Yeovil Town drew another blank in front of goal but picked up a point on the road at Sutton United in the National League Premier.
The Glovers were the better side in the first half with Frank Nouble lashing one wide and Jordan Young forcing a good save out of hosts’ keeper Steve Arnold whilst Ollie Wright did well to tip a free-kick from former loanee Lewis Simper over the bar.
But in the second half it was the home side who pressed the advantage with substitute Josh Coley causing all sorts of problems and Wright, who made some important saves in Saturday’s defeat at Oldham Athletic, had to be on form again.
There was a late injury to full-back Alex Whittle who landed heavily after a heavy tackle late in the second half which will cause concern for Yeovil boss Mark Cooper – but no more so than seeing his side fail to hit the target for a fourth consecutive match.
First half
The opening 15 minutes saw both sides matching each other with neither side forcing either keeper in to any action. The visitors certainly pressed the advantage the better with Jordan Young’s scuffed effort wide as close as they came, at the other end a Lewis Simper shot blocked by Morgan Williams was as close as they came to breaking the deadlock.
On the left side, on loan Rotherham United forward Ciaran McGuckin was looking lively and at the heart of some of some impressive attacking play from the Glovers.
That led to Frank Nouble getting an opportunity to move in to the centre and lash an effort just the wrong side of the post. Not far away from Frank there.
At the other end Jayden Harris turned past the Yeovil defence and was tripped for a free-kick on the right side, the defensive big guns are up. But Simper goes for the shot and Ollie Wright has to be alert to tip it over. That’s a great stop from the young keeper.
Great save Ollie @YTFC #ytfc pic.twitter.com/q8JA1z3p02
— Kevin Salisbury (@KevinSa33877068) September 24, 2024
On 28 minutes, more determined play from McGuckin got the ball to Young who squeezed through the Sutton defence and hit it goalwards but Steve Arnold stood tall and pulled off a good save.
It has been an organised display from the visitors and they have left the Sutton forwards living off scraps, it is only set-pieces where they have threatened so far.
Three minutes before half-time Charlie Cooper’s corner in to the box came in to the box and fell to McGuckin who fired towards goal but it was block. Play cannoned down the other end and Dom Bernard got in a tangle and was forced to make a foul of Harris. A yellow card for his trouble as well.
Will Davies flashed a shot wide of Wright’s post with the game drawing to a close, but it was Yeovil who dominated the first half. The better possession, the better chances and kept Sutton to a couple of long-range efforts.
Mark Cooper said his side were going in to this one looking to break their drought of three matches without a goal and if we can raise the tempo a little, there’s a good chance here.
Half time: Sutton United 0 Yeovil Town 0
Second half
The opening chance of the second half came when Charlie Waller lifted a looping cross in to the box, Wright back-peddled to claw it away but the young keeper collided with the post and seemed to hit his elbow against the post and needed treatment. Fortunately the Southampton man was okay to continue.
From the off you can tell Sutton have instructions to press much further forward in this second half. Credit to Yeovil’s first half display, the home side have changed their tactics.
On 52 minutes, Nouble’s ball from the right was hung up to back post where McGuckin was and it was cleared away by the defender. Mark Cooper is convinced it hit a hand in there, no real appeals from the visiting players.
The visitors brought on top scorer Josh Coley on 57 minutes and within moments of his arrival he fed Waller down the left and the winger’s effort was turned aside by Wright. The corner came as far as Davies whose point blank header was well held by the keeper.
Mark Cooper responded to the pressure from the visitors with Sam Pearson coming on in place of McGuckin. The Rotherham United youngster looked lively on his first start, a good shift.
Our midfield is not winning the first ball as well as we did in the first half and Sutton are exploiting that space to press ahead much better than they did in the first half. You sense the team talk from the hosts’ manager Steve Morison has had an impact on his team.
At the other end, Jordan Young had a great break on the right side, cut inside the box and shaped to shoot. If I told you his shot went out for a throw-in, you know how it went. Sam Pearson tried to match his team-mate soon after cutting in from the left side, but hit it high, wide and not so handsome.
Mark Cooper picked up on the need to tighten up midfield with Matt Worthington coming on after 76 minutes in place of Jarvis, who had a very quiet appearance.
On 79 minutes, Alex Whittle grappled with Coley on the edge of the box, but Simper matched Young and Pearson for an off-target effort as he boomed his effort over the bar.
There’s been a marked lack of quality going forwards from Yeovil this half. Time and again there’s been wild shots and wild crosses which have wasted good opportunities. We’re hanging on here.
With five minutes, there’s a high ball in to the box and the Sutton players are surrounding Wright who fingers it away, before Waller lifted another effort in to the box and Chinwike Okoli headed harmlessly wide.
A minute later, Ashley Nadesan goes in the referee’s book for a very (very!) late challenge on Alex Whittle right in front of the dug-outs. Whittle looks to land heavily on his shoulder and soon after he goes down inside the box for some treatment. Nadesan on the other hand is substituted with his manager maybe recognising his player may have been lucky to only given a yellow.
Whittle is replaced by Finn Cousin-Dawson and Bernard has come across to left-back with the substitute fitting in at right-back. With Michael Smith missing tonight, the loss of Whittle is a concern.
With the game ticking towards the 90th minute, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton replaced Young. The winger had a decent first half, but he’s been firmly marked out of the game this half.
In the fifth minute of injury time, a promising throw-in for the visitors in the dangerous position. Foul throw by Cousin-Dawson. That summed up this second half from Yeovil.
A game of two halves. Yeovil definitely on top in the opening 45 minutes, but they had to dig deep in the second period as Sutton pressed forward to hang on for a point. A good point, but it is another game without a goal.
Full time: Sutton United 0 Yeovil Town 0
Match Details
Venue: Gander Green Lane
Date: Tuesday 24th September – 19:45
Competition: National League Premier
Pitch: Bit damp
Conditions: Damp, also
Attendance: 2246 (181 away supporters)
Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Charlie Cooper 37, Dom Bernard 43, Morgan Williams 72, Alex Whittle 79
Sutton United: Will Davies 40, Ashley Nadesan 87, Jayden Harris 90+1
Referee: Paul Johnson
Yeovil Town (4-2-3-1)
Substitutes: Sam Pearson (for Ciaran McGuckin, 61), Matt Worthington (for Aaron Jarvis, 76), Finn Cousin-Dawson (for Alex Whittle, 90+1), Sonny Blu Lo-Everton (for Jordan Young, 90+4), Matt Gould (not used).
Sutton United: Steve Arnold, Chinwike Okoli, Harry Ransom, Charlie Waller, Tyler French, Siju Odelusi (for Finley Barbrook, 57), Lewis Simper, Jayden Harris, Eduino Vaz (for Josh Coley, 57), Ashley Nadesan, Will Davies.
Substitutes (not used): Jack Sims, Edwin Agabje, Matt Rush, Nana Boateng, Jeremy Sivi.
Solid first half with some good chances. Ran out of ideas and legs a bit in the second half but when there is such a small squad and rotation is limited (let alone when a few aren’t fit/put out on loan), then the recurring Saturday/Tuesday games will be all the more difficult on a squad of 15.
It’s my one criticism of MCs strategy (and that genuinely is just one) that he believes a squad of 20 is enough to get you through a season. I get you can only have 18 in a matchday squad but all except the back-up goalie knows they’ll get game time so there is never any serious competition for places.
As we’ve seen within the first eleven games, it only takes an injury to a Michael Smith, Morgan Williams, or Alex Whittle and there isn’t much back-up. We really are in trouble if Nouble, Jarvis and yes, even the nay sayers favourite Cooper gets injured. We just don’t have effective cover (dare I say as good as or any?) in those areas.
Other than that it seemed a good point and we don’t seem far away from getting a win.