An early goal from striker Stephen Walker earned Yeovil Town a win in their first pre-season friendly at Huish Park on a warm Saturday afternoon.
The frontman, who took his tally to three goals in his three friendly appearances, curled home a beautiful strike with just two minutes on the clock in front of a crowd of 772 in the Somerset sunshine.
There were some impressive attacking moves from the Glovers throughout the performance with Ryan Jones looking particularly effective with many of the starting line-up given an hour rather than the wholesale changes we have seen in the opening two friendlies.
In keeping with pre-season tradition, there was an appearance from three trialists including former Arsenal academy defender William Lannin-Sweet, Bristol Rovers academy player Kian Hill and a new face in Brentford B attacker Kyrie Pierre, who played down the left side for the final 30 minutes.
First half
The Glovers, wearing their new pink away shirt despite being at home, started with a full complement of permanent players – with the exception of loanee defender Loick Ayina, who on loan from Salford City until the end of the season – with trialists left on the substitutes’ bench. Read more about the team news – here.
The game did not take too long to warm up on the pitch with Stephen WALKER opening the scoring with the Glovers’ first attack. Brett McGavin won the ball fed Ryan Jones who picked out the striker and he curled home his third goal of pre-season with a beautiful effort after just two minutes.
Mason Obeng tried to get in on the act two minutes later as the winger made a driving run before trying a low effort which went just wide. A bright start in their first pre-season outing in front of their own supporters from the Glovers.
On 16 minutes, Archie Davies went on a run from inside his own half and made it in to the Cardiff area and found Walker inside the six-yard box, but his effort came off the post but was cleared away. We look strong in wide positions with Obeng and Jones particularly dangerous and that was a sign of what Davies can do going down the right side.
There was another good run from Davies shortly after the first half hydration break which led to Obeng’s effort being tipped wide for a corner which Loick Ayina headed wide with 28 minutes on the clock.
On 34 minutes, Luke McCormick pushed forward and had a deflected effort turned wide by visiting keeper Jake Dennis and Walker had the ball in the net four minutes later, but was denied by an offside flag. McCormick tried a audacious long range effort after spotting Dennis off his line, but he was a couple of feet over the bar and the ball landed on the top of the net.
Cardiff’s first chance fell to Roko Simic with five minutes of the half remaining when some sloppy Yeovil defending from gifted the young Croatian the opportunity who did not enough contact on it, before McGavin’s free-kick was pushed behind by Dennis. Good save.
Half-time: Yeovil Town 1 Cardiff City Under-21s 0
Second half
There were only two changes for Yeovil at half-time rather than the entire change of eleven we have seen in the previous two friendlies. Johl Powell and Slavi Spasov replaced Luke McCormick and goal-scorer Stephen Walker for the second half with Westbrooke taking the captain’s armband from McCormick.
Five minutes after the restart, a beautiful passage of passing from Yeovil saw Jones and Davies link up well for the latter to get a cross which picked out Spasov inside the box, but the summer signing could not get the ball under control. Two minutes later, Jones curled an effort just wide. A bright start for the Glovers.
Goalkeeper Jos Barker, playing his first second half minutes since arriving in pre-season, made a great save with his legs to deny Mannie Barton after a swift break from Cardiff. Powell broke away down the right soon after and found Jones who put it just wide and then (yet) another burst forward from Jones squared it to McGavin on the stretch but his effort was straight at Dennis in the Bluebirds’ goal.
On the hour mark the wholesale changes usually reserved for half-time came from Yeovil boss Billy Rowley with only keeper Jos Barker, defender Joe Gubbins and midfielder Zain Westbrooke remaining from the starting XI, the revised line-up is:
Jos Barker, Hayden Muller, Jack Kingdon, Joe Gubbins, Dan Ellison, Zain Westbrooke, Johl Powell, Slavi Spasov, Kian Hill (Trialist A), William Lannin-Sweet (Trialist B), Kyrie Pierre (Trialist C).
Pierre, described as “an attacker” by his parent club Premier League Brentford, played down the left wing. He joined the Bees from Aston Villa last summer on a free transfer and played for them in the Premier League 2 last season.
There were a raft of changes from Cardiff and one of them, Hayden Allmark, was denied by a good stop from Barker after 67 minutes and a hydration break which followed saw Gubbins replaced by Joy Mukena.
On 74 minutes, Spasov found Powell whose effort went just wide before Barker was called in to action to keep out substitute Gabriel Keita with ten minutes remaining.
Full time: Yeovil Town 1 Cardiff City Under-21s 0
Teams:
First half – Yeovil Town: Jos Barker, Jordan Norville-Williams, Loick Ayina, Archie Davies, Joe Gubbins, Brett McGavin, Zain Westbrooke, Ryan Jones, Mason Obeng, Luke McCormick (for Johl Powell, 46), Stephen Walker (for Slavi Spasov, 46).
60 minutes – Yeovil Town: Jos Barker, Hayden Muller, Jack Kingdon, Joe Gubbins (for Joy Mukena, 70), Dan Ellison, Zain Westbrooke, Johl Powell, Slavi Spasov, Kian Hill (Trialist A), William Lannin-Sweet (Trialist B), Kyrie Pierre (Trialist C).
Cardiff City Under-21s: Jake Dennis, Charlie O’Brien (for Caden Voice, 77), Jesper Daland (for Alyas Debono, 46), Thierry Katsukunya (for Gabriel Keita, 77), Luey Giles (for Logan Cartwright, 77), Issac Davies (for Hayden Allmark, 62), Trey George (for Tiger Tobin, 77), Troy Perrett (for Ellis Yorke, 77), Mannie Barton (for Mannie Barton, 77), Herbie James (for Jake Davies, 46), Roko Simic (for Dan Ola, 46).
Scorers: Stephen Walker 2 (1-0)
Attendance: 772