Yeovil Town slipped to their fourth successive League One defeat when they were beaten by a goal to nil by unbeaten Sheffield United at Huish Park this afternoon.
Neill Collins 54th minute header was all that separated two sides on very different runs of form but the Blades were the better team throughout and enjoyed the bulk of possession and had more chances than the home side. However Glovers fans will be heartened by the improvement on the past three games that has seen the side score once and concede six.
The loss sees Gary Johnson’s men drop another two places in the division to thirteenth and with matches against Preston North End and Portsmouth up next, Johnson will be even more keen to arrest his side’s slide down the table.
He resisted the urge to bring into his starting eleven new Bristol City loanee Joe Edwards, signed yesterday from the Ashton Gate club and instead gave Gavin Williams his first start of the campaign. He also brought Richard Hinds back in, dropping attackers Reuben Reid and Keanu Marsh-Brown to the bench.
The first action of the game saw Marek Stech acrobatically tip over a long range free kick from Tony McMahon but it was a rare chance in a first half hour that really only saw one opportunity for either side. Ed Upson mishit his shot on goal after great work from Korey Smith but all too often, the play was punctuated by either officious whistling, players taking knocks or scrappy passages of play. Smith had rather an over-energetic talking to by referee Roger East yet United frontman Richard Cresswell was ignored after clattering into Stech at a cross.
The last ten minutes of the first half contained more for the 4,117 crowd to get their teeth into than the previous 35 minutes. David McAllister’s left foot shot was deflected for a corner from which Harry Maguire headed wide. Paul Gallagher then controlled the ball on his chest before trying to lob Stech but the big keeper managed to grab the ball at the second attempt. Stech then denied McMahon’s thumping volley and saved again from Gallagher with his feet. All Yeovil had to show for 45 minutes of toil was an effort from Smith after a beautiful turn which Blades keeper Mark Howard stopped.
United took the lead nine minutes into the second half when Gallagher’s corner was met perfectly by Neill Collins with a firm header. United had enjoyed the majority of possession and chances and based on that, deserved the lead. Dominic Blizzard then went close when he curled a shot just wide of the far post after being released down the left flank.
McAllister (Yeovil’s one) drove a low free kick just wide after Sam Foley had been scythed down outside the box when looking threatening. Gavin Williams was coming more into the game as he found his match legs after four months since first team football, and Foley went close with a first time chip after Upson’s ball into the left channel.
Stech then stopped Sheffield doubling their lead when he got down low to thwart Cresswell and Nick Blackman headed well wide from Matt Hill’s back post cross. It was the last chance in a game that never really caught fire but the Glovers now have a rare clear week on the training ground ahead of next weekend’s important clash with Preston North End at Deepdale.
