There was one change to the starting line-ups announced by Dave Linney as trialist Paul Jones began in the Yeovil defence, rather than TPFKAP (Colin Miles - the player formerly known as Plucky).

An early run down the right by Adam Lockwood saw his cross hoofed out by Brian Wilson. Within a minute of this Paul Jones made the worst possible start, losing the ball in the Yeovil half, and Ashley Vincent ran down the left flank before crossing for Luke CORBETT to side foot the ball past Steve Collis. 0 - 1.

Yemi Odubade made a positive start, firstly outpacing one defender when chasing a through ball from Dale Williams before another out-muscled him allowing goal keeper Scott Brown to clear, and then winning a free kick when fouled after showing good control.

Corbett broke through for Cheltenham again, and Steve Collis tackled him with the ball running loose. Steve Reed, in a move symptomatic of the Glovers’ evening, collected the loose ball but rather than clearing to safety managed to lose out to a Cheltenham forward while dribbling across the front of the Yeovil penalty box - fortunately the resulting shot was weak and Collis was able to collect comfortably.

Yemi Odubade charged down an attempted clearance, but a fairly crowded Cheltenham defence was able to cover. With ten minutes played more good work from him when combining with Reed led to a foul on Simon Weatherstone, about 30 yards out and fairly central. The floated free kick was headed wide by Nicolas Mirza, with Adam Lockwood better placed behind him - clearly a lack of communication.

As “Greenkeeper” of Ciderspace Forum fame eloquently put it, we were showing “odd flashes of brilliance”, but sadly what came in between was not productive - more Yeovil possession, but with the side not really gelling, and too often the ball was simply given away.

Things could only improve, and just after a quarter of an hour Yeovil won the first corner of the game. Weatherstone took the corner from the left and after Lockwood headed the ball into the “danger zone” a number of efforts were blocked, and Brown made one superb save from point blank range. The ball fell to Nicolas MIRZA who coolly took time to choose his spot before firing past the helpless keeper. 1 - 1.

A long shot from captain Graham Ward was tipped over by Collis for the visitors’ first corner. Good team work from Yeovil involving 5 or 6 players earned a second corner for the home side. Paul Jones lost out to Corbett who put Ashley Vincent through, and he finished in a heap in the Yeovil area but referee Mr Hollick waived away claims for a penalty.

Midway through the half Jones won a ball well, and hopefully this would settle him down. The aggressive Dale Williams won a loose ball, and earned a third corner. It was then the turn of Nicolas Mirza to carelessly lose the ball in midfield, and this allowed the fast and skilful Ashley VINCENT to run into the right hand side of the Yeovil area before coolly sliding the ball past Collis inside the far post. 1 - 2.

Yeovil seemed to be passing the ball around well, but with little result. Good moves involving Williams, Weatherstone, Mirza and Reed - ultimately ended by an offside - and a seven man move - ended by a weak shot from Paul Terry - promised much but failed to deliver. The next good chance was at the other end when a shot from Chris Murphy was parried away well by Collis. Yeovil did have a shot on target when Paul Terry nodded the ball down, and a sharp shot from Dale Williams was well stopped by the diving Brown.

A foul on Ashley Vincent saw a free kick which Danny Thompson floated around the wall and just past the far post, although in fairness Steve Collis did look to have it covered. After another Yeovil corner the dangerous Vincent broke away and charged down the left flank, followed closely by Dale Williams. As the pair reached the touchline it appeared that Williams had cleared the ball for a corner, but the assistant referee on the far side placed his flag across his chest for a penalty - a decision which seemed to surprise Cheltenham as much as Yeovil! The reason was variously given as a foul or handball whilst on the floor - neither sound particularly convincing.

Vincent took the penalty, which Collis saved superbly. However, the same assistant referee judged that he had moved off his line (unlikely, as Collis had started from a position slightly BEHIND the line!) and a retake was ordered. This time Ashley VINCENT made no mistake, firing into the roof of the net. 1 - 3. He then began an elaborate celebration, which his team mates seemed unwilling to join. Was it my imagination or did several of them looked rather embarrassed?

Little happened in the next five minutes, except perhaps the oddity of a genuine drop ball, but in the two minutes of stoppage time Corbett turned and shot well but found the side netting, and a Lockwood back header from Weatherstone’s fifth corner (all from the left) was headed of the line by an alert defender.

Sam Croft started the second half in place of Paul Jones, and went on to have an excellent second half - one of the few plusses for the home side!

Another Yeovil corner in the opening minute of the half looked promising, but just a minute later it took an excellent Pluck-like… no, err.. . Miles-like tackle from Steve Reed to dispossess Vincent. Reed then turned attacker and floated a free kick around the post.

A good Weatherstone shot was well taken by Brown. Collis rushed out to midway into the Yeovil half to beat Ashley Vincent to a through ball.

Ten minutes into the half Danny Thompson seemed to decide that he preferred the shirt Yemi Odubade was wearing to his own, as he did his best to remove it as Yemi tried to outpace him. Everyone in the ground seemed to see this….. except, of course, the officials, whose inconsistency was more than a little baffling.

The Yeovil back four now saw Roy O’Brien on the right, with Sam Croft inside him, then Adam Lockwood, and Steve Reed on the left. O’Brien made several good runs down the right flank, and Croft, Reed and Lockwood also impressed. With Ibe and Odubade both running their socks off up front, the back and front both looked good for the Glovers. If only we had had a midfield then things may have been different…..

The second half was very scrappy and fairly dull. Mirza headed a Reed free kick to the right of goal. Another good move saw him blast a shot over the bar, but this was his last contribution as he was replaced by Charlie Welch - like Croft, another youth player who went on to give a good account of himself.

A second corner for Cheltenham was well taken by Collis. Good tackles were made on Vincent by Sam Croft, and on Corbett by Roy O’Brien. With fifteen minutes left a Cheltenham free kick on the edge of the area was touched to Danny Thompson, who blasted over.

Between two Cheltenham substitutions - Lewis for Thompson and two minutes later Cook for Vincent - Steve Thompson was heard to shout to Lucky, “Get in behind them”. Good advice, but probably eighty minutes too late.

With three minutes of added time everyone was ready to go - perhaps an early release for good behaviour would have been in order? Cheltenham made a third change, with Crotty on and Corbett off. Deep in stoppage time Mr Hollick awarded a free kick against Steve Reed for an innoculous challenge about 25 yards out. With perhaps a certain amount of inevitability, Brian WILSON stepped up to float the ball around the wall and into the top corner. 1 - 4. In all honesty it was an excellent strike, but I certainly didn’t feel any good vibrations about the score line (ouch) [Is this a sign that it's time for Robin to be put out to the beach, boy? - 60's music fan ed.].

Final score: Yeovil Town Reserves 1 Cheltenham Town Reserves 4

The final score was harsh, particularly after the dodgy penalty, but there is no doubt that the correct team won. The senior players simply did not do enough. If only Yeovil had played with a midfield rather than lump long balls through to two hardworking but fairly small forwards, who constantly had two or three defenders covering them and no support… doh! At least the first team have no need to worry about their places.

My opinions - harsh but, I believe, fair:
Collis 5; Lockwood 6, Jones 4 (Croft 6), O’Brien 6, Reed 5; Terry 4, Mirza 5 (apart from his goal this would be 4) (Welsh 6), Weatherstone 4, D. Williams 5; Ibe 6, Odubade 6

I have always advocated going to live football over watching it on the TV. However, to those who stayed in for the England [and Wales! - ed] match tonight, I concede that you made the right choice!

Robin Evans

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