Match Report: Yeovil Town 2 Truro City 1

A late winner from defender Jake Wannell earned Yeovil Town a smash-and-grab win as they broke the resistance of a determined Truro City side to record back-to-back wins for the first time since March 2022.

After a goalless first half which saw the Cornish outfit dominate, the visitors took the lead when Rocky Neal broke the offside trap to slot past Will Buse after 55 minutes, stirring rumblings among the home supporters.

Substitute striker Olly Thomas, who replaced Jake Hyde after 68 minutes, pulled one back when he got on the end of a Charlie Cooper through ball with six minutes remaining, before Wannell rose highest at the back post to head the winner as the game ticked in to added time.

Here is how Dave saw it from the Thatcher’s Stand at Huish Park…….

FIRST HALF

The starting XI remained unchanged from the 2-1 home win over St Albans City on Saturday, albeit we lined up with a back three with Josh Staunton, Morgan Williams, and Jake Wannell. Jordan Maguire-Drew and Alex Whittle operating as right and left wing-backs respectively.

The opening 15 minutes saw the visitors carve out the clearer cut chances, the best of which arrived with 14 minutes gone when Williams had to slide in to the box to deny Ed Palmer before the ball broke to Rocky Neal whose effort was blocked by Staunton.

A minute later, they got even closer when on-loan Bristol Rovers youngster Harvey Greenslade’s effort came back off the outside of the post. A minute after that hosts’ keeper Will Buse turned away another effort from Greenslade before captain Connor Riley-Lowe headed narrowly wide.

The visitors, managed by ex-Glovers’ midfielder Paul Wotton, were not here to just make up the numbers. They looked more of a threat going forwards than their hosts , they quickly got back in to a defensive shape to frustrate us. It was going to be a long night with a lot of patience required at Huish Park

The nearest to a goal the Glovers got in the opening half-hour was a speculative effort from Maguire-Drew. Was it a shot? Was it a cross? Either way Truro keeper James Hamon turned it over the bar for a corner.

There was a nervous atmosphere inside Huish Park again (after the second half had been against St Albans) and it seemed to translate on to the pitch.

In a fluid formation, it was Williams who pulled out to the right with Staunton, Wannell and Whittle forming the back line. But Williams proved an effective attacking force with his crosses almost finding Murphy inside the box on 31 minutes and then just missing Hyde at the back post a minute later.

The chances were starting to come with Murphy found inside the box with five minutes of the half remaining but his effort was blocked. That was the theme of the evening as Truro seemed to have something in the way of every effort whilst looking the far more threatening going forward.

Come half-time it was certainly the home side who were grateful to go in goalless at the break.

Half time: Yeovil Town 0 Truro City 0

Thanks to Ollie Marsh for the photography

SECOND HALF

The second half saw Zac Bell replaced Williams, who appeared to be carrying an injury, with the Bristol City youngster going in on the right side of a back four. In the forward line, Murphy seemed to play slightly behind Hyde with Nouble and Maguire-Drew on either flank.

The result was certainly more possession for the home side but it was difficult to say they were was much in the way of chances as a result of it.

At the other end, Truro were continuing to threaten with the pace of Greenslade causing issues for the Yeovil backline and it was no surprise when that led to them taking the lead after 55 minutes. Rocky NEAL broke the offside trap – some in the Screwfix Stand certainly thought he did not break it – and raced clear and slot past Buse.

It could have been 2-0 two minutes later when Greenslade put one wide before Nouble shot wide at the other end. That effort was about all the home side had to offer in the opening 15 minutes after the break with a distinct lack of movement in the forward line.

On 68 minutes, Jordan Young and Olly Thomas replaced Maguire-Drew and Hyde. The changes were like for like and with a narrow formation like the one we were playing, did little to give Truro much to think about whilst the visitors stuck to their task.

With 77 minutes gone, a deep ball to the back post found Thomas at the back post to head it back in to the danger zone. It bounced around and Murphy was unable to bring it down and get a shot away.

It was difficult to see where anything was going to come from for Yeovil – and then an equaliser appeared. A ball through from Charlie Cooper set THOMAS away and he coolly slotted home the equaliser.

That lifted the stagnant atmosphere inside Huish Park and the Thatcher’s Stand burst in to life with the home side responding as Thomas had another effort. Then as the game ticked in to the final minute Worthington lifted a ball in to the box found WANNELL at the back post to head home a winner.

In summary, it was not a pretty win, it was not a convincing win – but it was a win!

Full time: Yeovil Town 2 Truro City 1

Match Details

Venue: Huish Park
Tuesday, 15th August, 7.45pm kick-off

Pitch: Looking early season good
Conditions: Dry and cool

Attendance: 3,315 (70 away supporters)

Scorers: Rocky Neal 55 (0-1), Olly Thomas 84 (1-1), Jake Wannell 90 (2-1)

Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Matt Worthington 51, Rhys Murphy 90+5.
Truro City: Ryan Law 53, Will Dean 66, Dan Rooney 72.

Yeovil Town (4-3-3) 

Substitutes: Zac Bell (for Morgan Williams, 46), Jordan Young (for Jordan Maguire-Drew, 68), Olly Thomas (for Jake Hyde, 68), Jamie Sendles-White (not used), Josh Owers (not used).

Truro City: Hamon, Melhado, Riley-Lowe, Palmer, Sanders, Law, Dean, Porter (for Yeboah, 90), Rooney (for Brett, 74), Neal, Greenslade (for Adelsbury, 90). Substiututes (not used): White, Jones.