15th September 2020

Yeovil Town secured their second pre-season victory with a 0-2 win over Dorchester Town.

Jakc Clarke’s second half strike saw the Glovers claim the lead in what was a controlled first half performance.

The second half saw more of the same with the green and whites on top throughout. Carl Dickinson would save the best until last with a sublime 30-yard free-kick to secure a second pre-season victory for Yeovil.

Darren Sarll opted for a different system for the Glovers, operating with a lone striker for the first time this pre-season. Rhys Murphy led the line on his own, with Jimmy Smith and Albi Skendi sitting just behind him.

The midfield was completed by Charlie Lee, Clarke and Lawson D’Ath. The defence saw starts for Dan Leadbitter, Luke Wilkinson, Josh Staunton and Carl Dickinson with Trialist A between the sticks behind them.

With Murphy alone up top, it was the runs of J.Smith and Skendi behind him which were a continually an thorn in the Dorchester side. After winning a corner following a deflected J.Smith cross, Town were seemingly denied a penalty in the 5th minute as Staunton was hauled down inside the box.

The Glovers continued to look the stronger of the two sides, with Wilkinson going close with a header just moments later.

The hosts offered very little in terms of attacking prowess in the first period but forced a goal line clearance from Murphy as the ball looped over Trialist A’s head following corner.

Leadbitter was denied his first Glovers goal by a matter of inches in the 35th minute as his first-time effort at the back post smashed against the cross bar.

Eventually, the green and whites found a way through thanks to an excellent first-time effort from Aston Villa loanee Clarke. After Murphy’s initial effort was blocked on its way to goal, the ball trickled to the edge of the box where Clarke was waiting to emphatically place Yeovil ahead.

The second half saw Yeovil continue to mount even more pressure on the hosts backline. D’Ath went closest in the opening stages with a first-time effort which flew narrowly wide.

When Sarll made substitutions, it saw a change of system with the Glovers opting for a 3-5-2 formation with Courtney Duffus and Trialist B leading the line-up top.

Trialist B almost made an instant impact, after some excellent one-touch passing, the forward was freed through on goal but an excellent save kept Dorchester within touching distance of the Glovers.

As substitutes continued, the flow was largely taken out the game with players attempting to find their rhythm within the game.

The hosts had one final foray forward in them as the game began to enter the closing stages, a ball to the back post was met by Harry Hodges but somehow Trialist A kept out what looked like a certain goal.

It was Carl Dickinson who secured the second pre-season victory for Town in the 90th minute, a stunning free-kick from 30-yards out left the Dorchester goalkeeper stranded and capped off a strong evening’s work for Sarll’s side. 

Next up for Yeovil is a trip to Twerton Park to face Bath City this Saturday (3pm).

 

Yeovil Town: Trialist A; Leadbitter (Trialist B), Staunton, Wilkinson, Dickinson; Lee (Worthington), Clarke, D’Ath (Rogers), Smith, Skendi (John); Murphy (Duffus)