A first half double from Harvey Greenslade saw Yeovil Town cruise to a comfortable victory at Western League Premier Division side Buckland Athletic in their penultimate pre-season friendly on Tuesday night.
The former Bristol Rovers’ youngster, signed in the summer following his release from the Memorial Ground, struck either side of a Jordan Young goal in Devon with the visitors in cruise control in the opening 45 minutes.
To their credit, Buckland improved after the break and made it a closer contest but substitutes Michael Smith and Frank Nouble both found the net in the final 15 minutes to make it a comprehensive win for Mark Cooper’s side.
They travel to Weston-super-Mare on Saturday for their final warm-up match ahead of the start of the National League Premier Division season against Darren Sarll’s Hartlepool United on August 10th.
First half
If any fans at Homers’ Heath were at Farnborough to see a slow start against a higher division outfit at the weekend, they were treated to a rapid start from the Glovers.
Jordan Young had a shot blocked inside the box after just two minutes and two minutes after that Sam Pearson had the ball in the net, only for him to be denied by the offside flag.
But, after five minutes the visitors took the lead through Harvey GREENSLADE. The former Bristol Rovers man collected a through ball through the centre of the pitch and slotted it under the oncoming Adam Seedhouse-Evans in the Buckland goal.
A minute later it was Yeovil goalkeeper/coach Matt Gould who was in action, parrying away an effort from striker Ryan Bush, before midfielder Ryan Smith put one just the wrong side of the post on 13 minutes.
On 16 minutes, the Glovers doubled their advantage. A great move involving many sharp intricate passes set Dylan Morgan away to have a shot which was saved by Seedhouse-Evans, but Jordan YOUNG was there to fire home the rebound. Young had been absolutely everywhere in these opening exchanges.
Greenslade fired just wide of goal on 21 minutes and then Finn Cousin-Dawson headed wide before GREENSLADE made it 3-0 on 32 minutes. He won the ball back, powered through the Buckland midfield and fired past the keeper. Great attitude, great work-rate, great finish.
Morgan drags a slightly scuffed shot on 37 minutes and it was his loose pass which gave substitute Will Hall the opportunity to flash one just wide of Gould’s post seconds later.
Young had the final effort when his free-kick cannoned in to the wall, but it was a job well done for the the visitors.
Half time: Buckland Athletic 0 Yeovil Town 3
Second half
No changes for either side at half-time with manager Mark Cooper giving many players who only got half-an-hour at Farnborough three days before some additional minutes to impress.
Five minutes in to the second half, Pearson pulled a shot wide and then on 50 minutes the substitutes came with five changes off the bench. Michael Smith, Alex Whittle, youngster Josh Ansell and trialist Max Tisdale, the teenage son of ex-Glovers’ midfielder and former Exeter City manager, Paul, and Frank Nouble arrived on the pitch.
Buckland have changed their formation in the second half and are definitely making it more of a contest. They are closing down the Yeovil players better and dictating the play even if they have not done much to test Gould in the visitors’ goal.
With 75 minutes gone, Nouble should have made it 4-0 after Smith got down the right side, fired it in from the byline and put the big striker got the ball caught under his feet and could not turn it in to an unguarded net.
But, minutes later the same two were involved which was the fourth, Pearson fed Nouble whose effort was well saved by Seedhouse-Evans who could only push it out as far as SMITH who smashed home an unstoppable shot.
Under-18s player Krystian Woods replaced Sonny Blu Lo-Everton straight after the fourth goal and the next effort fell to Buckland with nine minutes remaining. A good cross in to the box found substitute Jared Lewington and Gould did superbly to deny him at the near post.
On 83 minutes, another bit of attractive football saw Morgan get the ball in the net after great play involving Pearson, but the linesman’s flag was up to deny him. A minute later Pearson flashed one wide soon after.
With five minutes to go, NOUBLE added a fifth. The big frontman ran on to a pass from Pearson and ran through to hammer home.
There was an opportunity for Morgan to add a sixth soon after, but it was another good performance from the visitors. Two very different 45 minutes with a dominant display in the first half, followed by a closer contest in the second but one they came out comfortably on top of.
Full time: Buckland Athletic 0 Yeovil Town 5
Yeovil Town: Matt Gould, Jordan Thomas (for Michael Smith, 60), Corey Koerner (for Alex Whittle, 60), Finn Cousin-Dawson (for Josh Ansell, 60), Morgan Williams (for Max Tisdale, 60), Sonny Blu Lo-Everton (for Krystian Woods, 77), Brett McGavin, Sam Pearson, Dylan Morgan, Jordan Young (for Frank Nouble, 60), Harvey Greenslade.
Substitutes (not used): Ollie Wright, Will Howard, Jake Wannell, Matt Worthington, Aaron Jarvis.
Goals: Harvey Greenslade 5 (1-0), Jordan Young 16 (2-0), Harvey Greenslade 32 (3-0), Michael Smith 76 (4-0), Frank Nouble 85 (5-0).