First half goals from strikers Jake Hyde and Rhys Murphy earned Yeovil Town a win on their first National League South outing at Huish Park.
The Glovers made a fast start with Hyde turning home an effort from Jordan Maguire-Drew after just three minutes.
An error from goalkeeper Will Buse gifted the visitors an equaliser after half-an-hour before Murphy pounced to grab the winner just before half-time.
Here’s how Dave saw it from his position on the Thatcher’s…..
First half
If a fast start was what was needed, it arrived after just three minutes. A first foray forward involving Matt Worthington and Rhys Murphy saw the latter tumble in the box under a tackle, only for the ball to break to Jordan Maguire-Drew whose lashed effort rebounded off of JAKE HYDE to open the scoring. 1-0
But if anyone thought that was that (and a few at the back of the Thatcher’s Stand certainly said they did) then St Albans quickly proved them wrong. Mitchell Weiss broke away on the counter attack, switching the ball to James whose powerful effort was superbly turned away by Will Buse after five minutes.
On seven minutes, Murphy dragged a shot wide soon after Maguire-Drew tried to pick out Frank Nouble at the back post but the cross was just too high for him.
The visitors enjoyed a lot of possession and were finding a couple of gaps in the Yeovil midfield. Andronicos Georgiou put a pot shot straight at Buse before another dangerous effort saw Dylan Fage combine with Giorgio Rasulo. This time it was Josh Staunton who was there to block it allowing Buse to claim.
On 21 minutes, a lung-busting run from Nouble down the left wing, he drilled the ball in to Hyde but Saints’ keeper Michael Johnson was equal to it.
But on the half-hour mark the visitors found an equaliser and, for the second week running, it was an error from Buse. A long ball over the top saw the keeper caught in no man’s land as he came out of his area to meet WEISS, but the striker got the better of it and was able to slot in to an unguarded net. 1-1
Two minutes later, Murphy has an opportunity to do exactly the same as Johnson came out of his area to meet him. The striker got the better of that contest, but his effort was high, wide and not so handsome in to the away terrace.
With five minutes of the half remaining Charlie Cooper came within the width of a goalpost from scoring. A nice move in from the left saw it break to the midfielder on the edge of the box and his effort had Johnson beaten…..but not the woodwork.
A minute before the end of normal time in the first half Yeovil restored the lead. A cross broke in the box to MURPHY who brought it down and drilled the ball home. The type of clinical finishing inside the box which was so sorely lacking last season. 2-1
Half time: Yeovil Town 2 St Albans City 1
Second Half
St Albans said started the second half taking game to their hosts. After Staunton had cleared a dangerous ball in to the box away, the resulting corner landed to Ryan Blackman who took a swing at it but his effort was well stopped by the diving Buse.
A midfield two of Cooper and Worthington certainly didn’t offer much in the way of protection, seemingly wanting to both go forward at the same time as JM-D and our front three, and the visitors were happy to pick up the pieces.
Chances were fewer and farther between this half but one dropped to Maguire-Drew on the hour mark, but he lifted it in to the Thatcher’s Stand. Three minutes later Hyde had a gilt-edged opportunity as the ball broke to him inside the box, but he pulled it wide with just Johnson in the visitors’ goal to beat.
Nouble broke down the left again on 65 minutes, nutmegged his marker but his effort was turned aside for a corner.
The next opportunity on 71 minutes came to Murphy who took advantage of a misjudgement by Johnson but fluffed his effort inside the box. He claimed he’d been pushed by the keeper and even went off for treatment. Rhys Murphy doing Rhys Murphy things.
Josh Owers replaced Nouble and Olly Thomas came on for Hyde before the end, but the second half was certainly more fragmented.
With four minutes of the ten added on played, a free-kick in to deep was nodded down by Williams to the edge of the box where Thomas struck it towards goal by Johnson was level to it
Full time: Yeovil Town 2 St Albans City 1
Match Details
Venue: Huish Park
Saturday, 12th August, 3pm kick-off
Pitch: Perfect
Conditions: Sunshine and sideways showers
Attendance: 3412 (86 away supporters)
Scorers: Jake Hyde 3 (1-0), Mitchell Weiss 30 (1-1), Murphy 44 (2-1).
Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Will Buse, Morgan Williams, Alex Whittle, Josh Staunton, Jake Wannell, Charlie Cooper, Matt Worthington, Jordan Maguire-Drew, Frank Nouble (for Josh Owers, 84), Ryan Murphy (for Jamie Sendles-White, 90+5), Jake Hyde (for Olly Thomas, 87). Substitutes (not used): Lewis Williams, Jordan Young.
St Albans City: Johnson, James, Brown, Smith, Bowry, Blackman (for Hoddle, 61), Rasulo, Weiss, Georgiou (for Dunn, 77), Fage (for Jeffers 86), Carlyle. Substitutes (not used): Clark, Da Silva.
Referee: Thomas Green
Yeovil Town (4-3-3)
