17th July 2018

In a first-half demonstrating plenty of promise Yeovil enjoyed the better of the play as free-flowing football continued to be put on display in pre-season.

Tom James had a free-kick well-saved whilst Diallang Jaiyesimi went close to breaking the deadlock before Rovers stole the lead. 

Tom Lockyer, up from the back, was found in the six-yard box to poke home a corner to separate the two sides at the break.

With their performance meriting more Bevis Mugabi headed home an equaliser on 57 minutes and that settled the scoring as the home supporters headed home happy.

The third outing of Town’s pre-season schedule, newest recruit Sessi D’Almeida started in the centre of midfield whilst the Academy trio of Daniel Ojo, Gabriel Rogers and Tyrique Spencer-Clarke all featured.  

Still without the injured duo of James Bailey and Jake Gray, defenders Shaun Donnellan and Gary Warren also missed the West Country clash due to slight knocks whilst goalkeeper Nathan Baxter remains with parent club Chelsea.

Becoming a theme of the last three matches the hosts started in composed manner with plenty of early touches of the ball. 

Encouraged by what they’d seen, the home crowd were almost celebrating a goal on the 10-minute mark when Tom James’ long-range free-kick had to be palmed out for a corner by visiting stopper Sam Slocombe.

Penned back by Darren Way’s side in the opening quarter-of-an-hour it took until the 17th minute for the Gas to register a shot on goal, as Chris Lines’ speculative shot landed on the roof of the net as Stuart Nelson remained untested.

Another off-target Lines strike followed before Town engineered the best chance of the half with a demonstration of pace.

Wideman Jordan Green left Rovers’ Michael Kelly chasing shadows before squaring to Diallang Jaiyesimi who after collecting the ball could only fire over the bar from inside the box. 

Making his debut as an official Yeovil player, D’Almeida pulled the strings in midfield alongside Alefe Santos as the hosts continued to get the better of their League One counterparts. 

Looking like being an opening 45 minutes full of positives the Green and Whites surrendered their cleansheet from a set-piece. 

Unable to test Nelson in open play, Lockyer came up from the back to poke a corner from the left-hand side past a hapless Yeovil stopper to make the score 1-0 at the halfway stage.

Remaining positive, Rhys Browne fired over after cutting in from the left eight minutes after the restart but an equaliser was soon to follow. 

Carl Dickinson’s wide free-kick was whipped in dangerously to allow Mugabi to rise highest in the middle to head home. 

Responding at the other end almost immediately Sam Matthews saw a shot clip the crossbar on the way over before Town made changes. 

The Academy trio of Ojo, Spencer-Clarke and Rogers all took to the field along with Alex Fisher and three unnamed trialists as the clock ticked down. 

Nelson was forced into a routine save to keep out Tom Nichols’ shot from inside the box in the closing stages but both neither side could find a winner as the Glovers’ positive performances in pre-season continued at Huish Park.

Yeovil Town: Nelson; James, Sowunmi (Ojo 76′), Mugabi, Dickinson; Green (Rogers 79′), D’Almeida (Spencer-Clarke 79′), Santos (Trialist B 79′), Browne (Trialist C 79′); Jaiyesimi (Trialist A 60′), Zoko (Fisher 63′).
Bookings:
Subs not used: 

Bristol Rovers: Slocombe; Leadbitter (J. Clarke 46′), Lockyer, Craig, Kelly; Lines, Upson, Sercombe; Matthews, Nichols, Bennett.
Bookings:
Subs not used: O. Clarke, Mensah, Broadbent, Smith, A. Clarke, Rodman.