Two second half goals saw Yeovil Town move back in to the National League Premier Division play-off places with victory over struggling Braintree Town at Huish Park.

The Glovers went behind after 15 minutes when visiting frontman John Akinde ran on to a long ball and lifted the ball over the on-rushing Ollie Wright only for Aaron Jarvis to grab a spectacular leveller on 27 minutes. The visitors had three efforts cleared off the line and undoubtedly were the better side in the first half.

After a slow start to the second half, on loan defender Ed James headed Yeovil in to the lead just after the hour mark before Brett McGavin wrapped it up with a beautiful finish a minute in to second half injury time.

It was not a vintage performance, but we looked better as the game wore on and, most importantly, it was another three points on the board and we sneaked in to seventh place in the table ahead.

 

First half

 
Following the midweek derby defeat against W*ymouth in the FA Trophy, manager Mark Cooper promised to be “ruthless“ with his players and he did not disappoint with five changes from the 2-1 defeat to the seagull botherers.
 
Jake Wannell returned after a four-match ban alongside on loan Exeter City defender Ed James and the experienced Michael Smith in the defence, captain Matt Worthington in the middle of the pitch and Kofi Shaw just behind Aaron Jarvis up front. Dropping out were injured pair Alex Whittle and James Plant and Finn Cousin-Dawson, Josh Sims and Frank Nouble, who were on the bench. 
 
Also on the bench was 16-year-old Ollie Hughes, a product of the club’s Under-18s’ side, who at 16 years, 6 moths and 16 days old is 204 days younger than the club’s current youngest debutant Devon Arnold who was 6247 days old when he made his debut back in 2019.
 
It took four minutes for a shot on target when Kofi Shaw had a long range effort which warmed the hands of visiting keeper Luca Covolan and five minutes later Jarvis almost got on the end of a ball in from Smith.
 
John Akinde puts Braintree Town ahead. Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.
 
At the other end, Braintree were trying to play a possession game, but it was a route one ball which led to them taking the lead after 15 minutes. A ball over the top from George Langston picked out John AKINDE who had a great first touch and lifted it over the on-rushing Ollie Wright. Yeovil’s defence complained to the assistant referee, but he was not for turning. A simple goal and a sucker punch after all the early pressure came from the Glovers.
 
There was another opportunity for the visitors to double their advantage five minutes later, a free-kick in to the box saw Wright lose out to Akinde and the ball broke to Kyrell Lisbie whose shot was blocked on the line by Morgan Williams, who glanced a near post header over from a McGavin cross after 23 minutes.
 
Yeovil drew level after 27 minutes when Aaron JARVIS was found by a long ball from Matt Worthington and he hit a first-time shot from probably 20 yards out at an angle, across Covolan and in to the net. There’s something to be said for this route one football, isn’t there?
 
Another ball over the top (theme here, isn’t they?) saw Lisbie sneak in between the Yeovil defence and lift the ball over the out-of-position Wright who needed Wannell to clear it of the line after 31 minutes.
 
On 38 minutes, James failed to clear his lines and no-one took ownership inside the box allowing first Lisbie and then Akinde had efforts blocked with one of them happening on the goal line (yes, again!) by Michael Smith. How Braintree have not scored at least four times I do not know!
 
Two minutes from time, Akinde had another huge chance after he found a hole in the Yeovil defence, but put a free header wide.
 
Two minutes in to injury time, Borges was on the attack and referee Elliot Swallow stopped the game to talk to Akinde about something…..no-one inside the ground except the man in black knows what. Possibly not even him. A free-kick inside our own penalty area, thanks ref.
 
With the final moment of the game, Charlie Cooper and Braintree’s Chay Cooper both went for a ball with the visiting player complained about an elbow from his namesake. Swallow agreed (to an extent) and showed Charlie a yellow card as he went off.
 
No question that Braintree will be the more disappointed not to be going in to the half-time break ahead having dominated the possession and had the better chances. No the response to the FA Trophy exit that Mark Cooper would have wanted.

Half time: Yeovil Town 1 Braintree Town 1

 

Second half

Yeovil made two changes at the interval with Finn Cousin-Dawson replacing Morgan Williams and Frank Nouble coming on in place of Pedro Borges. It looks more like the 3-4-3 that we are used to with Worthington on the left side of defence, anyone remember Worthy at left wing-back?
 
Early in the second half, the club posted on social media that manager Mark Cooper had been sent off as the players returned to the pitch presumably for telling referee Swallow what he thought of his efforts in the first half. The official will not have made it any closer to the boss’s Christmas card list when Smith went down inside the box under pressure from Frankie ‘son of Paul’ Terry. The referee adjudged the former Hearts man to have dived and showed him a yellow card.
 
 
McGavin had an effort blocked from the edge of the box by Langston after good work from Shaw on 52 minutes, before Lisbie tried a spectacular overhead effort inside the box two minutes later.
 
Up until that point in the match, Braintree had looked the better side albeit they do not seem to be able to finish their dinner. You know what’s coming don’t you? Yes, Yeovil took the lead after 63 minutes!
 
It’s mine! Ed James celebrates his first Yeovil goal – as FC-D celebrates what he claims is his second! Picture courtesy of Gary Brown.
 
A great corner in from Charlie Cooper was met at the back post by Finn Cousin-Dawson and it was cleared off the line but popped up for Ed JAMES to head home. The stadium announcer gave it to Cousin-Dawson, the club’s social media gave it to James. Either way, it is 2-1 to Yeovil.
 
 
On 68 minutes, Yeovil made two changes with the goal hero James and captain Worthington replaced by Dylan Morgan and Dom Bernard. Morgan moved in behind Jarvis with Bernard slotting in to defence.
 
How’s your luck, Kofi Shaw? The Bristol Rovers’ loanee picked up the ball in space between the Braintree defence and midfield and the youngster leathered one from 30 yards, it hit one post, rolled across the goal line and hit the other on 74 minutes. That proved to be Shaw’s last action of an energetic display as he was replaced by Josh Sims.
 
 
McGavin had a glorious opportunity to extend the advantage having been played through brilliantly by Nouble on 82 minutes. He lifted his shot over the bar and complained he had a push in the back, but referee Swallow disagreed. No closer to the Cooper Christmas card list.
 
Since the arrival of Dom Bernard and the reshuffling of the Yeovil defence, the composure we are used to has returned and, now chasing the game, there has been a lot of space appearing between the Braintree defence and midfield and the Glovers exploited it to add a third a minute in to second half injury time.
 
The goal was created by the strong running of substitute Dylan Morgan who surged forward before feeding the ball in to Brett McGAVIN who dinked it beautifully over the oncoming Covolan to add a third.
 
It could have been four a minute later when superb play by Josh Sims saw him play in Jarvis whose effort came back off the woodwork. A couple of centimetres the other side and that is the striker’s second of the day.
Be under no illusion, if Braintree were more clinical in front of goal this could have been very different, but we are where we are because are getting results against the teams below us and this is another three points.
 
The result was there, the performance towards the end of the game was better. The redemption begins.
 

Full time: Yeovil Town 3 Braintree Town 1

Match Details

Venue: Huish Park
Date: Saturday 14th December 2024 – 3pm kick-off

Competition: National League Premier Division

Scorers: John Akinde 15 (0-1), Aaron Jarvis 27 (1-1), Ed James 63 (2-1), Brett McGavin 90+1 (3-1)

Pitch: Slippery in places
Conditions: Chilly

Attendance: 2,767 (25 away supporters) 

Bookings:

Yeovil Town: Morgan Williams 34, Charlie Cooper 45, Michael Smith 49, Ed James 56, Brett McGavin 64
Braintree Town: None

Referee: Elliot Swallow

Yeovil Town (3-4-2-1)

Substitutes: Finn Cousin-Dawson (for Morgan Williams, 46), Frank Nouble (for Pedro Borges, 46), Dylan Morgan (for Matt Worthington, 69), Dom Bernard (for Ed James, 69) Josh Sims (for Kofi Shaw, 76), Ollie Hughes (not used), Matt Gould (not used).

Braintree Town: Lucas Covolan, Louie Annesley, George Langston, Frankie Terry, Ryan Clampin, Matt Robinson, James Vennings, Tom Blackwell (for Callum Powell, 76), Chay Cooper, Kyrell Lisbie (for Marley Marshall-Miranda, 83), John Akinde.

Substitutes: Jamal Fyfield, Philip Haxthausen-Nielsen, Rio Phipps, Tariq Hinds.

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Yeovil Town's Comeback Victory Over Braintree Secures Play-Off Spot - transfer-site.co.uk
1 month ago

[…] For more details, visit the Yeovil Town Official Match Report and Gloverscast Match Report. […]

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Goal Lover
1 month ago

Difficult to see on any highlights if the assistant referee was in need of a trip to specsavers… or if it was a perfectly OK for Braintree… in the the end didn’t matter

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Goal Lover
1 month ago
Reply to  Goal Lover

OK goal… I mean

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