In fact, over the opening 15 minutes or so, we had Yeovil pegged back. Sadly there were not too many chances to speak of. One clear chance fell to Vidarsson when he failed to keep the ball down virtually on the goal line. Any other sort of touch and the ball would have been in. As it was, it somehow managed to clear just about everything for a goal kick! Anderton had a great free kick beaten away by their keeper on about 15 minutes.
After this moment, Yeovil began to find their feet in this game and began to impose themselves as they realised that the Cherries midfield wasn't really up to much, and at times either didn't exist, or offered a token resistance when resistance was offered.
At one stage it looked as Yeovil were going to be confined to long range speculative efforts in the general direction of our goal. But then Gray turned Cooper a bit too easily, and then fired low and past Neil Moss for the ball to nestle in at the far post. Their first shot on target too!
The ref then decided to apply typical inconsistency by waiving away Yeovil fouls, but at the slightest hint of a Yeovil player being nudged came a whistle for a free kick to visitors!
Gowling almost put past his own keeper with 2 minutes to go before the break. Thankfully Moss was alert to the self inflicted danger to save the ball and an embarrassing own goal!
HT: 0-1
The need to get something out of the game was made all the more vital as news filtered through that Leyton Orient were winning 3-0 away at Millwall and that Cheltenham Town were 2-up away at Tranmere Rovers! Could things get any worse?
A Jamie Hayter header from a superb Cooper cross forced a great save from the Yeovil keeper who could only push it out for a corner. The resulting set piece resulted in nothing.
Another chance fell to Hayter minutes later. When it seemed easier to place the ball past the keeper for the equaliser, he managed to baloon the ball high and over the bar from less than 10 yards out from the goal line! It wasn't going to be our night was it?
Gowling came out of defense with a great run, which lead to a free kick on the far side of the pitch. Anderton took the free kick which was far too easy for the Yeovil defense to deal with.
As the hour mark approached, it was clear that the Cherries were going to be also rans as too many passes from 'quality' players went astray or were simply not good enough, or were so obvious that Yeovil were able to read play better than our own players!
Moss had to do well to get down well from a well directed header to save going 2-down.
Yeovil's keeper had to be on his toes as a speculative shot-cum-cross from substitute Pitman eventually forced the keeper in to tipping the ball out for a corner - again it didn't result in anything. We were making it very easy for our visitors to clear any danger! NOT GOOD ENOUGH!
Another great save from Yeovil's keeper came from a rasping shot from Wilson. This time the corner was headed by Fletcher who saw his effort punched off the line!
Then came the killer blow as Yeovil broke forward in the 77th minute, Sweeney crossed from the left, Moss failed to collect allowing Best to score the visitors further ahead. Again, it was all too easy!
Anderton had a great shot, the keeper parried, Pitman couldn't react quick enough as the ball rolled agonisingly past the post and safely out for a goal kick.
No matter how you look at this performance, we simply were not good enough in any respect. Sure we had chances, but we made it all too easy for what was a mediocre Yeovil side to collect all three points off us! The 8th side to go home with a win this season.
The feeling at the end of the game was that we've already got a foot in League Two for next season. So take us back in to Administration now, take the 10-point hot now and rebuild for next season.
The only other point to consider .......... BOND OUT!
|
AFCB: Moss, Young, Gowling, Cummings, Wilson, Cooper, Hollands, Anderton, Vidarsson, Hayter, McGoldrick
Subs: Stewart, Broadhurst, Fletcher (on for Hollands, HT), Pitman (for Vidarsson, 61 mins), Purches (for Anderton, 84 mins)
Andy Burton, Portsmouth