Both sides featured a mix of youth and experience, with the Glovers lining up veteran Steve Thompson alongside four players who had played in the youth match against Swansea under-18’s in October, and a further four young players from that side making up the entire bench. Swansea included experienced marksman Kevin Nugent and started with two players from the aforementioned youth game, with two of their five named substitutes having also featured in that match.

As early as the third minute a poor back pass from Rhys Williams was gratefully collected by Yemi ODUBADE, who had no problem beating Brian Murphy in the Swansea goal. 1 – 0.

The early goal perhaps gave the home crowd a short lived hope of repeating last season’s 8 – 0 thrashing of the Swans second string, but this was not to be as the home side seemed to flounder for the remainder of the half. Swansea won the first corner of the game in the 5th minute, and this was taken by tricky winger Brad Maylett. A couple of minutes later Steve Collis dived bravely at the feet of Maylett, but the Swansea man retained possession and flicked the ball across the area but Sam Croft tackled well.

Yemi looked to have another good chance for Yeovil, but his shot was well stopped by Murphy, and in any event an offside flag had been raised. Within the first ten minutes the Glovers suffered a blow when Sam Croft was led off by physio Glen Schmidt after sustaining a bleeding head wound, and he was taken straight into the dressing room. With Croft off the field the ten man home side featured no recognised central defenders, and only one player – Jamie Underwood – who usually played in defence, albeit generally as a full back rather than in the central position in which he was employed tonight. Perhaps given the above it was no surprise when Collis saved well from Maylett but Kevin NUGENT banged in the rebound for an equaliser. 1 – 1.

Straight after the goal Sam Croft was replaced at the back by fellow youth player Andy Holmes, who is generally a forward, although sometimes a plays in midfield. With almost a quarter of an hour played Nugent went to ground in the Yeovil area, described variously by home fans as a “blatant dive” by Nugent or a “definite foul” by Dale Williams. Either way, Mark PRITCHARD, the Swansea Youth captain who scored the equaliser in the 2-2 draw three months ago, stepped up to fire home from the spot. 1 – 2.

Swansea had the better of the next ten minutes, with Collis saving well from Rhys Williams; Dale Williams making a good tackle when Pritchard was advancing; Collis stopping a good Pritchard header. On 25 minutes there was a bizarre incident when Nugent charged down a Collis clearance, but rather than play to the whistle the Yeovil keeper complained to the official while the ball – rather fortunately – ran to safety.

Adi Caceres was fouled centrally about 25 yards out, but Arron Davies shot narrowly wide with the resulting free kick. On the half hour Yeovil finally earned a corner, but it was Swansea who added to the score a couple of minutes later when a Rhys Williams free kick found Antonio CORBISERO, and although his first effort was saved by Collis the rebound was deflected back to him and he made no mistake the second time around. 1 – 3.

Yeovil tried to come back quickly, and good control from Caceres was followed by an excellent ball through for Steve Thompson, but two Swansea defenders did well to crowd him out. Good play by Nicolas Mirza and Caceres gave trialist Darren Wheeler a chance to attack, and he won a corner. At the other end Underwood defended well at the cost of a Swansea corner.

A foul on Wheeler won a free kick for Yeovil, but the visitors finished the half stronger with Collis called upon to make a couple of stops in a goalmouth scramble in added time. A fairly poor half for the Glovers, with the main topics of discussion during the interval being the penalty decision and the Marti Pellow-style ponytail worn by the fourth official.

Heavy rain fell during the break. Yeovil started the second half in similar fashion to the first, when with just a couple of minutes played Yemi ODUBADE picked up an excellent long pass (I believe Andy Holmes was the provider) and slotted calmly past Murphy into the corner. 2 – 3.

A poor challenge on Sean Smith by Corbisero, following a similar one on Wheeler in the first half, saw Mr Turner reach for his notebook. Swansea made a change with Matthew Roberts replacing Ijah “Stamper” Anderson, who Yeovil fans will remember making an impression on Jake Edwards (with his boot) at the Memorial Stadium last season when he was a Rovers player and Edwards was lying on the ground.

A good save from Thompson by Murphy was followed by an awful challenge on Arron Davies by substitute Roberts who had been on the field for about 60 seconds and had not yet touched the ball, and was certainly miles away from the ball when he floored Davies. A booking was given, but a red card was a very real possibility.

With an hour gone Adi Caceres fell awkwardly, twisting his ankle in the process, and he left the field to be replaced by Gavin McCallum. Murphy saved bravely at the feet of Odubade, and a Pritchard free kick after a foul on Nugent was well taken by Collis. Murphy tipped a McCallum header over the bar for a corner.

With twelve minutes of normal time remaining Richard Cullingford was brought on to replace Steve Thompson. Odubade did well and shook off a defender before shooting into the side netting. A Mirza pass to Cullingford saw the young substitute unleash a fine shot from nearly 30 yards out which Murphy did well to tip over the bar.

Into the last five minutes and a poor back pass, which was very similar to the one which led to the first Yeovil goal, saw Pritchard through for Swansea, but Collis made a great block and his defence recovered to clear. Ben L’Honour fired a free kick wide, and Davies shot just over after good work from Mirza and Odubade.

Three minutes of added time saw Gary Fisken put a Swansea free kick over the bar, and Mirza head wide after a cross from McCallum.

A much better second period from the Glovers who attacked for most of the half and looked like they would equalise, but somehow that elusive third goal never came.

Robin Evans

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