Report courtesy of 'Fat Harry' from the Clarion:
When Colin Lippiatt reports to Geoff Chapple on this game I think "Christmas has come early" might just creap into the conversation. Yeovil started this game knowing a win was vital if they were to stay in the title race. When Steve Thompson's team was announced there were a few raised eyes brows when Adrian Foster was left on the bench but it was an otherwise fairly familiar line up from the Glovers.
Yeovil started the game brightly and for the first twenty minutes things went very much their way. The Glovers were playing bright one touch football and not really giving Nuneaton any chance to settle.
Although a second minute free kick had hit the Yeovil post that was the only chance that Nuneaton had and Yeovil were unlucky when first Wazza found himself one on one with the keeper after Jamie Pitman had split the visitors defence with a lovely ball.
Trigger Cousins nearly gave Yeovil the lead with what would have been his third goal of the season when his stinging shot flew a whisker wide. It really should have been Sainthood for Cousins with that third goal of the season but the ball deviated at just the wrong moment.
It came as no real surprise when Jamie Pitman put the home side ahead in the 21st minute. Big Deano had cleared to the left and the ball was picked up by Jason Eaton, he crossed to Wazza and he set up Jamie Pitman for a powerful header that had MacKenzie well beaten.
It was a well deserved lead but little did we know what was to come in the second half. As has been apparent in recent games Yeovil again seemed content to sit on their lead instead of going for the jugular. Nuneaton are not having the best of times at present and were there for the taking. To their credit though they didn't panic but just slowly played themselves back into the game.
When Terry Skiverton was injured in the 37th. minute Yeovil had to re-organise and it seemed from that moment on the game was lost. Matty Hayfield came on to replace Skiverton but instead of moving Cousins into defence it was Hayfield who went into the back line. This seemed to completely unsettle Yeovil and you felt the sooner half time came the better. In the 43rd. minute Broughton found himself completely unmarked and it was easy to head past Pennock for the equaliser.
What a time to score! From controlling the game Yeovil went in at half time all at sixes and sevens. The second half was a total disaster. Since I have been reporting on Yeovil in Clarion 2000 I don't think I have ever seen them play so poorly.
The last thing I want to do is to slam the players or the manager but in all honesty what can I say that is remotely positive? There was no passion, and not very much skill either. Passes were constantly going astray and as heads dropped so the visitors grasped the initiative. It was just terrible and how the sponsors could pick anyone for a man of the match award is beyond me- (not that Jamie was any worse than any of the others.)
Fozzie came on for Eaton in the 65th. minute but by then the game was gone. Within three minutes Nuneaton took the lead when Murphy scored from a corner. As Yeovil's game fell apart Nuneaton powered forward and peppered poor Ed the Duck's goal. In fact Yeovil can be thankful to Pennock that the score was not even more convincing.
When Wray scored from another corner in the 87th minute it was pretty acedemic and Yeovil's chances of winning the league probably went with it.
What was most alarming about the game though was the lack of passsion in the team. I've said in the Clarion's Taunton match report that losing can become a habit and so it's come to pass as the first team lose as well.
Nonetheless it doesn't need me to tell the players or management that this was a poor performance - they know already. What they and us the supporters have to do now is to get behind the team in next week's vital game against Kingstonian.
Victory could still see something salvaged from the season. Defeat and that's our season over. We know, the players know and the manager knows. Lets just hope next week proves to be a more succesful one.
Report and picture are copyright of the Clarion, and used with kind permission.
See also today's results and updated table
