2002-2003 Season » Match Report: Yeovil 2-0 Odd Down

Venue: Huish Park
Tuesday 18th February 2003, 7.45pm kick-off.

Conditions: Bloody cold, and dry.
Ground: Perfect, but bare patches in goalmouths.

Att: 341

Referee:

Bookings:
Yeovil: Collis (dissent)
Odd Down:

Line up : (3-5-2)

		Steve Collis
	Roy O’Brien	Jimmy Aggrey	Richard Leach
Andy Lindegaard	Steve Thompson	Nick Trevett	Ian Patchett	Steve Reed
	Kevin Gall		Kim Grant

Substitutes: Adam Lockwood (46, for O’Brien), Dean Ritchie (58, for ), Jon Sheffield, Ian Linney (58, for Leach).

Odd Down: (4-4-2)

Subs : Hodges, Vickery, Snow, Moore.

Scorers: Kim GRANT (50, 1-0), Kim GRANT (57, 2-0)

This report courtesy of Noddy Elms:

OLD AND NEW GIVE ODD DOWN BLUES

Yeovil wore down a competitive Odd Down side in tonight’s Somerset Premier Cup match at Huish Park. Two goals by Yeovil’s Kim Grant were enough to see off their opponents but more importantly the crowd of 354 were entertained by displays from all over the park. Kevin Gall’s sizzling pace was enough return for the entrance fee alone, but a youthful display from veteran Steve Thompson complemented the maturity of Yeovil’s youth element. Comparison with last year’s Screwfix fixture reveals just how far the Yeovil “reserves” have come in that time: Leech, Trevett, and Patchet all looked comfortable with their roles, but Steven Reed gave the performance, underlining his status with exciting surges down the left.

The old and the new took a few minutes to gel together and it was not until thirty minutes had elapsed that Yeovil looked the better side. Both teams started lively but it was Yeovil who won the first free kick. Mr Beale was required to reprimand medallion man Steve Thompson and ordered him to remove his excessive jewellery. Steven Reed got on with the free kick in the mean time, Kim Grant deflecting wide of the near post.

Odd Down responded immediately and were unlucky when Forristal broke down the right wing to send in a teasing cross that eluded defender and, unfortunately, attacker alike. Minutes later Steve Reed charged infield to unleash a right foot shot, but Westlake in the Odd Down goal took the ball comfortably. After twenty minutes Odd Down troubled the Yeovil defence with a low left wing cross that fizzed through a crowded penalty area: again, no striker was on hand.

While Odd Down made progress down both flanks Aggrey and O’Brien at the heart of the Yeovil defence looked secure. Yeovil, going forward, were too hurried and their final ball often went astray. The closest Yeovil came to finding that final ball was when Lindegaard collected a clearance on the half way line. His through ball to Gall was well directed but the Yeovil striker was unable to latch onto the through ball and Westlake gathered it.

The linesman in front of the Main Stand annoyed the Yeovil contingent by picking up Collis for taking his clearance outside the penalty box. There may have been some validity in that decision as he was in line, but how he could judge Collis’s later transgression when collecting an Odd Down attack on the left of his box is a mystery and can only be explained by the loud appeal from the Odd Down contingent, closely seated behind him. For this, Collis earned Yeovil’s first booking.

But around the thirty-minute mark Yeovil started to step up a gear, but a good passing move down the right ended with a poor Grant shot. Thompson was then instrumental in a good move down the right, but Gall’s chip failed to clear Westlake. Grant then did well to get down to the left-hand goal line and pull the ball back for Gall, but Gall was just unable to make contact.

Although Yeovil were now well on top it was Odd Down that should have opened the scoring after 37 minutes. A rare attack down the right wing looked to have petered out as Aggrey strode out to clear on the edge of his box. Unfortunately he stumbled as he made his first touch and Wilson had only Collis to beat as the ball rolled through to him. Wilson decided to shoot high but his shot cleared both Collis and his cross bar, much to Aggrey’s relief.

As Yeovil continued to turn up the pressure challenges became more physical, but Odd Down managed to hang on until the break.

Half time: Yeovil Town 0 Odd Down 0.

Yeovil replaced O’Brien with Lockwood at the start of the second half and were again on the attack. Gall latched onto a Thompson through ball and nipped in as Westlake and Whitecliffe got in each other’s way. But Gall’s run had taken him wide and he was unable to convert the chance. That should have set the alarm bells ringing for Odd Down. Thompson’s quick throw found Gall deep on the right five minutes later. Whitecliffe looked to have covered Gall’s first time cross, but the big Odd Down defender missed his kick and Kim GRANT reacted quickly and had no trouble beating Westlake from twelve yards. Yeovil 1 Odd Down 0.

Seven minutes later another Odd Down defending lapse allowed Yeovil to double their lead. Lindegaard picked up a loose ball as the Odd Down midfield dithered, surged to the edge of the Odd Down box and fed Kim GRANT to his left. Grant’s shot took a wicked deflection and looped over the stranded Westlake to make it Yeovil 2 Odd Down 0.

With a two-goal lead and total control Yeovil could afford the luxury of introducing their stars of tomorrow. Linney slotted in comfortably at right back in place of Leech while Ritchie supported the front two with his power down the right wing. Gall volleyed wide from the edge of the Odd Down box after Thompson’s cleared from the half way line. Gall then latched onto Ritchie’s pass and crossed quickly for Grant who was unfortunate to see his lob clear the Odd Down bar.

With twelve minutes left Odd Down replaced Peart with Snow but there was no answer to Yeovil’s dominance. The game was now more open and swung from end to end, but Collis was rarely troubled when Odd Down throw the ball in his direction. Grant and Gall were now enjoying their work and Gall produced an audacious “Bergkamp-esque” flick over his marker while facing away from the goal. Fortunately for Odd Down cover appeared just in time but, unfortunately for Yeovil, Gall was deprived of just rewards for an outstanding night’s work.

Gall must have thought he had gained his reward minutes later when he raced onto Grants lob and, beating Westlake to the ball lobbed the onrushing keeper only to see the ball bounce off the firm Huish Park turf, onto the Odd Down bar, and away from danger. £200,000 pitch improvement and still not perfect? Gall must have known then it was not to be his day.

Full Time: Yeovil Town 2 Odd Down 0.

It is always difficult to assess a performance against lowly opposition. But, given the degree of youth in the Yeovil team it was a far more comprehensive win than that game last March that saw Odd Down grab two goals in the last five minutes to snatch three Screwfix points. That was never going to happen tonight.

Noddy Elms

Internet Man of the Match Voting Result:

Overall match rating: 6 / 10

7 votes received.