A second half goal from substitute Harvey Greenslade saw Yeovil Town survive a scare from Ebbsfleet United and pick up their first home win of the season.
The Glovers were in cruise control in the first half and deservedly led 2-0 at half-time with goals from Brett McGavin and Michael Smith, but a flurry of substitutions saw the visitors score twice in the space of five minutes.
An error from goalkeeper Ollie Wright saw him spill the ball to the feet of Lewis Page on 64 minutes before Dominic Samuel bent one in from the edge of the box three minutes later to leave Huish Park stunned.
At that point, it would have taken a brave person to call which way this encounter was going to go, but it was Greenslade who struck with nine minutes of normal time remaining to seal the three points for Yeovil.
First half
There was a slightly worrying moment after eight minutes when Michael Smith went down awkwardly having vaulted over the visitors’ Lewis Page. The experienced defender went down looking to be in some discomfort, but returned to the fray soon after.
The opening 15 minutes saw Ebbsfleet willing to work hard to close down Yeovil who typically tried to keep the ball on the floor and pass their way through their opponents. It meant the visitors pressured the Glovers’ backline without creating anything to threaten Ollie Wright, whereas the home side kept patient.
Winger Josh Sims, making his first start for his hometown team, was involved in our best forward play missing out to Ebbsfleet keeper Mark Cousins on 18 minutes, before he linked up with Frank Nouble three minutes later to break in to the box but his effort was blocked.
But with 25 minutes the breakthrough came. Alex Whittle got away down the left and got a ball in to the box, Sam Pearson swung a boot at it in the middle of the box but only hit fresh air and Brett McGAVIN was there to fire an unstoppable strike in to the net. The first real opportunity for either side in the game and we’re in front.
The persistence of hard-running striker Aaron Jarvis almost paid dividends just after the half-hour mark when he snuck up on visiting defender Louis John and almost left the Ebbsfleet made red-faced.
There was a bizarre moment on 34 minutes when Cousins came charging out of his area to meet Nouble charging down the right side, he managed to see the ball out for a corner and Matt Worthington’s ball in was flicked on by Morgan Williams, who got a head to it but it was never threatening the visitors’ net.
The visitors lost striker Kwame Thomas to injury with seven minutes of the first half remaining and two minutes later the Glovers doubled their advantage.
A beautiful bit of interplay between Sims and Pearson down the right caused chaos in the Ebbsfleet defence, Jarvis tried to bundle it home but it was Michael SMITH who was there to smash home from close range.
There was a glorious opportunity to make it 3-0 soon after. McGavin’s corner found Nouble at the near post and he tried to flick it goalwards but broke to Worthington who was denied by a last-ditch challenge and the grateful Cousins dropped on the ball.
Sims came close with a minute of normal time to go, cutting in from the left and curling an effort not far over the angle of post and bar. This lad has some quality, I’m telling you.
After a slow opening 20 minutes, Yeovil have done exactly what we always talk about needing to do – taken their opportunities. But, the two goals they scored both came from fantastic moves.
Half time: Yeovil Town 2 Ebbsfleet United 0
Second half
There were changes for both sides at half-time with Sims going off as advertised by manager Mark Cooper in his pre-match interview along with Whittle with Charlie Cooper and on-loan Bristol City defender Raphael Araoye coming on to replace them. The change for Yeovil saw Cooper sitting in midfield giving Worthington and McGavin more licence to push forward, whilst Araoye slotted in at left-back.
For the visitors, striker Dominic Poleon, who had scored in their opening two matches of the season, also came on.
The Yeovil pressure – not dissimilar to the job Hartlepool United did on them back on the opening day of the season continued after the break. Pearson was in the middle of the early opportunities, first setting up Nouble whose effort was blocked and then almost finding Williams, who could not get enough on it.
Nouble put an effort high, wide and not so handsome soon after, but if anyone thought the half-time changes were Mark Cooper shutting up shop, the opening ten minutes proved otherwise.
With ten minutes of the second half gone, Ebbsfleet manager Danny Searle decided he saw enough and made two other substitutes. They are yet to lay a glove on the Glovers yet, but the changes brought a bit of impetus and the Kent side pulled a goal back on 64 minutes.
A ball in from the right from one of the new arrivals, Dominic Samuel, was not dealt with by Ollie Wright who spilt it to the feet of Lewis PAGE who steered it home.
That seemed to rock Yeovil who allowed themselves to get penned in by their visitors who found an equaliser three minutes after reducing the deficit. Worthington went in for a tackle just inside the penalty area, but he could not clear the ball and it broke to Dominic SAMUEL who fired in from the edge of the box.
With an hour gone it would have taken a very brave person to have suggested Ebbsfleet had any chance of finding their way back in to the goal.
Mark Cooper responded with changes with three changes inside five minutes with Harvey Greenslade replacing Aaron Jarvis, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton coming on for McGavin and then Jordan Young coming on for Pearson.
Nouble was inches from getting on the end of a Pearson ball in moments before the Welshman’s departure, but the attacking verve of before that quickfire double from the visitors was sorely lacking.
Greenslade could not control a header after a lovely forward run and chipped ball in to the box from Smith found him unmarked with 77 minutes gone.
But it was the substitute who both created and finished the goal which restore the Yeovil lead on 81 minutes. The ex-Bristol Rovers man won the ball in midfield and fed Nouble who had two efforts at goal, including one off the post, before GREENSLADE was on hand to sweep the ball home.
Soon after Jordan Young drifted in from the right side and curled an effort just the wrong side of the post and despite pressure from the away side, Yeovil were able to hold out to take the win.
No-one saw that coming after the first half, but three points on the board nevertheless.
Full time: Yeovil Town 3 Ebbsfleet United 2
Match Details
Venue: Huish Park
Date: Tuesday 20th August – 7.45pm
Competition: National League Premier
Pitch: Looking in good nick.
Conditions: Dry.
Attendance: 3,295 (95 away supporters)
Scorers: Brett McGavin 25 (1-0), Michael Smith 40 (2-0), Lewis Page 46 (2-1), Dominic Samuel 67 (2-2), Harvey Greenslade 81 (3-2)
Bookings:
Yeovil Town: Ollie Wright 42, Frank Nouble 82
Ebbsfleet United: Lewis Page 45+6, Franklin Domi 89
Referee: Greg Rollason
Yeovil Town (4-2-3-1)
Substitutes: Charlie Cooper (for Josh Sims, 46), Raphael Araoye (for Alex Whittle, 46), Harvey Greenslade (for Aaron Jarvis, 68), Sonny Blu Lo-Everton (for Brett McGavin, 71), Jordan Young (for Sam Pearson, 73), Jordan Thomas (not used), Matt Gould (not used).
Ebbsfleet United: Mark Cousins, Luke O’Neill, Lewis Page (for Greg Cundle, 83), Josh Wright (for Franklin Domi, 55), Louise John, Jim Kellermann, Wes Fonguck (for Dominic Poleon, 46), Ben Chapman, Tom Dallison, Craig Tanner (for Toby Edser, 55), Kwame Thomas (for Dominic Samuel, 39). Substitutes (not used): Dylan Berry, Tyler Cordner.
Nice