FA Trophy Round Four :
Yeovil Town 1 – 1 Doncaster Rovers

Att: 2,671

Line up : (3-5-2)


Chris Weale

Adam Lockwood
Terry Skiverton
Anthony Tonkin

Nick Crittenden
Lee Johnson
Steve Thompson
Darren Way
Michael McIndoe

Kim Grant
Adam Stansfield

Subs used: Tom White (55, for Thompson), Carl Alford (76, for Skiverton), Chris Giles (46, for Grant)

Doncaster:
L.Butler, J.Price, B.Miller, J.Squires, D.Barrick, F.Tierney, R.Ravenhill, J.Kelly, J.Paterson, P.Barnes, R.Gill

Scorers: Barnes (16, 0-1), STANSFIELD (79,1-1)

This report courtesy of Fe7:

Yeovil Town entertained Doncaster Rovers tonight in the FA Umbro Trophy fourth round. As the Dagenham game three days earlier, Yeovil had to settle for a late equaliser. In the end both teams will be happy with the draw: Gary Johnson, Yeovil looked to be heading out with minutes to go; and Dave Penny will look forward to gaining revenge for an early season defeat.

Yeovil’s recent away performance is second to none and Gary Johnson will be optimistic that his team can proceed to the next round, but they will need to perform better. That said, apart from going in 0-1 at half time, Yeovil dominated the first half as they played towards the Westland Stand Terrace with the sheeting drizzle in their faces. Gary Johnson would have been satisfied with his teams performance if only they could have got some strikes on target. It was a spirited, able first half performance that belied the difficult Huish Park conditions.

Yeovil opened on top and the Doncaster defence struggled with the Yeovil pressure. Although such dominance no Yeovil striker produced an accurate strike and it was surprising that it was the Doncaster defenders who came closest to opening Yeovil’s scoring, a number of headed clearances flew inches past the Doncaster goal posts.

It was not until the first quarter of an hour before Adam Lockwood was required to head clear a dangerous cross from his own penalty box. That should have woken Yeovil up, but on sixteen minutes Lockwood and Doncaster’s Paul Barnes tussled to control a long Doncaster clearance on the edge of the Yeovil penalty box. It was the latter that won, and Barnes charged on to sweep the ball clinically past the helpless Weale.

That was in effect the last that the Yeovil crowd of over 2,600 saw of the Doncaster attack for the first half. Yeovil continued to maintain control but were surprisingly ineffective in forcing Doncaster’s keeper, Butler, to make any real saves. Yeovil were often guilty of overcomplicating matters and trying to walk the ball into the net, Steve Thompson found himself on the six-yard line but failing to produce a shot, appearing to wait an age for further instructions. On a very stodgy ground pretty football was never going to work.

It was not until five minutes before the break when Butler was called into action. Kim Grant managed a weak shot from the corner of the six-yard box, but Butler was on hand to push it away. Despite much ground to make up, Adam Stansfield was first to the ball. However, Butler had recovered enough to smother his shot and the ball was cleared to safety.

Half Time: Yeovil 0 Doncaster 1.

Gary Johnson would have ordered more of the same at the beginning of the second half, although forced to replaced Grant with Chris Giles, but that was far from what transpired.

Doncaster came racing out of the blocks to secure a second, and final, killer goal. Within minutes they had got to the bye-line and fired crosses across Chris Weales goal with, fortunately for Yeovil, no successful completion. Doncaster, with the comfort of a one-goal lead exuded confidence and swept the ball across the park, as if playing on a baize cloth. Meanwhile Yeovil played on the quagmire that we recognise as Huish Park and the Yeovil back three resembled a Sunday Pub team as their passing failed to connect with either midfield or striker. The swap of Tom White for Steve Thompson, and reverting to a conventional 4-4-2, eventually steadied the Yeovil ship.

Most games come to a point before the end where all the plays have been played, all the moves have been made and the game seems destined to wind down. With Doncaster comfortably holding a 1-0 lead and soaking up indecisive Yeovil attacks that was the perception. However, Yeovil pulled the game around and Adam Stansfield snatched an equaliser on 79 minutes. Yeovil won a free kick on the left, ten yards outside the box. Lee Johnson’s right footed free kick glanced off Adam Stansfield’s darting head and slipped inside Butler’s far post. Yeovil 1 Doncaster 1.

From then on, Yeovil pushed on in search of the winner and Antony Tonkin now came more into the game and made a number significant forays down the left side. Doncaster countered but neither team were able to cause the keepers any further significant trouble.

Final Score: Yeovil 1 Doncaster 1.

Despite the poor conditions Yeovil dominated the first half and conceded a goal against the run of play. Doncaster raised their game for the start of the second half, and, when the game seemed over Adam Stansfield saved Yeovils unbeaten run. On the assumption that Belle Vue is in better condition than Huish Park, and with such an away record, it may be Yeovil that look forward to the replay just a little bit more optimistically.