Venue: Huish Park
Saturday October 8th, 3pm kick-off
Conditions: A clear, sunny Somerset day
Pitch: Looking good, but cut up in places
Attendance: 2,244 (60 away supporters)
Scorers: Chiori Johnson 58 (1-0)
Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Sam Pearson 11, Matt Worthington 73.
Solihull Moors: None.
Referee: Alan Dale
Yeovil Town : (3-5-2)
Grant Smith
Owen Bevan Josh Staunton Ben Richards-Everton
Sam Pearson Matt Worthington Lawson D’Ath (for Morgan Williams, 53) Sam Perry Chiori Johnson
Charlie Wakefield Malachi Linton (for Alex Fisher, 72)
Substitutes (not used): Max Hunt, Will Dawes, Jake Scrimshaw.
Solihull Moors: Moulden, Clarke, Coker, Maycock (for Reid, 78), Gudger, Howe, Sbarra (for Parsons, 90+2), Dallas, Osborne, Barnett, Kelly. Substitutes (not used): Kelleher, Vaughan, Whelan.
Match Report
Yeovil Town picked up their second win of the season in a 1-0 win over Solihull Moors at Huish Park this afternoon.
Chiori Johnson’s second half goal was enough for Chris Hargraves side who saw the game out comfortably to pick up three points.
The result lifts the Glovers out of the National League drop zone and up to 17th place.
Here’s how Ian saw it…..
First half
Yeovil were under pressure less than a minute in. Josh Staunton conceded a free-kick which, after a corner and throw in, resulted in an a good left handed save from Grant Smith as the Glovers struggled to clear their lines.
Chiori Johnson should have put Yeovil ahead in the 4th minute. The Glovers broke with Malachi Linton who returned the ball to Charlie Wakefield after his flick on and Wakefield’s cross was on a plate for Johnson who skied it over the bar.
The Glovers had momentum and a speculative strike from Linton was deflected wide of the Solihull goal as Louis Moulden scrambled to his left.
Joe Sbarra had his first sight of goal in the 10th minute, cutting inside and firing a low effort at goal that was pushed wide by Smith.
As the match calmed in middle of the first half, both sides dwelled for possession with Yeovil’s familiar pattern of patience followed by an impatient lump forward. Solihull had a decent effort from a free-kick just effort the half hour mark, although Smith watched Ben Coker’s shot glide past his post.
Yeovil had a golden opportunity to open the scoring in the 38th minute as Matt Worthington broke from a corner with three teammates in support against a lone Solihull defender. He shifted the ball to Wakefield on his left and as Wakefield cut inside to shoot he seemed to get his foot stuck in the turf and fell to the floor.
As the first half entered stoppage time, Linton picked the pocket of a Moors defender and looked to curl a shot into the far corner. His effort looped into the away end as the first half came to a close.
Half time: Yeovil Town 0 Solihull Moors 0
Second half
Neither side came out of the traps particularly fast but Solihull nearly drew first blood in the 50th minute. A great ball in behind saw Josh Kelly go one on one with Smith. As Josh Staunton chased Kelly down, the striker put his shot over the bar.
Chris Hargreaves made his first change of the match shortly after with Morgan Williams coming on for Lawson D’Ath, moving Sam Pearson central and Williams to right midfield.
Chiori JOHNSON made up for his early miss in the 57th minute to give the Glovers a 1-0 lead. The left wing-back/midfielder was in the right place at the right time to tap home after Worthington’s shot from the edge if the box was parried into his path. 1-0.
Alex Fisher came on for Linton and almost had an immediate impact. His left footed strike was saved by Moulden but fell to the feet of Williams who had his shot charged down by two Solihull defenders.
As the clock ticked away Solihull seemingly took their foot off the gas, seemingly happy with zero points.
Fisher very nearly got the Glovers second in the 84th minute, meeting Ben Richards-Everton’s cross with a header that was well saved by Moulden.
Yeovil should have been out of sight two minutes from time, the Glovers broke at pace with Pearson who had Williams up with him. As the Bristol City loanee bore down on goal, he went for it himself rather than pass to Williams who was in the better position.
With six minutes added on, Solihull really didn’t chase the game as you’d expect and Chris Hargreaves side were in control as they picked up their second win of the season.