Big names playing for lower league clubs often look like they are astute clever signings, but bar the odd
case like Woking's signing of Clive Walker more often than not they are in practice bad ideas based on that person's
reputation as a past player rather than his present abilities. Thus the first notable contribution to the game of
Robert Lee was to open the half with a booking for a foul on Darren Way inside 20 seconds of the whistle blowing.
He was probably noticeable on one other occasion later on in the game - when he was substituted.
As is so often the case, stick the Glovers towards the Westland Stand and it is as noticeable as Liverpool kicking
towards the Kop end, and so began a second half onslaught. Bartosz Tarachulski laid the ball off for Darren Way, who
rode a couple of tackles before nudging the ball just wide of the post. Next Bartosz probably should have done
better after he was presented with a gift by Lee Johnson who had just had his own attempt saved by Talia. Johnson
laid the rebound back to him 10 yards out but the big striker
scuffed his shot wide.
Gus Uhlenbeek was the next player booked for a high challenge on Bartosz Tarachulski, whilst Kevin Gall cut in from
the right and struck his angled shot against the outside of the goalframe leaving the Bartlett Stand on their feet
thinking Yeovil had taken the lead, only to see the ball bounce outside the goal. The move had seen some wonderful
interchanges between Bartosz and Phil Jevons prior to setting Gally free, and there was no doubt that Wycombe were
now seriously on the back foot.
More beautiful footballing simplicity could be witnessed on the hour mark as Phil Jevons shielded the ball then nudged
it into the path of Kevin Amankwaah who ran straight through the huge gap left, cutting inside and forcing Talia
into yet another excellent save.
Wycombe were being forced to feed off scraps and Gus Uhlenbeek's 62nd minute drive from a narrow angle was about
as close as they got, with his optimistic attempt going two or three yards wide of the mark. But all the other
action was at the other end of the field as Phil Jevons picked up a long ball over the top, chesting down the bouncing
ball and this time having the Yeovil College Stand on their feet as Jevons struck the outside of the goalframe on
the other side of the pitch.
Midway through the second half saw an outrageous piece of goalkeeping by Wycombe's Frank Talia. Kevin Gall's
cross into the middle was inch-perfect for Phil Jevons to launch a diving header at goal, which he struck into
the ground and across the face of the Wycombe keeper. Somehow a single palm kept the ball out as Wanderers escaped
again. Two minutes later Jevons was involved again as Paul Terry put him through on goal but the league's top scorer
was completely out of luck as the ball nudged wide of the post. On another day, Jevons could have been claiming
the match ball by now.
With the ball doing everything around the Westland Stand goalmouth except going where fate demanded it to, the
phrase "one of those days" seemed to be looming larger and larger. Gary Johnson tried to shake things up by
introducting Andy Lindegaard and Andrejs Stolcers for Kevin Gall and Phil Jevons but Yeovil never quite got the
rhythm going again after the change, with neither substitute showing much to demand a starting place in the side next
week.
Mark Philo, on as a substitute for the visitors, reminded Wycombe there was a goal at the other end of the park
to aim at when he ran in from the right wing and forced Paul Terry to deflect his shot for a corner. But Yeovil
continued to pressurise albeit in more sporadic fashion and had two great chances to snatch a late winner.
Andrejs Stolcers stuck in a ball to the back post which Bartosz Tarachulski slid in to meet, but the ball nudged
agonisingly inches wide of the post. Next Efe Sodje could not believe his luck as he picked up a loose ball
from a Lee Johnson corner that he thumped at goal only to find the ball smashed against a defender's body on the
line. The Yeovil players screamed for a handball but referee Andy Hall pointed to his chest and play was waved on.
Rather improbably, despite all of the excess second half pressure, it was Wycombe who could have committed
what would have been daylight robbery right at the death when three minutes into injury time, Nathan Tyson got
his first clear sight of goal of the game as he attempted to nudge a cross past Steve Collis but the Yeovil keeper
palmed it away from goal with the outside of the post helping it on its way.
And so ended a great game and with little doubt one of the best pieces of entertainment served up at Huish
Park this season. The one piece of frustration was that the Glovers deserved to win the game by a mile on their
second half performance and only some improbable misses and some outstanding goalkeeping stopped the game from
ending in a thrashing against a useful looking Wycombe side. To their credit, Wycombe came to Huish Park to win AND
to play football - there aren't too many visiting sides this season who can claim that. A frustrating outcome
for Yeovil, but what the team must take into their final two games is the knowledge that if they put in that
second half performance across their games against Southend and Lincoln then they will be very unlucky to not
gain automatic promotion this season.
Badger
MOTM Vote Result:
Player |
MOTM |
Score |
Efe Sodje |
23 |
628 |
Lee Johnson |
17 |
448 |
Kevin Amankwaah |
11 |
397 |
Terry Skiverton |
4 |
128 |
Darren Way |
3 |
100 |
|
Overall match rating: 8 / 10
Performance: 7.5
Entertainment: 8.5
58 votes received.
Any comments/questions please email [email protected]
|