The Glovers got back to winning ways with a hard-fought 3-1 win away at Boston United. Two first-half goals from Brett McGavin and a strike from Jordan Young after the break were enough to tip the dramatic encounter in favour of the Glovers.

Two changes were made to the side defeated by Rochdale on Monday at Huish Park. Finn Cousin-Dawson made his first competitive start, with Matt Worthington also returning to the starting XI.

The Glovers couldn’t have got off to a more perfect start. After a foul in the 6th minute, Brett McGavin stood over a free kick about 20 yards out. McGavin curled a stunning shot in off the post, sending the travelling Yeovil supporters into jubilation.

Following the goal, Boston had their own string of chances. One saw Ollie Wright called into action when experienced defender Michael Bostwick rose highest after a corner, but his header slotted into Wright’s arms.

The game was level again in the 14th minute. A slip from Finn Cousin-Dawson gifted Tony Weston the chance to break forward before he slid the ball to Sam Osborne, who calmly placed it beyond Ollie Wright to make it 1-1.

The drama continued in the early stages, this time through a red card. A challenge between Charlie Cooper and Jordan Richards saw Richards get it terribly wrong, earning him an early bath before he could even get back to his feet.

With the man advantage, Yeovil went hunting for the lead. Just after the half-hour mark, Michael Smith put in a delicious ball towards Josh Sims, who challenged Jai Rowe for possession but was penalised. However, the next attack saw the Glovers restore their lead.

Brett McGavin clipped a perfectly weighted ball into the path of Raphael Araoye, who charged towards the byline before cutting back. Waiting in the right place was McGavin, who curled an effort with his left foot beyond Cameron Gregory and into the net to make it 2-1.

The assist proved to be Araoye’s last piece of action for the game as he felt a slight niggle and couldn’t continue. After momentarily being down to ten men, Sam Pearson replaced him as the Glovers maintained their one-goal lead up to the break.

The second half began with more cards, this time for the Glovers. Both Charlie Cooper and Jake Wannell received yellow cards for fouls inside their own half.

With Boston chasing the game, Frank Nouble found space to break forward and deliver a cross from the left, which glanced off Jarvis’s boot and just wide of the far post.

Then came Mark Cooper’s second and third changes. Jordan Young and Harvey Greenslade were introduced to freshen up the attack, and it was Young who capitalised. In the 75th minute, Sam Pearson broke down the left wing, which had become a frequent route for Yeovil’s attacks, before driving into the box. After reaching the byline, Pearson cut the ball back to Jordan Young, who slotted it through the few Boston defenders that had made their way into the six-yard box and into the net to make it 3-1.

Jordan Young could have, and perhaps should have, added at least one more to his tally for the afternoon. After Harvey Greenslade was pulled down on the right, Young’s low, curling free kick was well dealt with by Cameron Gregory as it skimmed towards the far bottom corner. However, his second chance was much clearer. Frank Nouble used the space on the left wing to charge forward again and got a shot away, which was saved by Gregory before the ball bounced back to Young, who steadied himself but somehow curled his effort wide of the goal.

Just one minute later, the game became a little more interesting. After receiving a booking earlier in the half, Jake Wannell had a rush of blood and pulled back Jacob Hazel, leaving the referee no choice but to brandish a second yellow and send Wannell off, leaving the Glovers with ten men in the closing stages.

Boston used this as an opportunity to build some momentum, and moments later, Ollie Wright was right in the thick of the action. A cross from the right fell to Pemi Adejuro, who got a shot away but was denied by a magnificent save from Wright. The resulting corner also saw Wright in action as he smothered the ball to disrupt any chance of Boston finding a way back into the game.

Despite eight additional minutes being shown, the hosts didn’t trouble the Glovers much, with their best chance coming through Dan Mooney, who blasted his effort high and wide.

For the Glovers, it was a return to winning ways, putting nine points on the board and leaving 157 travelling supporters much more cheerful as they made their way back to Somerset.