Saturday 8th November| Enterprise National League | Attis Arena

Richard Dryden made three changes to the side following last weekend’s defeat away at Scunthorpe United, with Finn Cousin-Dawson coming in for Kyle Ferguson, whilst Junior Morias and James Daly were introduced in place of Michee Efete and Harvey Greenslade.

The visitors started the tie as the brighter of the two sides, creating an opportunity from the opening attack of the game, as Gus Scott-Morriss saw an attempt blocked, before Ben Goodliffe fired a volley into a wall of Yeovil defenders a few minutes later.

The first clear-cut chance of the game fell the visitors’ way, and to their top scorer, Andy Dallas, who received the ball in a dangerous position following a misplaced pass 14 minutes in. Dallas couldn’t make the most of the opportunity, though, curling his attempt from close range just wide of the Yeovil goal.

Southend continued to dictate the play throughout the opening 20 minutes, but were unable to break down the Town defence.

After weathering the storm early on, the Glovers grew into the game and began to test the Shrimpers’ defence with multiple chances to close out the half.

Morgan Williams had Town’s first attempt of the game, having a pop from just outside the area after 26 minutes. The defender’s effort took a deflection and travelled out for a Yeovil corner, which would be taken by Josh Sims.

Sims’ drilled delivery to the front post caught the visitors by surprise, with Scott-Morriss quickly coming across to try and get something on the ball, and heading it into the side netting.

Williams got his head to the second delivery from the corner flag moments later, powering an attempt at the visitors’ goalkeeper Nick Hayes, but the defender was penalised for a foul on his marker.

Sims had a chance of his own with 10 minutes of regular time remaining in the half after being found on the counterattack by Morias, but couldn’t direct his attempt from a wide angle at goal, firing just over.

Morias came the closest to opening the scoring for the Glovers in the 36th minute, firing a strike inches over the bar from around 30 yards out in the aftermath of a missed chance at the other end by Dallas.

In a dramatic end to the half, Max Jolliffe and James Plant had opportunities blocked inside the area before Jed Ward was required to make a double save in the 42nd minute to keep the score level at the break.

Half Time: Yeovil Town 0-0 Southend United

As they did in the first half, the visitors started the second set of 45 minutes on the front foot, creating another turnover inside the Yeovil half within the first two minutes of the half with their high press.

Dallas looked to be in the position to shoot from a wide angle, but instead dinked a ball towards Josh Walker, who was inside the six-yard box. The Shrimpers couldn’t make the most of the opportunity to take the lead, though, as the ball was just too high for Walker.

Luke McCormick looked to have won a penalty in the 52nd minute after leading a breakaway down the left-hand side. The midfielder made it all the way to the penalty area before being challenged inside it, where he looked to be brought down, but the referee Scott Jackson waved away the claims for a spot kick.

Two minutes later, Ward was pulled into action again, pulling off a superb diving save to his right to push away a strong header from Walker, before scooping an attempt by Scott-Morriss moments after.

Dryden made an attacking change on the hour mark to try and break the deadlock, bringing on Andrew Oluwabori in the place of Alex Whittle.

While Town were unable to score, the substitution started a period where the Glovers were on top.

Daly flicked a header just over the bar in the 66th minute before another Aaron Jarvis, another substitute, beat Hayes to a high ball and took it around him before hitting a strike goalwards.

A Southend defender recovered to get in the way of the shot, but the ball appeared to hit his hand as he went to ground to block it. As was the case earlier in the second half, the referee said no penalty.

Jarvis had another chance inside the area in the 82nd minute, looking destined to get on the end of a low Oluwabori cross, which would turn out to be the Glovers’ final chance of the game, but Harry Taylor slid in at the last gasp to beat the striker to the ball and force a corner.

As the final ten minutes went on, a draw looked the most likely result, but Dryden’s side were handed late heartbreak as Slavi Spasov stole all three points for the Shrimpers, converting a rebound after Dallas saw an attempt parried by Ward.

Full-Time: Yeovil Town 0-1 Southend United
Scorers:
Yeovil Town –
Southend United – Slavi Spasov (90+1)

The Glovers are back on the road on Saturday 22nd November when we travel to Morecambe in the Enterprise National League.