Match Report: Yeovil Town 1 Worthing 3

Yeovil’s wait for the National League South title continues until at least Thursday, as they were defeated at home by Worthing in a 1-3 result.

The hosts were the better side in the first half, with a littany of chances squandered, before Worthing capitalised on a questionable penalty decision to take the lead. Yeovil continued to probe, with no luck before an unfortunate mistake from Jay Fouslton left the Glovers with a hell of a task.

The second half didn’t fare any better, with even more mistakes from officials, and squandered chances from the Glovers making life hard for themselves. An Alex Fisher goal gave Huish Park hope, before it was so cruelly snatched away in controversial circumstances. Worthing nabbed a late goal with the last kick of the game to leave Huish Park with all three points.

First half

Yeovil kept it consistent with just two changes from Monday’s clash at W*ymouth, with Sam Pearson and Sonny Blu Lo-Everton replacing Olly Thomas and the injured Jordan Stevens.

The first couple of minutes were cagey, with Yeovil and Worthing exchanging long balls and patchy possession, but the first action of note came in the 4th minute, where a wayward pass from Joe Rye inside the Worthing box ended up straight in the path of Sam Pearson, the young Welshman couldn’t keep his shot down as it fired over the Dorset Vehicle Rentals Stand.

Yeovil had the next chance 7 minutes in, where a Frank Nouble run turned into a cross-come-shot, but Ollie Wright collected it comfortably. The wind continued to wreak havoc as a long ball from Joe Day fell just ahead of Pearson, Wright coming to collect and ending the attack, before another shot from Frank Nouble shortly afterwards bounced off his own boot and over.

The hosts continued to show why they were top of the league with another chance 10 minutes in – a nice ball forward from Charlie Cooper found Sam Pearson in space on the left wing, he cut inside and played a dangerous ball into the box, but Jordan Young couldn’t get it in the net. Another good chance for Yeovil, as Worthing struggled to assert themselves early on.

Worthing almost found themselves with a chance just afterwards though, as a Morgan Williams slip gave the visitors a half chance, but Wannell came across well and recovered the ball with ease.

After 14 minutes, Worthing had good fortune come their way, as a weak penalty was handed to the visitors by referee Gareth Thomas. Jake Wannell earned a booking for his protests, and Ollie Pearce tucked the ball into the bottom left corner from the spot to make it 37 league goals for the season.

Following the penalty, Worthing took some time to have the ball and get themselves settled into the game, Yeovil defended well and snuffed out any potential attacks they looked to make. Worthing’s high press prevented Yeovil from making any forays into the opposition half when they did have possession, causing concern in the crowd, but there was a vociferous roar 24 minutes into the game when Kane Wills brought Sonny Blu Lo-Everton down just outside the box, the Worthing man finding his way into the referee’s book.

The resulting free kick was a palm stinger from Charlie Cooper, but Worthing got away with it once again – an extremely weak foul was then given against Sonny on Brad Dolaghan, drawing the ire of the Yeovil crowd.

Worthing triggered a press on Yeovil, but the hosts played out of it well, getting the ball forwards – a header from Pearson was wayward, before a long ball from Worthington had just a little bit too much on it for Pearson to reach.

Yeovil came forwards once again, Pearson once again the danger man – coming inside from the left, he laid a ball off to seemingly nobody, and Worthing scampered away once again. The next chance was again, for Yeovil, as a nicely worked run from Lo-Everton made space for him to put a ball into the box for Nouble, but his shot was wayward once again.

The visitors almost bundled the ball into the back of their own net, as Pearson and Colbran battled into the box, but Ollie Wright reacted quickly to stop it trickling into his own net.

Worthing earned themselves a corner following a block from Charlie Cooper, it came to nothing however the ball stayed with Worthing – the passage of play finished with an audacious attempt at goal from all of 40 yards flying wat wide of goal.

Yeovil then found themselves with a corner, some sloppy play allowed Worthing to break down the left hand side with Danny Cashman. He played a ball across the box for Jo Felix, but his shot flew over the bar.

From the resulting goal kick, Yeovil went down the other end and won a free kick, Worthing defender Alfie Young being booked for his cynical foul on Frank Nouble. The free kick was wasted however, as the ball simply floated into the hands of Ollie Wright.

The final five minutes of the first half were relatively uneventful, with the most notable event being a Worthing corner that was palmed away by Joe Day… until the clock just ticked over to the 45 minute mark, where Jay Foulston was pressed into a mistake by Jo Felix, his pass was soft and caught Joe Day off guard, allowing Felix to pounce, round Day and lay it off for Brad Dolaghan to finish into an empty net.

Yeovil went forwards once again but more wasteful work from the Yeovil forwards meant the hosts went into half time with a mountain to climb.

Half time: Yeovil Town 0 Worthing 2

Second half

Before the half got underway, Mark Cooper made a change, Sam Pearson being replaced by Rhys Murphy. Straight off of kickoff, Worthing fired a shot from distance at Joe Day but it drifted wide. Yeovil went on the counter from the goal kick, a Frank Nouble charge earning Yeovil a corner; the resulting corner floating over everybody, allowing Worthing back on the ball.

Yeovil almost found themselves through once again, but Young couldn’t get the ball out from under his feet and Felix covered enough ground to recover the ball for the visitors. Worthing tried playing out but Yeovil pressed well, the ball ending up with Young once again. He cut inside, fired off a shot that got blocked, before Lo-Everton fired a ball over the bar.

Yeovil came forward once again, and on the 50 minute mark, Yeovil themselves were handed a penalty by referee Gareth Thomas, when Rhys Murphy was brought down. The number 39 stepped up, but it was a poor strike and Wright got down well to save it, knocking it over the bar for a corner.

Worthing came forward down the right hand side from a goal kick, but their final ball wasn’t there and Yeovil got away with it. The visitors continued to push, earning a corner shortly after, however their well worked header went over the bar, and out for a goal kick.

Worthing had the next chance too, as Ollie Pearce broke away, almost leaving Williams in a heap on the floor with his frightening pace. He laid a ball off for Felix, but Day did well to read the deflection from Williams and caught it well.

Yeovil countered from there and won a corner, however it was a heavy ball once again and Worthing gained possession. Worthing won themselves a corner when Worthington had to track back and blocked off Dolaghan, however it landed straight on Wannell’s head and was cleared away.

The next bit of action came in the 60th minute, where Matt Worthington worked his way into the referee’s book for a challenge on the halfway line on Danny Cashman. Yeovil tried coming forward again shortly after, with Nouble winning a free kick and Worthing player Joe Rye ending up in the book. What followed was possibly the worst free kick of the season, as Jordan Young launched the ball out of play.

Five or six sloppy clearances followed from Yeovil once Worthing worked the ball into their half, before a brief break in play allowed for Dylan Morgan to replace Brooklyn Genesini.

Jordan Yong pickpocketed the Worthing midfield and came forward, laying the ball off for Rhys Murphy but the ball was wide and caused the attack to lose momentum, the half chance was lost and Worthing got back into possession. Another half chance came shortly after, where more sloppy Worthing play allowed for Nouble to come forward, the ball being blocked and recycled back to Nouble, his cross however ended up straight in the hands of Ollie Wright.

Another Yeovil attack followed, as a ball forward ended up on the right wing with now-right back Matt Worthington, his ball for Nouble weighted well, the following cross blocked out for a corner.

Before the corner was taken, Jack Sprong was replacd by Finlay Chadwick for Worthing’s first substitution, the corner was wasted and allowed the visitors to regroup once again.

More Yeovil possession followed, with intricate play coming from Nouble and Foulston, but nothing came from it, a few more feeble attacks followed before Rhys Murphy was flagged for a foul for… having his shot blocked by Alfie Young. Shortly after, Gregory Luer took to the field to replace Brad Dolaghan for Worthing’s second sub.

Alex Fisher joined the action in the 77th minute, replacing Jordan Young, and his first involvement was good, carrying the ball in Nouble-esque style, before delivering a nice floated cross for Nouble himself, his header was straight at the keeper though.

More horrendous decisions followed, as Ollie Wright handled the ball outside his box under pressure from Rhys Murphy, the Yeovil striker tucked the ball home however Wright’s excellent “goalkeeping” inexplicably won Worthing a foul instead…

Worthing continued to dilly-dally, and they were finally punished, as Morgan took a shot and slipped, his shot being cleared high. Nouble headed the ball back into the danger zone, and Alex Fisher was there to tuck the ball home to make it 1-2.

Yeovil looked positive once again, but Worthing cleared the danger and won a couple of corners, none of which came to anything. The hosts attacked once more, with a nice ball from Foulston finding Dylan Morgan in space, his cross being put behind for a corner, Charlie Cooper’s corner was dangerous, but Wright pulled off some genuinely good goalkeeping this time, to clear the danger.

Joe Felix was replaced by Cameron Tutt as the 7 additional minutes were announced, and Yeovil almost had their equaliser shortly afterwards – Morgan Williams’ header flashed just wide of the post, firing up the Yeovil faithful. What followed was another hideous set of events… Rhys Murphy found his way through, and buried the ball this time, however Frank Nouble (who wasn’t involved in play) was flagged as offside… rule 1 of Gloverscast is about to be obliterated, what a horrific decision (and there were more awful decisions throughout the game, see Murphy’s first “goal”).

Yeovil came forward once again, and a throw in from Charlie Cooper was headed out of the danger zone. Another Yeovil attack followed, cleared away once more, before Worthing finished the game off with another goal to make Yeovil wait a game longer for their crowning moment.

Full time: Yeovil Town 1 Worthing 3

Match Details

Venue: Huish Park
Date: Saturday 6th April, 15:00

Competition: National League South

Pitch: Good, slippery
Conditions: Blustery and grey

Attendance: 6,034 (143 away)

Scorers: Ollie Pearce 15 (0-1), Brad Dolaghan 45 (0-2); Alex Fisher 82 (1-2); Ollie Pearce 90+7 (1-3)

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Jake Wannell 14, Matt Worthington 60
Worthing: Kane Wills 24, Alfie Young 38, Joe Rye 63, Ollie Pearce 89

Referee: Gareth Thomas

Yeovil Town (4-2-3-1)

Substitutes: Rhys Murphy (for Sam Pearson, 45), Dylan Morgan (for Brooklyn Genesini, 66), Alex Fisher (for Jordan Young, 77)

Worthing: Ollie Wright, Joel Colbran, Kane Wills, Joe Rye, Ollie Pearce, Jack Sprong, Dylan Fage, Jo Felix, Bradley Dolaghan, Alfie Young, Danny Cashman
Substitutes: Will Tillman, Cameron Tutt (for Joe Felix, 90), Gregory Luer (for Brad Dolaghan, 75), Josh Chambers, Finlay Chadwick (for Jack Sprong, 70)