23rd August 2014

Yeovil Town dropped two home points at Huish Park as they were held to a 1-1 draw by bottom side Scunthorpe United this afternoon.

After an averagely entertaining first half, sub Kieffer Moore scored three minutes after coming off the bench to put the Glovers ahead but, somewhat inevitably, former Town striker Paddy Madden levelled nine minutes from time. It was a little harsh on Gary Johnson’s side who had the majority of opportunities in the match but were a little wasteful at times.

The manager had opted unsurprisingly to stick with the same starting eleven that had picked up a precious midweek victory at Walsall meaning that Ajay Leitch-Smith and James Hayter were the preferred partnership up front. And the pair combined for Yeovil’s first chance on five minutes when Sam Foley’s cross was headed on by Hayter for his partner who nodded wide.

Leitch-Smith then tested Scunthorpe’s new on loan keeper Bobby Olejnik who saved well with his legs and Sam Foley flicked a Leitch-Smith cross as Yeovil started the brighter. But it wasn’t all one way traffic as Jennison Myrie-Williams forced Chris Weale into tipping his shot around the post.

Paddy Madden was being kept fairly quiet by the Glovers backline but still looked the most likely United player to score. He just failed to reach a Terry Hawkridge cross before having a second effort blocked by Jakub Sokolik and a third chance blazing over.

Both Kevin Dawson and Leitch-Smith also saw efforts blocked  and early in the second half, James Hayter poked well over after Joe Edwards had made a burst forward.

Weale then made the save of the match when he stopped Lyle Taylor’s header from point blank range then caught Madden’s follow up. And the save was given added importance on 65 minutes when the Glovers took the lead. Kieffer Moore, on for Hayter just three minutes earlier met Sam Foley’s cross perfectly smashing home a left foot finish into the roof of the net.

Yeovil really began to grow more into the game after the goal with Leitch-Smith and Simon Gillett twice shooting over from promising positions. Referee Keith Hill then made a point, booking both Leitch-Smith and Scunthorpe sub Billy Kee for diving within a couple of minutes of each other.

With nine minutes to go, the long-travelling visitors levelled matters through who else but Paddy Madden. On the counter attack, Scunthorpe broke with pace and found Madden on the left hand edge of the box. The Irishman had time to get the ball on to his right foot and fired in at the near post.

The home side still had chances to grab a deserved win but Aaron Martin’s header dipped onto the roof of the net and Moore shot straight at the keeper at his near post after good work creating space for a shot.

The final chance came deep into stoppage time but sub Sam Hoskins couldn’t get on top of a cross and nodded over the crossbar. The point leaves Yeovil in nineteenth place.