Venue: Huish Park
Saturday 8th Feb 2003, 3.00pm kick-off.
Conditions: Overcast but dry.
Ground: Perfect with bare areas in goalmouths
Nationwide Conference :
Yeovil Town 4 Kettering Town 0
Att: 4,738
Referee: Mr S.Dorr (Worcester)
Bookings:
Yeovil: Terry Skiverton (56 mins, foul)
Kettering: C.Norman (1 min, foul), S.Goodwin (11 mins, foul), D.Holyoak (50 mins, dissent). Red Card: Michael McKenzie (76 mins, serious foul play)
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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24. Abdelhalim El Kholti |
6. Darren Way |
8. Lee Johnson |
11. Michael McIndoe |
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20. Gavin Williams |
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25. Kirk Jackson |
16. Andy Lindegaard |
Substitutes: 3. Jason Blunt (71 mins for Williams) 9. Kevin Gall (65 mins for Lindegaard) 14. Roy O’Brien (89 mins for Pluck) 22. Steven Collis (GK) 26. Jimmy Aggrey.
Kettering: (3-5-2)
1. Ian Bowling,
5. Lee Howarth, 4. Mark Haran, 6. Craig Norman,
15. Wayne Diuk, 2. Martin Matthews, 11. Niall Inman, 18. Scott Goodwin, 37. Danny Holyoak,
32. Victor Asombang, 9. Gez Murphy.
Subs : 29. William Gourley (GK) 23. Michael McKenzie (72 mins for Holyoak) 19. Carl Shutt 21. Michael Boyle-Chong (83 mins for Asombang) 24. Steffan Dancy (76 mins for Diuk) .
Scorers: Colin Pluck (1-0, 26 mins), Kevin Gall (2-0, 69 mins), Kirk Jackson (3-0, 77 mins), Michael McIndoe (4-0, 85 mins).
This report courtesy of Noddy Elms:
YEOVIL: A DIFFERENT LEAGUE
Yeovil Town completely dominated today’s match at Huish Park, the difference between the two teams was more than their current top v bottom positions suggest.
The Yeovil contingent of today’s highest Conference crowd of 4738 enjoyed the one-way traffic despite the slim one-nil half time lead through a Colin Pluck header. There was never any suggestion that Kettering had the ability or will to upset Yeovil’s day and sneak an equaliser, or more. The Yeovil faithful were rightly confident at half time and the introduction of new man, Kevin Gall, seemed to signal the end for Kettering. Gall doubled Yeovil’s lead within two minutes, and was then instrumental in creating Yeovil’s third, a Kirk Jackson volley. Michael McIndoe completed the rout five minutes before time and ensured the score-line reflected Yeovil’s total domination.
The game had began ominously for Kettering as referee Mr. Dorr stamped his authority on the game by yellow-carding Craig Norman: Lindegaard’s pace had outwitted the hapless Norman. From then on it went downhill for Kettering.
Kettering’s Asombang was the first to try his luck in the second minute, but his long range shot was well over Weale’s cross bar. That was the closest Kettering came and the Yeovil keeper’s only significant contribution came in the second half when he charged twenty yards from his goal line to clear a rare Kettering through-ball.
Yeovil created their first chance after five minutes when El Kholti and Williams combined on the left, but McIndoe’s cross just eluded Jackson and Lindegaard in the penalty box. Darren Way then broke down the right but his cross to William’s was volleyed over. Lindegaard and Williams combined to set up McIndoe but the ball fell to Macca’s right foot and the Scotsman failed to hit the target.
Lindegaard’s main asset is his pace, but often his work-rate and touch earn him his place. After 20 minutes he set Williams down the left wing and stormed into the box to get on the end of Williams’ cross. Unfortunately Lindy was unable to keep his left footed shot down and it flew over the Kettering bar.
With Nick Crittenden injured, Gary Johnson had to rely on El Kholti to fill the right wing spot. The left-sided player has an advantage when cutting in on his left foot and this was evident throughout the afternoon, and lead to the first Yeovil goal. Cutting inside after 24 minutes El Kholti’s shot was initially blocked but the ball fell for Gavin Williams. He hammered his shot from just outside the box and it had goal written all over it. But Bowling managed to get his body behind the ball, but still it squirmed away, it seemed as if it must be destined for the goal, but it eventually span outside the Kettering right-hand post for a Yeovil corner. Lee Johnson stepped up and his right-footed corner was met by Colin PLUCK’s head at the near post, it flew past Bowling and Yeovil were one up: Yeovil 1 Kettering 0.
Kettering were spurred on by this setback and showed good movement when in possession, but that was rare and the Yeovil back three were always in command. The Yeovil midfield were particularly dominant: always first to the ball and confidently breaking forward. Way and McIndoe combine well on 28 minutes, then Lindegaard set Williams away and the Welshman was unlucky to see his lob cleared off the line. El Kholti then sent in a dipping shot that seemed to send panic coursing through the Kettering defence.
Kettering were fortunate to keep the score down to one after 37 minutes. Lindegaard’s persistence looked to have created a second: his perfect cross was met inside the six yard box by Jackson, but Bowling had the presence to fling himself in, what he could only perceive to be the direction of Jacko’s header. He was fortunate to have guessed right and instinctively clutched the ball to his midriff as he flew across his goal line. How much he knew about it only he can say.
It was surprising that the score was only one-nil, but, apart from Jackson’s header, it was difficult to recall an attack that had deserved a goal. But that’s football, it’s a thin line between winning and losing, it’s even thinner between scoring and not.
Half Time: Yeovil Town 1 Kettering Town 0.
Yeovil’s only concern at the start of the second half was whether captain Terry Skiverton could get his boot re-laced in time. As it was he missed a couple minutes of play, but there was no danger.
It was more of the same after the break, Lindegaard was first to break behind the Kettering defence but his shot form wide was weak and Bowling was untroubled. Two Yeovil corners followed in succession and Holyoak was added to Mr Dorr’s book for dissent. Haran was lucky not to join his teammate after a cynical foul on Williams when the Yeovil midfielder had him well beaten. The writing was undoubtedly on the wall and it seemed only a matter of time before Yeovil extended their lead: Way was unlucky after a well-worked free kick, but Kettering managed to get a body in the way .
It was not until the introduction of Gall for Lindegaard on 64 minutes that the Yeovil fireworks began. Two minutes later Way broke down the left and sent in an excellent cross. Bowling heroically pushed Jackson‘s header onto the bar but new boy Kevin GALL was following up and applied the decisive touch, Bowling could only gather the ball when well over the line. Yeovil 2 Kettering 0.
Yeovil Gaffer introduced his second signing of the week, Jason Blunt replacing Williams in the hope that he could emulate Gall’s contribution. El Kholti moved to left back as Yeovil switched to a 4-4-2 formation. McKenzie replaced Holyoak for Kettering, but there was no way back for them. That was underlined when Williams and Gall combined on the right for the latter to sent in a strong low cross. Although the ball was half-cleared it fell immediately to Kirk JACKSON who made no mistake with an instinctive strike from six yards. Yeovil 3 Kettering 0.
With such a commanding lead it was time for the Yeovil exhibition, they now held the ball for considerable periods of time, one almost became uncomfortable at Kettering’s plight. Yeovil exhibited superior fitness and desire: Jackson was first to the ball in front of McKenzie and took a nasty crack on the shins for his trouble: Mr Dorr had no hesitation in red-carding the unfortunate Kettering substitute.
3-0 down, down to ten men, reminds me of Dover last season, they were relegated. With 16 minutes left there was enough time for Colin Pluck to smack the foot of Bowling post with a powerful header and for Way to head closely over before McIndoe completed the scoring. Despite introducing Boyle-Chang for Asombang Kettering were unable to prevent Yeovil extending their lead. Johnson began a move on the right hand side and picked out El Kholti on the left. He found Michael McINDOE on the left of the Kettering box and letting the ball run on into his stride Macca had little difficulty in finding the netting inside Bowling’s far post with his favoured left foot. Yeovil 4 Kettering 0.
The game was over, three points in the bag. Yeovil’s interest after the final whistle turned to games around the country. That seemed to go Yeovil’s way and seemed to underline that, come next season, Yeovil will be in a different league.
Final Score: Yeovil Town 4 Kettering Town 0.
Internet Man of the Match Voting Result:
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Overall match rating: 8.9 / 10
Performance: 9.1
Entertainment: 8.7
55 votes received.
Green and White Goals