Venue: Huish Park
Saturday 5th April 2003, 3pm kick-off.

Conditions: Warm, sunny and bright.
Ground: Perfect, but bare in goalmouths.

Attendance: 7,558

Referee: Mr S Tomlinson (Farnham)

Bookings:
Yeovil: Pluck (26, dissent)
Telford: Brown (29, dissent), Barlow (41, unsporting behaviour), King (90, unsporting behaviour)

Line up : (3-4-1-2)

		1. Chris Weale
	14. Roy O'Brien	4. Terry Skiverton	5. Colin Pluck
16. Andy Lindegaard	6. Darren Way		8. Lee Johnson	11. Michael McIndoe
		20. Gavin Williams
	25. Kirk Jackson		9. Kevin Gall

Substitutes: 2. Adam Lockwood (72, for O'Brien), 10. Nick Crittenden (72, for Lindegaard), 12. Chris Giles, 22. Steven Collis, 24. Abdelhalim El Kholti (85, for Williams)

Telford: 1. Paul Edwards 3. Gareth Hanmer 5. Mark Foran 6. Grant Brown 4. Kevin Davies 7. Gary Fitzpatrick 9. Peter Smith 22. Martin Barlow 11. Steve Palmer 10. Paul Moore 19. David Brown
Subs : 8. Kevin Jobling 14. Jordan King (3, for Smith) 21. Craig Jones 24. Ronnie Sayer (45, for Palmer)

Scorers: Michael MCINDOE (28, 1-0), Kirk JACKSON (44 mins, 2-0), Michael MCINDOE (84, 3-0)

This report courtesy of Noddy Elms:

YEOVIL SUPREME, BUT HOLD THE CELEBRATIONS

The conference's biggest crowd of the season were left in limbo after today's results. Yeovil Town did all that was required of them by outclassing an average Telford United side, but Chester's win at Gravesend and Northfleet meant that the Glovers must wait before they can start cracking the bubbly. The Yeovil contingent of the 7558 crowd basked in their success after this result. The Yeovil Town squad lapped Huish Park to generous applause for their season's championship winning performance. But mathematically "it ain't all over".

Gary Johnson chose to commit himself to a 3-4-1-2 formation; welcoming Gavin Williams back after suspension, El Kholti finding himself on the bench. Jake King, the Telford boss, struggled with selection, only able to name four substitutes for the second week. King was able to name skipper Palmer, who had struggled with a knee injury for several weeks.

Telford started positively, forcing consecutive corners early on. But Yeovil soon settled into their routine and Weale was rarely troubled in the Yeovil goal. McIndoe was his usual threat down the Yeovil left wing, winning the game's first free kick. Lee Johnson was the first to strike for goal, but his effort was blocked. Johnson put in one of his best performances for Yeovil: working tirelessly setting Yeovil going time and time again. Pluck and McIndoe then combined down the left to eventually test Edwards, but the Telford keeper made the first of numerous crucial saves.

Jake King's injury worries got worse as he was forced to replace Jordan King for Smith after only four minutes.

Yeovil proceeded to dominate: Lindegaard and Gall combined to set up Jackson, but Jackson's shot was again blocked; McIndoe then tested Edwards from outside the box, but Edwards collected at fully stretch. In response Telford struggled to make any headway, occasionally caught offside but more often just running up against the formidable Skiverton and co, and forced back to rebuild.

Yeovil were appealing for a penalty after fifteen minutes, Gall did well to capitalise on Telford's defensive indecision and send in a cross for Williams in the six-yard box who seemed to be nudged off the ball, but Mr Tomlinson ignored the appeals. A minute later Johnson tested Edwards with a good shot, but again the Telford keeper collected well at full stretch. Jackson was next to be thwarted by Edwards after good work by Gall and Williams on the right. The home crowd began to wonder if Edwards was going to spoil the party as other keepers had done this season at Huish Park.

With twenty-five minutes on the clock, it was surprisingly Telford who almost took the lead. Building one of few attacks down the left, the Yeovil defence backed-off giving David Brown far too much time to fire a shot towards Weale's left hand post. Weale had had little to do until then but Yeovil's home grown talent was alert and pulled off a crucial save to push the ball outside the post. As Telford prepared to take the corner Colin Pluck picked up his usual booking, the reason was not apparent: just being Pluck, perhaps. At the other end Lindegaard fired narrowly wide of Edwards right hand post after 25 minutes.

Within two minutes Yeovil grabbed the lead their possession deserved: and it was a cracker. Yeovil sent the ball over the Telford defence and Gall did well to control it on the right wing. As he held the ball up at the bye-line he could have played safe, but chose to pick out Michael McINDOE sweeping in from the left wing. Macca reached the pitch of the ball and, volleying with the outside of his left foot and the ball whizzed low into the back of the Telford net. Edwards had no chance. The Yeovil crowd erupted. Yeovil 1 Telford 0.

Yeovil piled on the pressure but Edwards once more foiled Jackson and Johnson. As half-time approached Yeovil put together one of the sweetest moves of the season: again a long ball over the top was well taken by Lee Johnson, he sent in an inch perfect cross to the waiting Kirk JACKSON. From the Telford penalty spot Jackson rose in front of his marker and powered his header inside the right angle between Edwards' left hand post and bar. Yeovil 2 Telford 0.

Telford's Moore shot speculatively from distance before the half-time whistle, but the game was practically over.

Half Time: Yeovil Town 2 Telford United 0.

At half-time Telford supporters paraded a banner wishing good luck to Yeovil Town Football Club in Division 3. However, one could but wonder whether that generosity extended to their team during the first half.

The second half was less eventful: Yeovil appeared content with their two-goal lead and the all-important three points that would make their championship quest practically unassailable. Although Telford started the second half more positively: they enjoyed ten minutes of pressure; Yeovil were always in complete control. Skiverton was never less than commanding. Johnson and Way stroked the ball around midfield: setting O'Brien and Lindegaard down the right, Pluck and McIndoe down the left. Yeovil played exhibition football, all that was missing was a couple of extra goals.

Yeovil came close to adding to the score long before their third after 76 minutes: Darren Way weaved his way to the Telford bye-line after 57 minutes to pull the ball back for Gall; Gall's first shot was blocked for a corner. >From the ensuing corner Gall's next shot was deflected onto the Telford bar for a second corner.

With Telford tiring Lindegaard began to use his speed down the right wing: beating Hanmer after 66 minutes he found Jackson on the edge of the box. Jackson chested the ball down for Williams whose shot-cum-chip floated wide of the far post with Edwards well beaten.

That was Lindy's last contribution; Crittenden and Lockwood shortly replaced him and O'Brien. Both players have covered successfully during absences, underlining what a strong squad Gary Johnson now commands.

Way was now playing a free role and surging into the Telford box at will. His cross for Williams was just too strong and the Yeovil man could only hook his shot wide after 76 minutes.

But Yeovil were destined to add a third: and what a rarity it was. We all know Macca's right foot is only good for standing on. Well that myth was blown away this afternoon. Collecting a cross in the box, and sweeping on to his right foot, McINDOE saw a gap open up in front of him and placed his shot wide of Edwards left hand and inside the Telford left hand post: precision not power being the key. Yeovil 3 Telford 0. El Kholti soon replaced Williams but, in effect, the game had long been over.

Final Score: Yeovil Town 3 Telford United 0.

An emphatic display by Yeovil Town: the secret of their season's success must be their ability to perform effectively against average sides. They look forward to bigger challenges next season. To Telford United and your supporters; a generous and touching gesture at half time, a super stadium: good luck to you in the future.

Noddy Elms

Player MOTM Score Lee Johnson 41 749 Michael McIndoe 10 448 Kirk Jackson 6 248 Darren Way 3 133 Others 3 -

Overall match rating: 8.4 / 10
Performance: 8.5
Entertainment: 8.3

63 votes received.