An injury time equaliser saw Yeovil Town’s pre-season campaign finish with a draw at Plymouth Parkway on Saturday.
A header from the home side’s substitute Dylan Jones saw the Glovers pegged back late on having played the entire second half with ten men after a questionable sending off for defender Morgan Williams late in the first half.
Striker Jake Hyde made it four goals in his four pre-season appearances to open the scoring on 29 minutes before Yeovil keeper Lewis Williams saved a penalty late in the first half with the other Williams departing soon after.
Ben was among the away supporters at Bolitho Park and here is how he saw it…..
First half
In a scrappy first couple of minutes, both sides struggled to get the ball down, Parkway found a little joy down their left hand side to force a corner, but it was well dealt with at the second attempt by Jake Hyde.
The first Glovers attempt came just 90 seconds later. Hyde again in the action linking up with Jordan Young who forced a good save from the Plymouth keeper from close range.
There was an urgency to the away side, both Jordan Young and Will Dawes keeping the game moving at a rapid pace.
Sonny Blu Lo-Everton saw a free-kick come to nothing before Plymouth had a set piece of their own.
A training ground manoeuvre failed to come off with Matt Worthington closing down.
Plymouth were having some early success down the Glovers right as the home side looked to take advantage of Young’s more attacking position, but nothing Morgan Williams couldn’t handle.
Dawes was soon back into the action down the left 11 minutes in, linking up with Hyde to produce a cross that Frank Nouble could only nod wide.
With 16 minutes on the clock, Parkway arguably should have taken the lead, a hopeful long ball found hosts’ striker Jack Crago, but Yeovil keeper Lewis Williams’ position forced the striker into a looping shot which fell high, wide and not so handsome.
Yeovil did have the ball in the net on 18 mins, Hyde sliding Young’s through ball under the keeper, but the former Southend man was flagged offside.
After 20 minutes, a Young effort from 20 yards was well cleared, after more good work from Dawes down the left, the Glovers were turning the screw.
Sonny Blu Lo-Everton was a constant menace just in behind the front line, his driving run into the box could only result in a scuffed shot wide with a quarter of the game gone.
Dawes was once again picking off crosses down the left, Hyde just unable to get enough leverage on his header as the away side continued to press.
It was just before the half-hour mark that Yeovil finally found a breakthrough. The ball stuck to Nouble like glue and his whipped cross in was tapped in by HYDE. A goal he had deserved, but down entirely to Nouble’s footwork.
More good work from Nouble, Hyde and Young forced a couple of free kicks in a game which didn’t lack a little spike. The resulting set piece was straight down the keeper’s throat.
As the half drew to a close, Parkway did grow into the game, the two Josh’s, Staunton and Owers mopping up on multiple occasions.
With 39 minutes in the clock, Plymouth were awarded a somewhat…questionable penalty.
Nouble was adjudged to have fouled Crago in the box, but Williams was equal to the shot from the home side’s captain Ryan Lane diving down to his right with the rebound blazed over.
With minutes left before the break, Matt Worthington was brought down by a rash challenge by Parkway’s Callum Hall.
21 of the 22 were soon engaged in some aggressive cuddling in the centre circle.
Morgan Williams was shown a red card after the melee, following a discussion between assistant and referee. The assistant seemed to suggest ‘punching’ from the Glovers’ number 2.
Half-time: Plymouth Parkway 0 Yeovil Town 1
Second half
The changes started to come after the break, but the Glovers were still intent on keeping their full-backs high.
Dawes on the left combined with Lo-Everton to force a corner whilst Zac Bell had a couple of nice touches early on.
Hyde was proving to be a handful, sheer strength from him saw a ball slide through to Olly Thomas, but the Bristol City loanee couldn’t get the ball out from under his feet.
A Sendles-White long throw caused havoc in the Parkway defence, Zac Bell scuffed a shot wide.
Owers linked well with Thomas, but the ball squirmed away, the Glovers were in no mood to take their foot off the gas.
Jordan Maguire-Drew, Alex Whittle, Rhys Murphy, Charlie Cooper and Will Buse were introduced just before the hour mark.
The goalscorer, Jake Hyde was one of those sacrificed. He scored once, but on another day he could have had four.
The changes in personnel did bring about a slight change in formation.
Olly Thomas a lone front man with Murphy and JM-D playing as a duo in behind.
JM-D flung at least one dangerous cross in to force set pieces, but they were snuffed out by a wall of yellow.
At the other end, Will Buse punched a Parkway free kick clear with Josh Owers adopting the role of chief mopper upper.
JM-D’s set pieces were again causing trouble. Olly Thomas not able to capatalise on a ball he wasn’t expecting to get.
Parkway did manage a few forays into the Glovers’ final third, but some sensible defence defending from Jamie Sendells-White and some harmless pot shots were all that the hosts could really offer.
At the right end, Charlie Cooper had a shot closed down after some one touch magic with Rhys Murphy whilst Alex Whittle sent a shot in from distance, it might take some finding.
Charlie Cooper was really in the mood, he and Owers charged forward, but Murphy couldn’t release Thomas as the loanee had strayed offside.
Cooper was playing a box-to-box role in his short stint on the pitch, mopping up on the edge of our 18 yard box and getting forward at every opportunity.
It was Cooper again who had a sniff at goal, JMD and Murphy were exchanging neat touches in around the edge of the box before Whittle whipped in a hard and low cross that Cooper got to, and but for an outstretched boot, may well have scored with.
Yeovil found themselves absorbing a little bit of pressure late on, Parkway getting a couple of corners and free kicks. For the most part, Yeovil were equal to the challenge.
But with a few minutes left on the clock, THOMAS rose highest from a set piece to nod the hosts level.
At the very death, Rhys Murphy was clean through on goal, but his effort was well saved despite the almighty shove he received as he shot.
It was, one of the more dominant 1-1 draws you’ll likely see with the first half penalty the only real chance to fall the way of the hosts before last gasp equaliser.
The Glovers will be happy to have navigated a fair amount of time with 10 players, even if they didn’t take advantage of more opportunities.
Full time: Plymouth Parkway 1 Yeovil Town 1
Yeovil Town: Lewis Williams (for Will Buse, 60), Morgan Williams, Josh Staunton, Jake Wannell (for Jamie Sendles-White, 46), Will Dawes (for Charlie Cooper, 65), Jordan Young (for Zac Bell, 46), Matt Worthington (for Alex Whittle, 65), Josh Owers, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton (for Jordan Maguire-Drew, 60), Frank Nouble (for Olly Thomas, 46), Jake Hyde (for Rhys Murphy, 60).