Yeovil Town continued their good pre-season form with a 5-2 victory over Welsh Premier League side Llanelli AFC at Stebonheath Park tonight.
An opener from Rohan Ince was cancelled out by the Reds but further first half goals from Sam Foley and James Hayter put the visiting Glovers in command. The hosts then pulled a goal back through a Jason Bowen penalty but Gozie Ugwu and Hayter again made the score 5-2 before Luke Bowen scored a late consolation.
Another good result and performance for Gary Johnson’s men against a side who have already kicked off their season in the lofty heights of the Europa League, having lost to Finnish side KuPS 3-2 on aggregate.
The Yeovil boss was forced into two changes to his starting eleven from Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Bristol Rovers. Gavin Williams and Luke Ayling both collected knocks so sat out tonight’s encounter, replaced by Sam Foley and Lewis Young respectively.
And it was Young who nearly opened the scoring on fourteen minutes but at the wrong end. Stretching to head a clearance away, he diverted the ball against his own post in an early Glovers scare.
Three minutes later, the woodwork was struck at the other end when Gozie Ugwu toe poked a pass from Keanu Marsh-Brown against the Llanelli post.
It didn’t matter though as within ninety seconds, Yeovil had taken the lead. Rohan Ince had hit a beauty against Rovers from long distance at the weekend and he repeated the feat tonight though the home keeper got a touch to it.
Four minutes later, the Welsh side levelled when Geoff Kellaway broke through the heart of Yeovil’s defence and chipped the onrushing keeper Marek Stech to make it 1-1.
By half time though, Johnson’s men had built up a two goal advantage. On 37 minutes, James Hayter ran into the box before his cross was blocked, flapped at by the keeper who was being challenged, and then turned home by Sam Foley.
Then three minutes later, it was 3-1 when Hayter fired home after a great through ball from Rohan Ince, his second strike in four games.
The second period began badly for Yeovil with the award of a soft penalty for a foul by Sam Foley on Jason Bowen. Bowen picked himself up and slotted the spot kick home to make the score 3-2.
Gozie Ugwu then scored the sixth goal of the game with a fine finish on the hour mark, latching on to a Foley pass and rounding the keeper before firing home well.
Manager Johnson made a double substitution on seventy minutes bringing off Ugwu and Foley to give Reuben Reid and Nathan Ralph some legs and Ralph came close to opening his Town account with a shot saved by the home keeper.
Curtis Haynes-Brown replaced Lewis Young on eighty minutes and with three minutes left, Hayter grabbed his second, and Yeovil’s fifth, with a well taken goal after Reid’s shot was blocked.
Ed Upson almost made it six later still with a shot that brushed the post but the last goal in this eight goal entertaining encounter came from Luke Bowen, nephew of QPR assistant manager Mark Bowen, with a good finish from outside the box.
Yeovil team: Marek Stech, Lewis Young, Richard Hinds, Byron Webster, Jamie McAllister, Keanu Marsh-Brown, Ed Upson, Sam Foley, Rohan Ince, James Hayter, Gozie Uguw
Subs: James Clarke (for Webster 45), Reuben Reid (for Foley 70 min), Nathan Ralph (for Ugwu 70 min), Curtis Haynes-Brown (for Young 80 min).
