Match Report: Yeovil Town 2 Tonbridge Angels 0

First competitive goals from Jordan Young and Frank Nouble were enough to earn Yeovil Towna third win of the season against Tonbridge Angels at Huish Park on Saturday.

Young, who was called in to the starting XI having sat out the first four games of the season, opened the scoring having broken in to the box after 13 minutes minutes to lash an effort under visiting goalkeeper Jonathan Henley.

Henley proved to be the difference between the Glovers and a more comprehensive lead not least on 63 minutes when he saved a penalty from Rhys Murphy having been booked for appearing to scuffing up the spot in front of the away end. He was not alone with referee Robert Ablitt handing out nine yellow cards in a game which could not be described as dirty.

Nouble, on as a substitute in the second half, sealed the win with five of nine minutes of second half injury time gone. The big frontman was set away by fellow substitute Olly Thomas and fired in at a near post.

Here’s how it went down at Huish Park…..

First half

There were three changes for Yeovil Town going into the match, with manager Mark Cooper citing Bank Holiday Monday’s trip to Havant & Waterlooville as a factor in team selection. Jordan Young, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton and Rhys Murphy came into the side in place of Frank Nouble, Jordan Maguire-Drew, who were on the bench, and Jamie Sendles-White who dropped out of the squad altogether.

It was the visitors came firing out of the starting blocks bombarding the Yeovil box with crosses and the opening exchanges made it clear that Tonbridge were happy to come to dig in for a result. In the initial exchanges, the diamond in midfield led to the inevitable lack of width with neither Alex Whittle or Morgan Williams getting forward to stretch the visiting back line.

The hosts did manage to enjoy much of the possession as the rain hammered down on Huish Park and their dominance paid off as they took the lead after 13 minutes. Jake Hyde held the ball up, played it out to Matt Worthington on the right and he found Jordan YOUNG on the edge of the box. The forward moved in to the box and hammered a low shot across the skiddy surface under visiting keeper Jonathan Henley.

⚽️ He’s got one! Get in Jordan! #ytfc pic.twitter.com/3rcEs6sxmE

— Gloverscast ?⚽️? (@gloverscast) August 26, 2023

On 19 minutes, Morgan Williams appeared to be bundled over in the box but referee Robert Ablitt was unmoved and the ball broke to Hyde whose close range effort was superbly denied by Henley.

Three minutes later, the match official was in the the spotlight again. Williams and Joseph Turner went in for what looked like a 50-50 challenge on a wet pitch which the Yeovil man came off the worse in, but he was the one who got the booking. The home crowd certainly thought that Turner should have also seen a yellow.

Tonbridge’s first chance came on 23 minutes when Lewis Gard’s ball in to the box was flicked on by Jamie Fielding almost found ex-Bristol Rovers’ man Stefan Payne, but he was unable to make contact and his effort went in to the side netting.

The 31st minute was met with a round of applause in memory of Yeovil supporter Craig Leader, who tragically lost his battle against bowel cancer at the age of 31. A big thankyou to all those from Tonbridge who joined in this moment. Class.

With eight minutes to play before half-time, a Great move from Jordan Young, who was impressing on his first start of the season, out wide saw him cut in and his ball in was flicked on by Hyde, but Henley was up to it again. 

Referee Ablitt was back in the action on 41 minutes. Murphy tussled with his marker and the referee adjudged the striker to have fouled. Let’s just say the official is 

Young and Hyde combined with half-time closing in and it was Young who clipped a ball in to the box but Murphy could only turn it wide. Once again, the chances were there for the home side, it was the goals that were missing. 

With the final kick of the half, a free-kick from Charlie Cooper forced another good save out of Henley and (again!) the keeper came out on top.

It was Yeovil who undoubtedly dominated the first half and were well worth their advantage, but, given the chances they created, will be disappointed it was only by a single goal.

Half time: Yeovil Town 1 Tonbridge Angels 0

Second half

The second half started in a similar fashion to the first with Tonbridge having the better of the early exchanges and had the first chance. After 48 minutes,  a  simple straight ball forward found Turner who brought the ball down well and his effort had Will Buse scrambling, but went wide.

Not long after visiting striker Ibby Akanbi broke in from the left and got his shot away but again wide in front of the Thatcher’s Stand. Cue the expected ripple of frustrated noises from the home crowd and the rallying cry from captain Josh Staunton to his Yeovil team-mates.

Young put an effort wide at the other end after good play from Lo-Everton and then on 55 minutes both Jake Wannell and Rhys Murphy entered the referee’s box. Wannell’s was for what appeared a nothing challenge on Akanbi – presumably one for the ‘totting up’ list – whereas Murphy’s was for having a word with the official. Rule 1, Rhys, Rule 1.

Tonbridge undoubtedly had the better of the opening 15 minutes after the restart, but the best chance of the half fell to Yeovil on the hour. Whittle broke in to the box and got his left foot around it but that man Henley was on hand to deny the hosts from increasing their lead – again!

On 63 minutes, the questionable decisions of the referee finally went in favour of the home side as they were awarded a penalty. Murphy was one-v-one with Kodi Lyons-Foster, there was a little contact but, after a bit of pause, Mr Ablitt awarded the spot kick. After a long delay and more than a suggestion that Henley had scuffed the penalty spot, Murphy went low and hard and Henley did well to keep it out. It must be noted that Henley got a booking for his ‘intervention’.

That proved to be Murphy’s last involvement as he was replaced by Olly Thomas on 65 minutes with Frank Nouble also replacing Hyde.

Payne put an effort over after 72 minutes and a minute later Yeovil manager Mark Cooper made a change as Zac Bell replaced Sonny Blu Lo-Everton with the hosts switching to a back three with Morgan Williams moving in to the middle.

Nouble volleyed an effort goalwards from 50 yards with Henley off his line but that was about as close as the home side came to getting another goal. The keeper was certainly not afraid to come off his line.

There was no surprise when the fourth official put up the board to confirm nine minutes of injury time. In a game which certainly could not be described as dirty, there were eight bookings across the two teams. Well done, ref!

It took five minutes of added time for the home side to get a second. A well-worked move involving Young in midfield and Thomas set NOUBLE away and the big forward powered forward and drove it hard and low past Henley at his near post. 

Two goals, a first clean sheet of the season and finally, comfortable.

Full time: Yeovil Town 2 Tonbridge Angels 0

Match Details

Venue: Huish Park
Saturday, 26th August, 3pm kick-off

Pitch: Excellent
Conditions: Intermittent heavy showers.

Attendance: 2,896 (66 away supporters)

Scorers: Jordan Young 13 (1-0)

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Morgan Williams 21, Jake Wannell 55, Rhys Murphy 55, Will Buse, Olly Thomas 75, Charlie Cooper 90+2.
Tonbridge Angels: Jonathan Henley 64, Jernade Mead 75, Scott Wagstaff 81, 

Referee: Robert Ablitt

Yeovil Town (4-1-2-1-2) 

Substitutes:  Frank Nouble (for Hyde, 65), Olly Thomas (for Rhys Murphy, 65), Zac Bell (for Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, 72), Jordan Maguire-Drew (not used), Josh Owers (not used).

Tonbridge Angels: Jonathan Henley, Jamie Fielding, Kodi Lyon’s-Foster, Lewis Gard (for Johl Powell, 82), Jordan Higgs, Ibrahim Akanbi, Joseph Turner (for Gianni Crichlow, 90), Tarim Hinds, Jernade Meade, Scott Wagstaff, Stefan Payne (for Soares-Junior, 73).

Substiututes (not used): Tom Parkinson, Nathan Wood.