Notts County were able to frustrate the life out of Yeovil Town as they dumped Town out of the FA Trophy.
Courtney Duffus’ strike was not enough to cancel out Connell Rawlinson and Scott Wootton’s efforts on either side of the half.
Despite finishing the game with nine-men due to an injury to Damien McCrory and a red card for Wes Thomas, the visitors were able to cling on for dear life and secure passage to the next round of the FA Trophy.
Darren Sarll opted to make four changes to the side held by Chorley last time out.
It was a debut for Norwich City loanee Caleb Richards who started on the left flank. The opposite flank saw a return for Remeao Hutton.
Albi Skendi lined up in the midfield with Chris Dagnall returning to the forward line, partnering Marc Richards.
It was an end-to-end affair in the first half, with chances falling for both sides throughout the first half.
It would only take until the second minute for Yeovil to have their first sight of goal, a brilliant cross from Hutton found Dagnall in space to head on goal, however Joe McDonnell was equal to his efforts.
The opening goal of the game would come in the seventh minute as Rawlinson heads the visitors ahead. After Town failed to clear, the ball fell to Rawlinson at the back-post to head the Magpies ahead, despite Wilkinson’s best efforts to clear on the line.
Following the goal, it would be Town applying the pressure, going close just one minute later as an excellent Hutton cross found Jimmy Smith flicking a header towards the charging Marc Richards, but he couldn’t quite connect.
Liam O’Brien would be forced into a save in the 12th minute as Kristan Dennis burst beyond the Glovers defence and fired on goal.
However, chances would continue to fall for Town, with Charlie Lee and C.Richards both firing over the bar within the space of a minute.
M.Richards would go agonisingly close once again as Smith was found rampaging into the box by Dagnall, however Smith’s cross-cum-shot across the face of goal escaped the 37-year old forward.
The referee was thrust into the thick of the action as Wes Thomas tussled with Wilkinson causing the Yeovil defender to fall to the floor. Thomas was adjudged to have committed violent conduct and was given his marching orders.
The sending off thrust the Green and Whites even further forward, constantly pressuring the Magpies defence until the half-time break.
Notts County set up to frustrate in the second half, with very rare flurries forward.
Yeovil would dominate the ball, but the Magpies would limit the 11-men to shots from distance.
In what was the visitors first chance of the half, they would extend their advantage as substitute Kyle Wootton fired against the crossbar and getting a stroke of luck with the ball bouncing just over the line.
Attacking substitutions worked almost instantly for Darren Sarll as Courtney Duffus scored with what must have been his first touch. A brilliant turn after Skendi’s cross saw Duffus fire beyond McDonnell to breathe life into the game.
Town continued to press on, with the likes of Murphy and Smith going close during the closing stages, but it wasn’t to be as Yeovil fell out of the FA Trophy.
Yeovil Town: O’Brien; Dickinson, Collins (Duffus), Wilkinson; Hutton, C.Richards (Hippolyte), Lee, Skendi; Smith, Dagnall (Murphy), M.Richards
Bookings: Wilkinson, Lee.
Subs not used: Worthington, Alcock, Cooper, Nelson
Notts County: McDonenell, McCrory, Thomas, Denniss. Rawlinson, Kelly-Evans, Crawford, Osborn, Lacey, Shields.
Subs: Rose, Boldewijn, Wootton, Brindley Kean, Betts.
