By Dan Howell

A youthful Yeovil Town side battled valiantly against a Weston-super-Mare team featuring several experienced players but ultimately fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat at Huish Park. Brandon Bak’s first-half penalty proved decisive, sending the visitors through to face Taunton Town in the Third Round.

Under the guidance of Matt Percival, the Glovers fielded a team brimming with young talent, with Jacob Shore wearing the captain’s armband. However, it was Weston-super-Mare who made the brighter start. Experienced forward Nick McCootie tested the waters early on, first sending a shot wide from the edge of the area in the 7th minute before heading over the crossbar from a Jordan Bastin delivery five minutes later.

The visitors maintained their offensive pressure, with Zak Kempster narrowly missing the target with a strike from outside the box. Their persistence paid off in the 27th minute when Theo Lynden was brought down in the area by Morgan Alexander. Brandon Bak stepped up to the spot and confidently slotted the ball into the bottom-right corner, despite Louis Parker getting a hand to it.

The goal spurred Yeovil into action, with Morgan Alexander attempting to redeem himself shortly after. His long-range effort forced Kelland Absalom into a save, while Ollie Hughes tested the Weston keeper with a low shot following clever hold-up play by George Geraghty. Despite these chances, the visitors nearly doubled their lead before half-time, as Theo Lynden’s shot through a crowded box and Harvey Ayers’ curling effort from range both narrowly missed the target.

Trailing at the break, Yeovil faced an uphill battle to turn the match around. They began the second half positively, with Joe Crisp heading over the bar from a Blake Watts delivery on 52 minutes. Weston responded through Jordan Bastin, whose free-kick curled wide.

The second half saw substitutions and bookings disrupt the rhythm of the game. Despite their best efforts, the Glovers struggled to carve out clear chances against a resolute Weston defence. As the clock ticked into the final 10 minutes, Brandon Bak had another opportunity from a free-kick, but his low strike was comfortably gathered by Louis Parker.

Yeovil pushed forward in search of an equaliser, introducing fresh legs to add impetus, but Weston’s defensive resolve held firm. With three minutes of added time, the Glovers could not find a way through, leaving the Seagulls to celebrate their hard-fought victory.

Weston-super-Mare now advance to the Third Round, where they will face Taunton Town.