Courtney Duffus’ superb hat-trick fired Yeovil Town to a six-goal victory over Torquay United.
Duffus struck once in the first half and twice in the second alongside Albi Skendi, Myles Hippolyte and Chris Dagnall.
Gary Johnson did not get the dream return he was looking for. Despite this, Asa Hall and Ben Whitfield both struck consolations to take a little shine from the free scoring Glovers performance.
Darren Sarll made one change to his side which drew against AFC Fylde last Saturday.
There was a return for club captain Lee Collins, who could only make the bench, then a twenty-minute cameo in Lancashire.
The meant that the Gaffer had decided to go with two out-and-out strikers in Rhys Murphy and Courtney Duffus with Skendi sitting just in behind.
It was a tactical switch which worked to perfection, as Yeovil would lead within three minutes. A brilliant Skendi run saw the Albanian with space to slide the ball across to Hippolyte to slam Yeovil ahead.
Skendi wasn’t done there, scoring himself just three minutes later, heading home Lawson D’Ath’s corner, causing an eruption in the Thatcher’s Gold Stand.
Yeovil’s dominance continued, with a third being added in the 15th minute. Goalscorer Hippolyte turned creator as his cross was met by Duffus at the back-post to continue his red-hot scoring form.
It was all one-way traffic, with Yeovil continually bombarding the Torquay defence, but it would be the visitors who scored next, with Asa Hall turning the ball in following a well-struck free kick.
Despite pulling one back, the chances continued to fall Yeovil’s way, with Charlie Lee having an effort cleared off the line and Wilkinson powering an effort wide of Shaun MacDonald’s goal.
It should have been four just before half time as Duffus spurned a sitter, after an excellent run by Murphy.
At the break, Yeovil held deserved dominant lead, and would continue to extend that in the second half.
Murphy could have had his name on the scoresheet in the 60th minute as he fired straight at MacDonald, once again after some brilliant work by Skendi.
Just seconds later, it would instead be Duffus who added his second of the afternoon. Another wonderful Skendi run meant all Duffus had to do was put his effort on target for Yeovil to have their fourth.
A fifth would be on the way in the 72nd minute as Dagnall netted his first league goal for the green and white. After being sent through by Duffus, the former-Bury man showed his class, calmly slotting past MacDonald.
Dagnall should have added his second ten minutes later as he selfishly drove through the Gulls defence, but his effort ballooned over the bar.
After a spectacular performance, Duffus got his duly deserved third, in similar fashion to his second, expertly poaching inside the six-yard box.
Torquay would add a consolation in stoppage time, as Ben Whitefield fired beyond Stuart Nelson, but ultimately, Boxing Day was Yeovil’s day, with a stunning victory.
Yeovil Town: Nelson, Dickinson, Collins (Hutton), Wilkinson, Osho; Lee, Hippolyte Tilley), D’Ath, Skendi; Murphy (Dagnall), Duffus.
Bookings: Hippolyte, Osho, D’Ath, Skendi.
Subs not used: Omotayo, Worthington.
Torquay United: Macdonald, Wynter, Cameron, Hall, Andrews, Buse, Evans, Cundy, James, Lewington, Whitfield.
Subs: Lewis, Keating, Kalala, Covolan, Nemane.
