Venue: Huish Park
Sat 9th November 2002, 3pm kick-off.
Conditions: Cool, overcast with light drizzle.
Ground: Perfect but damp on top.
Nationwide Conference :
Yeovil Town 2 – 2 Dagenham & Redbridge
Att: 4,289
Referee: Mr P Melin
Bookings:
Yeovil: Pluck (57, foul), Williams (71, dissent), Skiverton (90, unsporting behaviour)
Dagenham: Smith (75, unsporting behaviour)
Line up : (3-4-1-2)
 1. Chris Weale |
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2. Adam Lockwood |
4. Terry Skiverton |
5.Colin Pluck |
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10. Nick Crittenden |
6. Darren Way |
14. Roy O’Brien |
11. Michael McIndoe |
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20. Gavin Williams |
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18. Kim Grant |
23. Howard Forinton |
Substitutes: 12. Chris Giles, 13. Jon Sheffield, 16. Andy Lindegaard (68, for Grant), 19. Abdoulai Demba (84, for Forinton), 24. Abdelhalim Elkholti
Dagenham & Redbridge: (3-4-1-2) 1. Tony Roberts, 24. Steve Potts, 17. Lee Matthews, 5. Mark Smith, 11. Paul Bruce, 6. Steve Heffer, 8. Paul Terry, 7. Mark Janney, 9. Danny Shipp, 19. Gary Fletcher, 13. Junior McDougald
Subs : 10. Mark Stein (74, for Bruce), 18. Paul Gothard, 14. Danny Hill, 3. Ashley Vickers (83, for Fletcher), 15. Steve West (89, for McDougald)
Scorers: Michael MCINDOE (16, 1-0), Mark Smith o.g. (55, 2-0), Junior McDougald pen (57, 2-1), Gary Fletcher (80, 2-2)
This report courtesy of Noddy Elms:
GLOVERS LET IT SLIP AGAIN
For the second consecutive week Yeovil Town failed to collect three points when they appeared home and dry. A positive Dagger’s performance reduced a two-goal deficit to maintain their recent revival after a string of three wins. Yeovil boss Gary Johnson will undoubtedly have had words in the Yeovil dressing room after his side missed the chance to extend their lead at the top of the Conference.
Johnson was forced to make a number of changes from the Chester line-up: Roy O’Brien moved forward to replace Lee Johnson, suspended; Colin Pluck returned from suspension at left centre back; Grant again partnered Forinton in the front line.
Despite a lively start by both side, neither created a serious goal-scoring opportunity in the opening quarter of an hour. It was not surprising that the opening goal came from a set-play, Dagenham were stung by a familiar piece of Michael MCINDOE magic. Nick Crittenden won a free kick outside the Dagenham box, ajudged to have been held as he turned his defender. Macca stepped up for a repeat of previous feats and majestically swung of his left foot to beat Roberts in the top right hand corner. Yeovil 1 Dagenham 0.
Dagenham attacked from the restart and Yeovil were left holding their breath as a deflected shot crept agonisingly outside of Weale’s right hand post. Minutes later a Dagenham shot skidded off the top of Weale’s cross-bar. Yeovil counter attacked but neither McIndoe, Grant or Williams could make more of good work down the left wing.
Strangely enough both teams were most effective on the counter attack. From a Yeovil corner on 27 minutes Dagenham broke quickly and Crittenden needed to be alert to close down any danger. Two minutes later Adam Lockwood was beaten at right back and the ball was fed to Heffer whose shot was fortunately deflected wide. Weale eventually restored calm when safely collecting the ensuing cross.
Darren Way set up Yeovil’s next attack on 34 minutes: incisively winning a strong challenge in the centre circle he set McIndoe down the right wing, McIndoe’s near perfect diagonal cross just eluded Crittenden who stormed in at the back post. Five minutes later it was Macca again, audaciously chipping over from long range. Three minutes later Critts set up Macca at the far post, but again the Yeovil player was unable to get enough direction on the ball to cause Roberts any trouble. On the stroke of half time Macca sent in an inch perfect ball for the advancing O’Brien to break into the box, but the Dagenham defence recovered to block O’Brien’s effort.
Half Time: Yeovil Town 1 Dagenham & Redbridge 0.
Dagenham attacked from the off and a deflection flashed past the Yeovil post. Dagenham continued to dominate the opening minutes of the second half and it was against the run of play when Yeovil doubled their lead on 54 minutes. Crittenden played a one-two with Grant to take him in from the right wing. His shot at the near post took Roberts by surprise and the Dagenham keeper could only manage to block with his legs. The ball span across the face of the goal and Smith, charging back to his goal-line, could only smash the ball into the back of his own goal. The public address system awarded the goal to Crittenden, the important fact was: Yeovil 2 Dagenham 0.
The score-line changed within a minute. From the restart Dagenham broke down the left and a good far post cross appeared to be heading for a Dagenham head. Pluck was on the wrong side of Fletcher and was judged to have pushed him in the back as he prepared himself to score. The Dagenham striker finished spread-eagled in the goal area and Mr Melin pointed to the spot. McDougald struck the spot kick well to Weale’s right hand, it crashed off the underside of the bar and over the line. Yeovil 2 Dagenham 1. Regardless of whether the penalty decision was correct, Dagenham were now well and truly back in the game. Dagenham were now strong in defence and they moved the ball skilfully through midfield, Yeovil often pulled eight men back behind the ball to defend.
Both sides made substitutions, Lindegaard for Grant for Yeovil, and Stein for Bruce for Dagenham. Along with a couple of bookings play stuttered for what seemed a significant spell. When play did flow it was Dagenham who held the upper hand. They continued to move the ball quicker and were, most significantly, the first to the challenge. Often the Yeovil defence panicked and allowed themselves to be pressured. Long balls out of defence would skid away into touch giving the Yeovil strikers little opportunities. Subsequently the introduction of Lindegaard had failed to provide the required respite, the Yeovil youngster helping out in defence on more than one occasion.
On the balance of play Dagenham can claim they deserved an equaliser, that fell to them on 79 minutes. As the Yeovil defence back-peddled Fletcher ran unchallenged from the half way line to the edge of the Yeovil box and with supreme accuracy drilled his shot past Weale’s right hand: Yeovil 2 Dagenham 2.
Yeovil replaced Forinton with Demba and had the better of the last ten minutes. But, despite the wave of encouragement generated by the Westland Stand Terrace it appeared too late for the Huish Park favourite to snatch a winner. Despite Crittenden making several strong diagonal runs in from the right hand touch line, his final pass failed to link up with his strike force. One had the feeling that Yeovil were trying too hard and individuals taking too much personal responsibility, Roberts goal was not troubled again.
Final Score: Yeovil Town 2 Dagenham & Redbridge 2.
Yeovil extended their unbeaten run to sixteen games and recently they have played three good teams. They are still three points clear, but more as a result of other team’s perfomances. If those challeging stop dropping points and mount a significant challenge, Yeovil will have to be better. At the moment those challengers are losing the battle rather than Yeovil winning it.
Noddy Elms
Internet Man of the Match Voting Result:
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Overall match rating: 6 / 10
Performance: 5.6
Entertainment: 6.4
35 votes received.
Programme Cover
