A first half double from Brett McGavin set Yeovil Town on the way to a 3-1 victory in an eventful game at fellow newly-promoted side Boston United.
The midfielder bent in a beautiful free-kick after just five minutes, before some sloppy defending allowed the home side to equalise. But, on 17 minutes, Boston were reduced to ten men with Jordan Richards seeing red after clattering Charlie Cooper.
McGavin got his second stroking the ball in from the edge of the box with seven minutes of the first half remaining.
But, Yeovil struggled to make their advantage pay and it was not until a great run and cross from Sam Pearson was turned in by substitute Jordan Young on 75 minutes that the three points looked safe.
Even then, Boston continued to press for another goal and Yeovil were reduced to ten men as Jake Wannell was sent off for a needless foul with five minutes remaining.
Here is how Dave saw it from his place in the away end at Pilgrim Way….
First half
After some cautious opening exchanges, it only took five minutes for Yeovil to take the lead. Aaron Jarvis was felled on the edge of the box by Boston’s Zak Mills. Up stepped Brett McGAVIN to bend one in to the top corner, watch that one on the highlights.
A moment of quality had given the visitors the lead but the mistakes in defence which had dogged them the past two matches were still there.
With ten minutes gone, Weston pounced on an error by Jake Wannell and striker Jacob Hazel powered towards goal before a good interception by Finn Cousin-Dawson denied him the opportunity to get a shot away.
But having been the saviour, Cousin-Dawson was the villain five minutes later as his error gifted Boston an equaliser. The centre-half completely missed a challenge on the speedy Weston who got away, squared it to Sam OSBORN who thumped it past Ollie Wright.
At that point, there was not much to separate the two sides but the game turned on 17 minute when Jordan Richards was sent-off after clattering Charlie Cooper.
From that point, Yeovil dominated the possession without carving out a clear-cut opportunity on the Boston goal. In fact, the next chance fell to the home side when Hazel thundered down the right wing and got the ball in an Wright snatched it off the head of Osborn.
But, with 37 minutes gone, the pressure paid as a nicely-worked move saw McGavin pick out Raphael Araoye on the left side, he found McGAVIN just inside the box and he massaged the ball in to the net for his second. That proved to be Araoye’s last action as he went off with what looked like a knock to be replaced by Sam Pearson.
Half time: Boston United 1 Yeovil Town 2
Second half
On 55 minutes, Charlie Cooper collided with former Glovers’ loanee Martin Woods on the edge of the box, leaving the Boston man requiring treatment and the Yeovil man going in to the referee’s book, the resulting free-kick was deflected wide of goal.
But the home side had come out of the half-time break the brighter and, despite their numerical disadvantage, looked the more likely to create an opportunity.
The first opportunity took until the 64th minute to come. Nouble got away down the left and put a ball in to a box containing Aaron Jarvis, Josh Sims and Matt Worthington. None of them got a touch.
It took until the 75th minute to find a way through the hosts and it was a goal that was all about Sam Pearson. He got away down the left wing, powered in to the box and hooked a ball back to substitute Jordan YOUNG who turned in Yeovil’s third goal.
With the hosts visibly tiring, Nouble had a couple of breaks forward, the best of which saw him hammer a stinging shot against the palms of the keeper, it bounced out to Young who put it over the bar. Quite how that was not four, I do not know.
To their credit, Boston did not stop pushing for another goal and with five minutes of normal time remaining Jake Wannell picked up his second yellow card for pulling down Hazel. Such a needless booking and, with Morgan Williams and seemingly Araoye missing, leaves Yeovil very short of cover in the middle of defence.
Two minutes after the numerical disadvantage had been levelled, Wright pulled off a fine stop to deny Pilgrims’ substitute Aderoju.
With an even number of players on each side, Boston upped their pressure on the Yeovil box with substitute David Mooney a menace down the right side.
There were a number of moments which set pulse rates racing in the away end throughout eight minutes of stoppage time, but Yeovil went home with the three points.
Full time: Boston United 1 Yeovil Town 3
Match Details
Venue: Jakeman’s Community Stadium
Date: Saturday 31st August – 3pm kick-off
Competition: National League Premier
Pitch: As you’d expect for the end of August
Conditions: Dry and bright to start, dull and drizzly by the end
Attendance: 1,956 (154 away supporters)
Scorers: Brett McGavin 7 (1-0), Sam Osborne 15 (1-1), Brett McGavin 37 (2-1), Jordan Young 75 (3-1).
Bookings:
Boston United: Jai Rowe 90+2
Yeovil Town: Charlie Cooper 56, Jake Wannell 60, Jake Wannell 85.
Sendings off:
Boston United: Jordan Richards 17
Yeovil Town: Jake Wannell 85
Referee: Neil Hair
Yeovil Town (4-2-3-1)
Substitutes: Sam Pearson (for Raphael Araoye, 42), Jordan Young (for Josh Sims, 70), Harvey Greenslade (for Aaron Jarvis, 74), Jordan Thomas (for Harvey Greenslade, 90+1), Sonny Blu Lo-Everton (not used), Matt Gould (not used).
Boston United: Cameron Gregory, Jai Rowe, Michael Bostwick (for Tom Leak, 82), Zak Mills, Cameron Green, Jordan Richards, Martin Woods (for Dan Mooney, 80), Sam Osborne (for Dylan Hill, 70), Frankie Maguire (for Keaton Ward, 84), Tony Weston (for Pemi Aderoju, 74), Jacob Hazel. Substitutes (not used): Ellis Craven, Mitchell Roberts.