Yeovil Town’s 2023/24 season began on a disappointing note with a 1-0 defeat against Hemel Hempstead Town in their opening match.
In the early stages, Hemel had a good sight of goal, but Joe Re’s effort on the edge of the box went wide. Soon after, the Glovers appeared to take the lead on the 10th minute through Jordan Maguire-Drew, who found the net from a Rhys Murphy cross, but celebrations were cut short by an offside flag.
As the game progressed, both teams struggled to create real chances, resulting in a more evenly spread contest. The Glovers attempted to breach Hemel’s defence and get the ball into the box, but Craig King, Hemel’s goalkeeper, was effective in dealing with crosses.
On the 36th minute, the Glovers had their best chance when Jordan Maguire-Drew set up Rhys Murphy, but his shot from 18 yards missed the target. This chance triggered a sequence of attacks from the Glovers, but Hemel’s backline remained resolute, blocking most of their shots.
Just before the halftime whistle, Hemel’s Arj Krasniqi had a curling effort from the right, which narrowly flew over the bar.
Heading into the break, the Glovers knew that missed opportunities were mounting, adding pressure as they had to defend down the slight slope of the Vauxhall Road pitch after the break.
The second half began with a free-kick in a dangerous position for the Glovers, but Craig King comfortably handled Jordan Maguire-Drew’s cross, showcasing his aerial dominance.
Soon after, the Glovers’ goalkeeper, Will Buse, was called into action, saving a shot from Joe Iaciofano after a flick from Elias Grant.
With chances becoming scarce for the Glovers, they had a golden opportunity as Jordan Maguire-Drew’s cross reached Morgan Williams in the box, but he failed to find the target with his shot. Hemel also had their moments, with Montel McKenzie’s acrobatic effort going over the crossbar.
The deadlock was finally broken on the 78th minute when a weak pass from Zac Bell to Will Buse was cleared against the oncoming Joe Iaciofano, resulting in the ball trickling over the line and leading to a disastrous goal conceded by the Glovers after a solid defensive display.
The Glovers attempted to respond by bringing on Olly Thomas to add fresh energy to the attack. However, their efforts were in vain as they were unable to find an equaliser.
Their best chance to level the score came on the 85th minute when a cross from Alex Whittle found Frank Nouble’s head, but his effort soared over the crossbar.
The match saw eight additional minutes, which Hemel managed well, securing their 1-0 victory.
The match ended with a disappointing loss to begin the season, which was a shame considering the strong support from the traveling fans in Green & White.
We want to thank everyone who made the trip, and we can’t wait to see you back at Huish Park on Saturday for our game against St Albans City.
Yeovil Town: Buse, Williams, Whittle, Sendles-White (Lo-Everton), Wannell, Worthington, Maguire-Drew (Thomas), Bell, Cooper, Nouble (Young), Murphy
