Football Yeovil’s fast start ends Yate’s bid for more cup glory
YATE Town fell to a 5-0 defeat to National League outfit Yeovil Town in the first round of the FA Cup, in front of 1,600 fans at a packed Lodge Road on a historic day for the club.
The seventh-tier side showed early nerves in the biggest game in their history, conceding three goals within half-an-hour to end any hopes of a giantkilling.
First-half strikes from Charlie Wakefield, Matt Worthington and Dale Gorman put the tie to bed, before Adi Yussuf and Sonny Blu Lo-Everton capped off a fine performance for Darren Sarll’s side.
Yate had already defied expectations by defeating National League opponents Dover Athletic in a replay the round before, but Paul Michael’s spirited team fell short this time against a controlled Yeovil performance.
There was a great buzz of anticipation around the ground as a sellout crowd came to witness Yate playing at this stage for only the second time in their 114-year history and the possibility of rolling over a side 38 places higher than them in the non-League pyramid.
The visitors started brightly to dampen those expectations, though, with Worthington scoring first after a clever set-piece routine left the midfielder free to strike at goal from a corner.
The class of the higher-league team shone through as the half went on, and a second goal followed when Wakefield raced on to a through pass before showing skill, confidence and composure to chop on to his left foot and curl a shot into the far corner of the net.
Despite a standout showing from centre-back Liam Angel, formerly of Cardiff, Newport and capped for Wales at youth level, Michael’s men failed to deal with the deep runs from Worthington, Wakefield and Yussuf, with the game being ended as a contest before the break.
Gorman’s jinxing run was stopped inside the area and he scored the resultant penalty as well.
Yate’s top scorer and captain David Sims-Burgess should have added to his season’s total of six goals but fired over with a wild attempt. His team did have the ball in the net before James Harding’s effort was ruled out for handball.
Yate, who have no professional players and are managed by Michael, deputy head teacher at Abersychan Comprehensive School, were unfortunate not to have a goal to show for their efforts.
In the second half, Yussuf turned in Dan Moss’ cross to make it 4-0. Substitute Sonny Blu Lo-Everton rounded off scoring with a longrange drive.
Yeovil boss Sarll said: “We started so fast and athletically and intensely – that would have been hard for a full-time team to deal with.
“But I think it was a little bit more than professionalism. I thought the performance levels were very high. Training this week has just been on a whole new level.
“Some of our performances were excellent. We were very good, we played at speed.
“I feel like we are starting to hit some form. We’ve started to find a little bit of momentum now.
“Our preparation for the game in training was very, very good.”
Michael admitted it had been a tough afternoon for his Yate side.
The manager said of the whirlwind opening: “We had a goalmouth scramble at one end, and it didn’t go in, (then) a goalmouth scramble at the other end and it did go in.
“Then a poor pass in midfield and, to be fair, they were clinical on that. Good finish and 2-0. Yeovil just got their goals at key intervals.” Yate: Hannah, Turl, Angel, Lewis (Bower 65), Tunnicliff (Thuo, 73 mins), Tumelty (Hall, 65 mins), Adams, Kamara (Mehew, 54 mins), Rees, Harding (Max Williams, 72 mins), Sims-Burgess.
Not used: Brabham, Hopper, Rhodes, Allen. Bookings: Harding, Turl, Angel.
Yeovil: Smith, Moss, Staunton, Williams (Wilkinson, 53 mins), Robinson (Lo-Everton, 53 mins), Gorman (Stephens, 76 mins), Barnett, Wakefield, Worthington (Bradley, 66 mins), Knowles, Yussuf (Quigley, 67 mins).
Not used: Evans.
Bookings: Yussuf.
Referee: Matthew Russell (England)