About 15 or 20 minutes into the match I did a quick count of those watching and found about 45 to be the attendance. This was VERY disappointing for a particularly pleasant morning, and also considering that the first team had an afternoon match at home and that the youth team had played so well when they beat Brentford 4 - 0 in the FA Youth Cup Second Round. I had hoped to see many more, but perhaps if all goes well against Luton Town on Wednesday in the third round then more supporters will make the effort to see this fine youth side next time they play at home. Please note that for the league games (played on the top pitch at Huish Park) attendance is FREE!

Advertising over; now the report. A fairly scrappy start saw both sides pushing forward but neither really imposing or creating any clear cut chances, until a fifth minute long throw from Andy Holmes was met by Richard CULLINGFORD who rose well to head powerfully in. 1 - 0.

Two minutes later Cheltenham forward Steve Cook tested Danny Barker for the first time in the game with a shot taken comfortably by the promising young goalkeeper. Soon after, Emre Woolf beat three players before playing the ball across to Cook who shot wide. A good ball from Mike Wilce for James Dance was well defended by Sam Croft, who beat the visiting right wing in the air. At the other end goalkeeper Joe Goodwin did well coming out to dive at the feet of Sean Smith, and another Cheltenham chance saw Cook sidefoot the ball weakly to Barker.

Fifteen minutes into the game and a good cross was reached by Goodwin just ahead of Gavin McCallum, and Greg Squibb made a couple of important clearances. Barker did a similar job at the Yeovil end, coming out well to clear ahead of the incoming Mike Whittington. James Ansell again held off Cook, but on this occasion the tricky forward beat him and shot into the side netting.

In a tactical change captain Dale Williams dropped back into the Yeovil midfield, with Sean Smith moving up front. Midway through the half saw Cheltenham enjoying a good spell, but they were unable to capitalise and on 25 minutes it was young Glover Andy HOLMES who found the net with a well struck volley after a free kick just inside the visitors half. 2 - 0.

Yeovil pressed again with Cullingford finding Holmes on the right, but his cross was taken by Goodwin. There was a brief stoppage for treatment to Woolf, who was fit enough to continue, and then Cheltenham embarked on a bombardment of the Yeovil goal - a scramble in the Glovers area saw efforts blocked from Dance, Sam Foley and Cook, and then Barker punched the ball away under pressure from Cook again.

Mr Faultey spoke to Mike Whittington about his disagreement with decisions, but did not book him. Andy Martin - who had looked excellent both in defence and coming forward - lifted a long ball over for Holmes but Adam Steventon was on hand to head back to his grateful keeper. Cheltenham won a free kick about 25 yards out to the left of the penalty area but Dance shot over.

With five minutes left in the first half Martin made two excellent blocks from Cook in the Yeovil area. In the closing minutes a Cheltenham corner was headed over by visiting captain Greg Lewis, a Yeovil corner from Williams was fired wide by Martin, and the home captain was then spoken to, but not cautioned, by Mr Fautley after a foul on Dance. In stoppage time a Richard Crotty free kick was volleyed wide by Foley.

The first half had been fairly even with just the two well taken goals separating the sides. My choice for player of the half was Andy Martin, who filled the left back slot usually occupied by Charlie Welch with confidence.

The second half saw a few changes. Cheltenham brought on Phil Waters to replace Emre Woolf. Yeovil made no substitutions, but Sean Smith dropped back to midfield with Dale Williams moving forward again, and on the touchline Gary Johnson arrived to replace Steve Thompson who had left at the end of the first half.

For the third time in the match Mr Fautley spoke to a player at length but did not produce a card, and on this occasion the recipient was Steve Cook. The game remained fairly even if a little scrappy, and the first notable move of the second period was when Holmes slid the ball through to McCallum but he was judged to be offside. A good run by Cheltenham sub Waters saw him beat several men before being tackled by Andy Martin.

Ten minutes into the second half and a Cheltenham corner was headed against the post by Tom Birch, then the rebound was fired wide. A throw given against Yeovil saw Martin throw the ball down in annoyance, and he was spoken to but not cautioned. Good work from McCallum earned a throw, but the visitors broke away and a good Squibb header was needed, followed by good defending from Croft.

Into the last half an hour a free kick near the Yeovil penalty area was squared by Whittington and shot wide by Dance. A Yeovil free kick just into the opposing half was taken by Martin and flicked on by McCallum, but held by goalkeeper Goodwin. Shane Case then controlled well before shooting just wide, and Jake Reid was brought on to replace James Ansell.

A Whittington shot from close range was well blocked by Barker. Two substitutions, with Darren Crocker replacing the lively Steve Cook for Cheltenham and Jamie Barber on for Sean Smith for Yeovil, were punctuated by an excellent Sam Croft 70th minute tackle.

A clever turn and shot by Williams sailed over the bar, and then Cheltenham had two corners, the second of which was headed away by Holmes. The visitors' final change saw Marcus Palmer introduced and James Dance withdrawn. A fine 80th minute tackle by Croft was followed by the third Glovers substitution with Bradley Bryant on for Andy Holmes. After a clearance the ball rolled away down the bank to be chased by Paul Terry, surely a sign of the strength and depth of the Yeovil squad when a midfielder of his class doubles as a youth team ball boy!

For the final ten minutes Cheltenham pressed hard. Barker made a good save from a shot which wouldn't have troubled him except for the uneven bounce, and Cheltenham earned two corners in quick succession. Good work between Croft and Cullingford gave Jake Reid a chance, and although he was unable to fully capitalise he won a throw in for Yeovil. In the final five minutes and a good Cheltenham attack was thwarted by gutsy defence from the home side.

After the respite of a Martin free kick flicked on by McCallum and fired across the face of goal by Reid, Yeovil once again had their backs to the wall. An excellent McCallum tackle stopped the charging Lewis. Into the final minute a free kick taken by Whittington was well saved by Barker, but the rebound was played back across goal and fired in by substitute Phil WATERS for a deserved consolation goal. 2 - 1.

In stoppage time Yeovil held on and even had a final chance when Bradley Bryant volleyed over. After a fairly even first half when Yeovil played the better football and deserved their half time lead, the second half was a complete contrast and saw the home side digging deep to defend against a pressing Cheltenham team who were unable to break through until too late. For the second period my choice for player of the half was Sam Croft who defended superbly.

Final score: Yeovil Town u-18 2 Cheltenham Town u-18 1

Four hours after the youth game kicked off the first eleven played Grimsby in a Coca Cola League Two match. This game was remarkably similar to the youth game as, in not the prettiest of matches, they took a 2 - 0 lead and then defended well to hold out for a 2 - 1 win after conceding a late goal from the visitors which led to a tense final few minutes. It is nice to know that the youth team, like their senior counterparts, in addition to playing some quality football can dig deep and scrap when the need arises.

Robin Evans

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