Yeovil produced one of their best performances this afternoon as they thumped a poor Hartlepool side 4-0 at Huish Park.
A Gavin Tomlin penalty, a superb free kick from Gavin Williams, a freak Sam Collins own goal and a cracking Dean Bowditch finish were enough to overcome a Hartlepool side low on confidence after eight successive away losses.
However the victory was tarnished when debutant Gavin Williams received a straight red card for butting 'Pool midfielder Andy Monkhouse who had gone in late on Williams right by the dugout.
The Welshman will now sit out for three matches meaning any possible return wouldn't be until the big clash with leeds United on April 5th.
Despite the scoreline, it was the long-travelling visitors who had the first chance when last week's hat-trick hero Roy O'Donovan pulled his shot wide after being set up by a ball from the right wing.
Yeovil replied well and Craig Alcock of all people found himself with tricky half chances. The first of which saw the captain hack a shot wide before a similar opportunity ended when Tomlin blocked the defender's effort.
Yeovil were playing some nice stuff now and it was no surprise when they took the lead on nineteen minutes. Sam Williams was fouled in the build-up but the referee played a good advantage and the Glovers won a corner. The cross came in and a shot was blocked by a high hand. Referee Rushton awarded a penalty and Tomlin slotted home for his fifth goal of the season.
The penalty spurred 'Pool on and Adam Boyd headed wide before Pater Hartley sent a scuttling shot just wide of the post.
The second goal was the first in 'Pool's defender Sam Collins personal nightmare. His blatant shove in the back of Sam Williams was punished by referee Rushton. Sam's namesake Gavin stepped up and curled a delightful free kick in off the post for a glorious second.
Dean Bowditch was keen to get in on the first half action and former Yeovil loanee keeper Scott Flinders saved his shot from a tight angle.
Shaun MacDonald, as impressive in midfield as ever, curled a shot straight at Flinders as the Glovers threatened a third with Sam Williams also going close with a header.
Hartlepool boss Chris Turner made an half time change with James Brown replacing the ineffective Ritchie Jones but within three minutes, his team talk was in tatters. A move down the right saw Gavin Williams poke a looping shot goalwards. His effort hit the post and rebounded into the net off the hapless Collins.
Jean-Paul Kalala and Tomlin both saw yellow with the Congolese man particularly unlucky, penalised for not retreating ten yards when he was running away from the set piece.
The second half flashpoint came right on halfway when Monkhouse went in late on Gavin Williams. The City loanee retaliated and saw the red card brandished after an long finger wagging from referee Rushton. Monkhouse only received a yellow for his part in the incident.
Keiran Murtagh came on for Kalala with twenty minutes to go, tightening things up to head off any comeback inspired by the one man advantage.
Two minutes later, the fourth goal went in. Referee Rushton played another good advantage after a foul on Williams and Bowditch ran on to plant a thumping shot into the corner.
The ex-Ipswich frontman was subbed almost immediately for Andy Welsh but the threat up front was as strong as ever. Sam Williams forced Flinders to get down low twice to save well, Tomlin was also denied by the keeper at the near post and even Steven Caulker came close to adding a fifth with a header from a free kick.
Substitute Welsh also nearly scored when put through by third replacement Scott Murray (on for Tomlin) but the scoreline stayed at four and condemned the north easterners to yet another away defeat.
