23rd April 2016

Yeovil played out an energetic 1-1 draw with League Two champions Northampton Town in the Glovers’ first game at Huish Park since confirming their Football League status for next season.

Harry Cornick’s early header gave Town the lead against the Cobblers, but Adams’ third goal of the season meant Chris Wilder’s men left Somerset with a share of the spoils.

Darren Way made two changes for the visit of the recently crowned League Two champions. Tahvon Campbell and former Cobbler Ben Tozer dropped out of the starting eleven, being replaced by Liam Shephard and Cornick.

It was the Bournemouth loanee who would open the scoring in a rather bizarre fashion. Shephard’s long-range shot looped up towards Cornick free in the six-yard box, and the winger outjumped the static Adam Smith, who expected the linesman’s flag, to give the Glovers the lead after just seven minutes.

Former Town striker Sam Hoskins had a great chance to equalise on the 15 minute mark after he wriggled free in the box following a free-kick, but the forward’s flicked header went straight to Yeovil goalkeeper Artur Krysiak.

Town were enjoying their football on a sunny day at Huish Park. Liam Walsh and Connor Roberts combined well to send the right-back into the box, and his cut-back to Francois Zoko found the striker in space but Northampton’s defence got bodies in the way to send the shot behind for a corner.

The visitors got back on level terms with ten minutes of the half left. Danny Rose found time and space in the box to cross to the back post, and striker John Marquis’ knockdown found Adams free to nod home the equaliser from point-blank range.

The second half started with Yeovil shooting towards the home support, but it was the away side who looked more threatening just after the interval. Zoko was unlucky to not put Town in front, with his shot from ten yards going over into the terrace behind the goal.

Walsh nearly put Yeovil back in front with half an hour of the game to go but the youngster’s free kick from 25 yards just skimmed the bar as it went over. Marc Laird and Jack Compton were introduced by Way as Town looked to win what was an end-to-end game against the league winners.

Compton’s whipped free-kick into the box found the head of Alex Lacey but the centre-back’s header went straight into the arms of Smith. But the third goal of the game never arrived, and with both sides in celebratory mood shared a point in an entertaining game at Huish Park.

Yeovil: Krysiak; Roberts, Lacey, Smith, Dickson; Shephard, Walsh, Dolan (Laird 63′); Cornick (Campbell 80′), Lita (Compton 68′), Zoko.

Subs not used: Weale, Tozer, Bird, Jeffers.

NTFC: Smith; Lelan, Diamond, McDonald, Buchanan; Holmes, O’Toole, Rose, Adams (D’Ath 75′); Hoskins (Potter 59′), Marquis (Collins 62′).

Subs not used: Taylor, Cresswell, Byrom, Clarke. 

Attendance: 4008