Yeovil Town’s seven-match unbeaten run came to an end at the hands of FC Halifax Town in a match which saw defender Jake Wannell red carded late in the game.
Following a thoroughly forgettable first half, the visitors took the lead on 57 minutes when Florent Hoti rifled home from the edge of the box, but it was a double substitution nine minutes later which changed the game for the home side.
Michael Smith and Josh Sims replaced Frank Nouble and Sonny Blu Lo-Everton as Yeovil pushed for an equaliser with Sims spurning some great opportunities and Pedro Borges forcing a fine save out of Halifax keeper Sam Johnson.
With 90 minutes on the clock, Wannell was given a straight red after an off-the-ball tangle with visiting defender Will Smith, who accused the Yeovil man of stamping on him.
The result means Halifax leap-frog their hosts in to seventh place in the National League Premier Division table with the Glovers dropping to eighth.
First half
Yeovil were on top from the start and were spraying some lovely accurate passes around Huish Park, but there was nothing to trouble either Ollie Wright or Sam Johnson in the opposing goals in the opening 15 minutes.
The first chance fell to the visitors’ Billy Waters on the 15 minute mark. A long ball over the top saw the Yeovil defence stand still expecting an offside flag which did not come and they were indebted to Ollie Wright who made a superb save with his legs. Seconds later Florent Hoti flashed an effort just wide of the left-hand post. A let off for the Glovers.
For the next 15 minutes, the similar formations and styles of the two sides boasting the third and fourth-best defensive records in the division rather cancelled each other out.
On 33 minutes, Hoti called Wright in to action again, this time with a long range effort which the on loan Southampton keeper got down smartly to parry away.
There were no efforts on goal for Yeovil but Kofi Shaw gave the crowd something to get excited about on 35 minutes. He produced a Cruyff turn about 25 yards from the visitors’ goal, drove forward and fired a ball back across goal which Johnson did well to cut out with green-and-white shirts arriving behind him.
The half finished with Waters’ chance in the 15th minute the only meaningful effort on goal from either side. Stalemate.
Half time: Yeovil Town 0 FC Halifax Town 0
Second half
The first opportunity for the home side came three minutes after the restart and a great opportunity for Nouble to play a sideways pass to Shaw who was in a great position, but instead he tried to chip it forward to Jarvis. Almost a great opportunity. Almost.
The opening ten minutes of the second half were more lively than the opening 45 minutes. The game has become a bit of a scrap with Hoti firing another effort wide for the visitors.
But on 57 minutes, Hoti broke the deadlock. A free-kick in to the box was not dealt with by the Yeovil defence, Adam Adetoro laid it off to Florent HOTI on the edge of the box and he smashed it through a crowded area past Wright.
With still no efforts on goal from the home side and Halifax having the best defensive record in the division on their travels, this is a test.
On 66 minutes, Yeovil rang the changes with Michael Smith and Josh Sims replacing Frank Nouble and Sonny Blu Lo-Everton. That mean a back four with Whittle, Wannell, Cousin-Dawson and Smith, whilst Borges moved in to the middle alongside McGavin.
Sims almost had an instant impact when he got his head on a left wing cross from Whittle a minute after his arrival, but it was straight in to the hands of Johnson.
Soon after the same combination saw Whittle’s ball drop to Sims on 70 minutes and the former Southamnpton man’s volley went over.
But the best opportunity came from Jake Wannell two minutes later when he got a close range header in from a superb cross from Shaw, but Johnson was there. We have definitely upped the tempo since the changes, but Johnson’s not really been tested yet.
On 85 minutes, another great opportunity when Sims burst in to the box and side-footed it to Shaw who went down in a bundle inside the six-yard area. The roar went up from the Huish Park crowd, but it was not given by the referee.Two minutes (yet) another chance, McGavin’s corner fell to Shaw (I think) and it was scrambled away, then seconds later Wannell found himself inside the box and yet he could not get enough on it to scramble it home. How Yeovil have not scored in these last ten minutes, I do not know.
Undoubtedly, the impact of Michael Smith and Josh Sims has had an impact, ever since their arrivals it has been chance after chance – but still nothing over the line.
“1-0 to the referee” was ringing around Huish Park and they got louder with a minute of normal time remaining when Jake Wannell was sent off. An off-the-ball incident between the defender, who had been playing up front for the past five minutes, and Halifax’s Will Smith led to loud complaints accusing Wannell of stamping on his opponent from the visitors and a red card shown by referee Jason Richardson.
No way could the referee have seen that incident, presumably one of his assistants did. If there is no appeal (or an unsuccessful one), that would be Wannell’s second red card of the season and a four-match ban.
Full time: Yeovil Town 0 FC Halifax Town 1
Match Details
Venue: Huish Park
Date: Saturday 16th November 2024 – 3pm kick-off
Competition: National League Premier Division
Scorers: Florent Hoti 57,
Pitch: Skiddy
Conditions: Grey, cold, damp
Attendance: 3,829 (69 away supporters)
Bookings:
FC Halifax Town: Florent Hoti 82
Yeovil Town: Sonny Blu Lo-Everton 32,
Red Cards:
FC Halifax Town: None
Yeovil Town: Jake Wannell 90
Referee: Jason Richardson
Yeovil Town (3-4-2-1)
Substitutes: Michael Smith (for Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, 66), Josh Sims (for Frank Nouble, 66), Dom Bernard (not used), Dylan Morgan (not used), Harvey Greenslade (not used), Matt Gould (not used) .
FC Halifax Town: Sam Johnson, Adam Senior, Angelo Cappello (for Jack Evans, 75), Will Smith, Jo Cummings, Adam Adetoro (for Adan George, 72), Tom Pugh, Jack Jenkins (for Andrew Oluwabori, 83), Jamie Cooke, Billy Waters, Florent Hoti (for Owen Bray, 84).
Substitutes (not used): Nathaniel Ford, Frankie Sinfield, Zak Emmerson.
The sending off: I was luckily sitting in line with the Assistant Referee who saw the off the ball stamp whilst the Referee was following the ball forward towards the Yeovil half. This Assistant Referee was in line, within 30 yards of the incident, no players in his vision of the clash and raised his flag and advised that Referee. Unnecessary petulance will result in a red card. Now let’s see if my interpretation is agreed or dismissed by the FA. Certainly listening to an earlier description my perception is much different to words including “70 yards away and through a crowd of players”.
Lack of precision and anticipation in the final third is the area to impact in future. Good passing from the back and into the opponents half needs to be energised towards the opponents goal areas, as towards the end Smith and McGiven showed.