A pair from Warren Patmore saw off a very decent Morecambe side this afternoon; this great win for Yeovil not only keeps the 100% home record in-tact, it puts them level on points with Stevenage at the top of the Conference table.
Until almost the last minute, Yeovil were hoping to field an unchanged side, but David Norton pulled a calf muscle during pre-match warmups, and may be out for three weeks. Matt Hayfield stepped up from the bench to take his place. Also among the subs was new (re-) signing Lee Archer.
Yeovil looked in good form from the outset, but without getting a breakthrough. Morecambe were a very accomplished side, keeping and passing the ball well, and one can see how they made their way to the top six of the Conference.
Yeovil might have opened their account when Warren Patmore nodded a 22nd minute corner back across the face of the goal, but Morecambe scrambled it away. Five minutes later there was an opening at the other end, when Jamie Pitman intercepted a move only to see the ball fall to Stewart Drummond, who put his shot into Row Z. Had they picked out Darren Lyons on the right, they would have been in a better position to break the deadlock.
A minute later Warren Patmore's shot was fumbled by Morecambe keeper Andy Banks, but the defence reacted quickest to get the ball away to safety, and just before half-time a Drummond air-shot was followed by Barrie Keeling, but he too cleared the bar. Tony Pennock saved well from Lyons, and it became clear that Morecambe were missing their main striker Justin Jackson.
The second half was much the same, though perhaps with a few more good chances created, especially after Yeovil took the lead on 63 minutes, forcing Morecambe to push forward more. The visitors replaced Lyons with Gary Thompson, who had some joy down the right.
The first goal came when a Ben Smith free-kick went to the far post, and Chris Sparks did well to keep it in and knock it back across the goal. The ball eluded the static Banks giving Warren Patmore a tap-in. A cock-up at the other end, when a Tony Pennock clearance bounced off Sparks, could have given an opportunity to Morecambe, but their best chance came when Phil Eastwood was set through one-on-one; Pennock made a superb block rushing out of his area as Eastwood attempted to lift the ball over him.
A number of chances came to Yeovil as Morecambe pushed forward for the equaliser. Matt Hayfield has a shot well-saved by Banks after a build-up involving Ben Smith and Adie Foster, and Smith had a shot turned around by Banks.
Funny looking bunch, those Yeovil fans! (part 1)
