3rd November 2012

Yeovil suffered a 3-0 FA Cup first round defeat against Preston North End.

 

First half goals from Joel Byrom and David Amoo and a second half header from Chris Robertson was enough to see the Lilywhites through to the next round.

 

Gary Johnson was forced into making numerous changes to his starting eleven with loanees Joe Edwards, Korey Smith and Daniel Johnson all being refused availability to play in the FA Cup by their parent clubs. Byron Webster also failed an early morning fitness test at the team hotel.

 

Striker Paddy Madden was granted permission by Carlisle United to play for the Glovers and partnered James Hayter up front in a 4-4-2 formation.

 

It was Madden who had the first chance of the match after seven minutes when he picked up a loose ball and unleashed a shot from 25 yards, which narrowly went over the PNE crossbar.

 

North End forced the first corner of the game after 15 minutes but Yeovil managed to clear with ease. From the clearance a clever reverse pass by Keanu Marsh-Brown released Williams whose pass out wide set Madden free, but the Irishman’s shot was well saved by veteran keeper Steve Simonsen.

 

It was Madden again who went close, this time from 20 yards out. With the Preston defence-splitting Madden saw his chance to shoot but his effort went narrowly wide.

 

The home side took the lead after a good five-minute spell of pressure. Midfielder Joel Byrom found himself in a one-on-one situation with Marek Stech and made no mistake in slotting past the advancing Stech.

 

Just two minutes later the home side doubled their lead when substitute David Amoo also found himself in a one-on-one with Stech. The winger rounded Stech, maintained his composure to slot into an empty.

 

Eight minutes into the second half saw former Yeovil defender Paul Huntington go into the book for a late foul on Hayter when the striker tried to lob the ball over Simonsen who had found himself out of position.

 

Just after the hour mark Yeovil’s task was made harder when midfielder Ed Upson saw red for a foul on opening goal scorer Byrom.

 

The home side added to their tally on 71 minutes when an in swinging corner was met with a powerful header by centre back Robertson.

 

Minutes later Yeovil thought they had pulled a goal back but again Madden was denied, this time by the feet of Simonsen.

With less than ten minutes to go Simonsen was again on hand to keep Yeovil out. This time he denied Dom Blizzard, whose flicked header from a Sam Foley corner was goal bound.