In part four of a series of five, we return to the springtime fixtures as the Glovers begin the third quarter of fixtures....
Although January ended on a bit of a low after two successive defeats, February ushered in a new wave of optimism boosted by a great result in the first game of the month. It had only been six weeks since Yeovil had hit Wycombe Wanderers for four at Huish Park but already it was the return fixture.
A good start is always welcome and a beauty from Dean Bowditch on the quarter-hour gave the Glovers the lead but, as in the home game, it was a long time before the visitors added a second. By then, former Yeovil striker Matt Harrold had equalised but the Chairboys had no answer to one of the Town's best spells of the season.
Andy Welsh, Owain Tudur Jones and Bowditch with his second wrapped up the win and an aggregate 8-1 win over a side doomed to relegation later in the season.
Two home games followed against Gillingham and Colchester but only one point arrived in the bag. The Gills came to Somerset satisfied if a point came their way and they left happy. Both sides hit the woodwork but the game won't live long in the memory.
Adrian Boothroyd's Colchester stole all three points with a 38th minute winner from ex-Cheltenham battering ram Kayode Odejayi and the game was also soured by the departure on a stretcher of defender Stefan Stam with a nasty leg injury.
There was no respite in the fixture list as Yeovil's next trip on the road was to the Valley for their first ever league match there. Almost 16,000 watched the Valiants win by two goals to nil thanks to Kyel Reid and David Mooney.
Three days later, they were travelling again, this time to Walsall where a Sam Williams toe-poke on five minutes proved to be the winner. The 147 hardy souls that made the journey up only to endure a snowstorm before the game and the early stages were rewarded with only the third away victory of the season.
MK Dons were the visitors for February's final game and left pointless when an absolute stunner from Shaun MacDonald on 23 minutes won maximum points for Yeovil. His rising shot into the top corner was one of the top three goals of the season and the Welsh midfielder certianly enjoyed his strike judging by his celebration.
March won't be remembered with much fondness by anyone with three defeats in four games (a massive Tuesday night trip to Carlisle and a heavy derby defeat to Bristol Rovers among them) with the only bright spot coming from a mauling of Hartlepool at Huish Park.
The Canaries were first up for their third meeting with the Glovers this season. In front of just less than 25,000 spectators at Carrow Road, the host's terrific trio of Wes Hoolahan, Grant Holt and Chris Martin all netted to take their combined tally to sixty goals for the season. That was ten goals conceded in three games but at least Yeovil had finished playing them for the season.
The Hartlepool game showed the other side of Yeovil. In a match already buzzing with the return of prodigal son and hero Gavin Williams, Yeovil took the lead through a 20th minute penalty from Gavin Tomlin.
Williams (G) showed his class hadn't deserted him with a stunning free kick before then losing his rag and lashing out at a 'Pools player and receiving a straight red card for his trouble. In between, his delicate lob had rebounded off the post and in off defender Sam Collins and with Dean Bowditch netting a fourth, it was one of the highlights of the home season.
That trip to Carlisle came next and, minus a suspended Williams, the Glovers went down by the odd goal, a spectacular strike from Adam Clayton. The grand total of eighty three Yeovil fans made the trip and each and every one of them deserve great praise for making the mammoth journey.
March closed with a bad defeat to Bristol Rovers, their first victory at Huish Park since Yeovil joined the league. The home side never recovered from being gifted a fourth minute lead converted by Jo Kuffour. Before half time, it was three as Paul Heffernan and then Kuffour again sealed the victory.
