookings:
AFC Fylde: Gavin Massey 73.
Yeovil Town: Dom Bernard 41.
Referee: James Bancroft
Yeovil Town (4-2-3-1)
Substitutes: Jordan Young (for Finn Cousin-Dawson, 46), Sam Pearson (for Josh Sims, 46), Sonny Blu Lo-Everton (for Brett McGavin, 78), Corey Koerner (not used), Matt Gould (not used).
AFC Fylde: Ben Winterbottom, Owen Evans, Harry Davis (for Patrick Gamble, 73), Adam Long, Ethan Mitchell (for Taelor O’Kane, 77), Offrande Zanzala (for Danny Ormerod, 62), Nick Haughton, Jonathan Ustabasi (for Tyler Roberts, 77), Corey Whelan, Bryce Hosannah, Joe Riley (for Gavin Massey, 62).
Substitutes (not used): Theo Richardson, Charlie Jolley.