Yeovil Town’s 14-match winning run came to an as they exited the FA Trophy with defeat at Torquay United on Saturday afternoon.
The Glovers named a much-changed line-up with seven changes from the midweek home win over Farnborough and within two minutes the home side took advantage opening the scoring after just two minutes through Dillon De Silva.
Callum Dolan, the midfielder on loan from Fleetwood Town, put the Gulls 2-0 up with a fine strike early in the second half and it took an own goal from Torquay substitute Ryan Harris in the 90 minutes for the visitors to pull one back.
The run comes to and then and Yeovil Town go to Chippenham
First half
Yeovil Town boss Mark Cooper made seven changes from the midweek home win over Farnborough with a completely different back four in front of goalkeeper Joe Day. In the centre of defence, club captain Josh Staunton lined up alongside Bristol City loanee Duncan Idehen with Zac Bell and the returning Alex Whittle in the full-back positions.
And the much-changed back line faced their first test when Dillon DE SILVA found himself in acres of space down the left hand side and was given time and space by Whittle to pick his spot. Add that to the “horrendous” goals category. There has not been many of them this season, but that was definitely one.
The opening exchanges suggested that the lack of matches played by the visitors’ defence had not gone unnoticed by Torquay boss Gary Johnson who clearly instructed his side to press the Glovers.
Injury almost got added to insult when Whittle collided with the advertising boards in front of the away supporters after 12 minutes. The former York City man needed help from the medical staff to make it back to the halfway line, but returned to the action albeit not looking comfortable.
Callum Dolan had the ball in the net for the home side after 14 minutes, but the whistle had gone for a foul on Jordan Young in the build-up, and three minutes later the Glovers were indebted to Day who made a superb stop to deny first De Silva and then Brad Ash. The home side very much on top here with De Silva causing all kinds of problem.
Former W*ymouth striker Ash curled an effort wide on 22 minutes, whereas at the other end of the pitch it took until 28 minutes for them to force Rhys Lovett in to a meaningful save. Good play by Will Dawes saw him made a good turn and fire in a shot which the keeper turned around the post.
De Silva was involved again on 37 minutes, setting up Dolan who fired wide before Staunton’s flicked header from a Jordan Maguire-Drew free-kick went the same way a minute later.
Dolan put another effort wide on 40 minutes and, as the game closed towards the interval, two chances came the way of Yeovil. On 42 minutes, Young clipped the ball in to the box where Jake Hyde was unable to make proper contact and, a minutes later, Maguire-Drew put one over the bar.
The final chance of the half came from the same place as the start of it with De Silva who had a shot blocked in the second minute of four minutes of added time.
Half time: Torquay United 1 Yeovil Town 0
Second half
There were no changes from either side at half-time. But there was no change in much else either with Torquay starting the stronger and doubling their advantage just four minutes after the restart.
The mistake for the second goal was the same as the first with Callum DOLAN found in acres of space again and he fired a superb shot past Joe Day. The defending was poor from the visitors but take nothing away from the finish from the Fleetwood Town loanee.
Immediately after the goal, the Asa Hall replaced Ryan Hanson for Torquay. Hanson was limping as he went off, but you suspect the experience of Hall was part of the thinking from Gulls’ boss Gary Johnson.
The next chance of the game fell to Hall after 54 minutes whose long range effort on the turn was parried away by Day. You guessed it, Hall had a lot of space.
There had not been much of a response from Yeovil but, on 58 minutes, Young made a run down the left to pull defenders away and Maguire-Drew was in space and hooked his effort over the bar.
A minute later, manager Cooper had seen enough replacing Young with Exeter City loanee Sonny Cox. Young had been one of the better players for the visitors, but will be unavailable for Tuesday night’s trip to Chippenham Town. A sign of the boss thinking ahead to the Tuesday night fixture, or of the significance he places on the FA Trophy? You decide.
On 62 minutes, Frank Nouble replaced Will Dawes with Cox shifting out wide on the left with Nouble going down the middle.
Picture courtesy of Debs Curtis.
Johnson brought off the impressive Dylan Crowe on 66 minutes, replacing him with on-loan AFC Bournemouth defender Archie Harris, suggesting he was closing up the game.
On 70 minutes, Maguire-Drew in the centre circle intercepted a clearance from Lovett trip and tried to lift one over the stranded keeper – but it went wide.
A minute later, Matt Worthington replaced Sonny Blu Lo-Everton to make his 200th appearance for the club, putting him in to 49th position in the club’s all-time appearance charts.
Nouble fired an effort over from a tight angle and then on 76 minutes Day was forced in to a smart stop at his near post to keep out Hall’s header from a long throw by Dean Moxey.
Maguire-Drew had a great opportunity to halve the deficit when he free-kick in what we can call “Jordan Young territory” on the edge of the box. But, with Young watching on from the sidelines, Maguire-Drew’s effort got over the defensive wall but went wide of the post. Sums up our performance in front of goal.
There had not been a great deal positive coming forward for Yeovil but just before the fourth official put up the board for six minutes of added time. A Maguire-Drew free-kick in to the box was aimed towards Duncan Idehen at the back post and it was Torquay substitute Harris who headed in an OWN GOAL.
That did spark a bit of a reaction from the visitors who (belatedly) piled forward and in the final attack of the game, a fantastic reverse pass from Worthington found Nouble powering forward down the right side and smashed a ball across the face of the goal but Sonny Cox could not find it at the far post.
That was the best chance Yeovil fashioned all afternoon and that tells its own story as Torquay gained revenge for their defeat in National League South a week-and-a-half earlier.
Full time: Torquay United 2 Yeovil Town 1
Match Details
Venue: Plainmoor
Saturday 18th November, 3pm kick-off
Competition: FA Trophy
Pitch: Wet
Conditions: Windy
Attendance: 1,740 (322 away supporters)
Scorers: Dillon De Silva 2 (0-1), Callum Dolan 49 (0-2), Ryan Harris o.g. 90 (1-2)
Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Josh Owers 34,
Torquay United: Callum Dolan 90+1
Referee: Robert Ablett
Yeovil Town (4-3-3)
Substitutes: Sonny Cox (for Jordan Young, 59), Frank Nouble (for Will Dawes, 62), Matt Worthington (for Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, 71), Charlie Cooper (not used), Rhys Murphy (not used), Alex Fisher (not used).
Torquay United: Rhys Lovett, Dylan Crowe (for Archie Harris, 66), Ryan Hanson (for Asa Hall, 50), Brad Ash, Brett McGavin, Shaun Donnellan, Dillon De Silva (for Lewis Collins, 72), Theo Williams, Callum Dolan, Dean Moxey, Ollie Tomlinson.
Substitutes (not used): Filip Chalupniczak, Calum Thomas.