Venue: Plainmoor
Sunday December 26th, 3pm kick-off
Conditions: Typically Boxing Day.
Pitch: Soft and cut up quickly,
Attendance: 3830 (643 away)
Scorers: Ben Wynter 66 (0-1), Morgan Williams o.g. 70 (0-2), Joe Lewis 86 (0-3).
Referee: Scott Jackson
Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Adi Yussuf 38, Matt Worthington 45, Dale Gorman 58, Dan Moss 75,
Torquay United: None.
Sending off:
Yeovil Town: Sonny Blu Lo-Everton 64, Grant Smith – after the final whistle.
Torquay United: None.
Yeovil Town : (4-3-3)
Grant Smith
Dan Moss, Max Hunt, Luke Wilkinson, Morgan William,s
Dale Gorman, Josh Staunton Matt Worthington
Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, Adi Yussuf, Charlie Wakefield
Substitutes: Tom Knowles (for Adi Yussuf, 69), Jordan Barnett (for Dale Gorman, 78) Reuben Reid (for Morgan Williams, 81), Jaheim Headley (not used), Max Evans (not used).
Torquay United: MacDonald, Wynter, Martin, Lapslie, Lemonheigh-Evans, Wright, Little, Lolos (for Johnson, 81), Moxey (for Omar, 90+2), Sparkes (for O’Connell, 88), Lewis. Substitutes (not used): Hall, Holman.
Match Report
Yeovil Town‘s 12-match unbeaten run (yes, we’re sticking with the Somerset Premier Cup counting) came to an end at Torquay United after collapsing following a red card for Sonny Blu Lo-Everton.
Then, to add insult to even more insult, goalkeeper Grant Smith was shown a red card after the final whistle, presumably for something he said.
The on-loan Watford forward was sent off after kicking out on 64 minutes and that led to the capitulation with Ben Wynter opening the scoring two minutes and it only got worse for the visitors from there.
The result was a masterclass for former Glovers’ boss Gary Johnson whose side were far more streetwise (zero yellow cards to our four) and had no problem making the most of their one-man advantage.
The Gulls deserved the win and it was a the first bad day at the office for Darren Sarll’s men since their last defeat at the end of October.
They’ll be looking to bounce back in six days time when Johnson brings his side to Huish Park, but Yeovil will have to do it without both Lo-Everton and Dan Moss, who picked up his fifth booking.
First half
As you’d expect, there were quite a few changes from the FA Trophy win over Woking last weekend with goalkeeper Grant Smith returning in place of Max Evans, Morgan Williams replacing loanee Jaheim Headley at left back after recovering from COVID-19, whilst up front Adi Yussuf replacing Reuben Reid and Charlie Wakefield came in for Tom Knowles.
All those who missed out found their way on to the substitutes’ bench with Yeovil boss Darren Sarll seemingly setting his side up for a combative encounter on a pitch which quickly cut up as the half progressed.
Picture courtesy of Mike Kunz.
Combative was exactly how the opening 45 minutes turned with a few tasty challenges going in from both sides in front of a bumper crowd – including a good following from Somerset.
Recognising it is a local derby, referee Scott Jackson certainly allowed quite a lot go preferring to give players from both sides a talking too rather than giving out early bookings. Commenting positively on National League referees is not something we do often, but is allowed in spite of Rule One of the Gloverscast.
In the first 20 minutes, striker Danny Wright headed over and midfielder Connor Lemonheigh-Evans fired wide for the Yellows, and it took until the 19th minute for Yeovil to get their first chance with Charlie Wakefield hitting a soft one in to the arms of MacDonald.
The first clear-cut opportunity came just before the half-hour mark when Matt Worthington did well to dig out a cross to find Yussuf in the box, but his header went narrowly wide.
That was certainly as good as it got for Yeovil in the first half and there were not really any clearer chances for Torquay with a header over the bar from Joe Lewis just before the break the only real opportunity.
To sum up the first half in three words: Not a classic.
Half time: Torquay United 0 Yeovil Town 0
Second half
There were no changes for either side at half-time and it was Yeovil who came out of the traps the faster, perhaps with a Darren Sarll-sized flea in their ears at the interval.
Three minutes after the break, Dale Gorman’s free-kick found the head of Morgan Williams at the back post and the ball dropped to Luke Wilkinson whose header went over.
The feisty-ness of the match continued after the break and referee Mr Jackson’s willingness to let things go in the first half always threatened to let things bubble over and they did on 64 minutes when Sonny Blu Lo-Everton kicked out at Josh Lapslie. In the words of Yeovil Town media man Sam Collard on BBC Somerset commentary, the decision showed “the inconsistency of National League officials“. Rule 1, Sam.
Having started the game the stronger, that was the moment where the game fell apart for Yeovil Town. Two minutes later, a back-heel from, Wright found Lapslie whose effort pin-balled around the box until Ben WYNTER lashed it home. The visitors claimed an offside, but the lead was nothing less than the home side deserved.
On 70 minutes, it was 2-0 to Torquay. A ball in to the box found Exeter City loanee Jack Sparkes whose header deflected twice and hit Morgan Williams in the face and went in to the net for an OWN GOAL.
On 76 minutes, Matt Worthington found himself clear through on goal but his effort was turned wide by MacDonald who honestly should not have been given a chance. From the resulting corner, an acrobatic effort from Dan Moss came off the crossbar and away.
The third came came on when Lemonheigh-Evans’ ball in to the box found Joe LEWIS completely unmarked to head home.
Quite how the game only ended up 3-0 to the home side was testament to an outstanding save from Smith to deny Lemonheigh-Evans after good playu from Gulls’ substitute Chiori Johnson with the final effort of the game.
But, as if things weren’t bad enough, referee Jackson showed a straight red card to Smith as he applauded the away supporters.
Full time: Torquay United 3 Yeovil Town 0