The visitors, in what is clearly becoming an unwelcome trend of ignoring traditional club colours, turned out in a dayglo yellow high-visibility strip not dissimilar to the stewards’ uniforms. Nathan Elder embarked upon another 90 minutes of honest endeavour, his physical presence causing Luke Ayling to blast a clearance straight at his colleague Bondz N’Gala. Although Elder gained possession, his shot was wide, and the striker then fired a McQuilkin cross just over Gareth Stewart’s bar. A tidy move from the visitors created a chance for Kieran Agard, but the acute angle could not be mastered.
Harry Pell broke up play expertly and sent Elder on a run which won a throw for the Bulls. Pell was then tripped as he moved forward, and the referee Mr Tierney waited an age to see if an advantage occurred before calling play back. This official deserves praise for his desire to let play flow throughout, in stark contrast to last week’s performance. McQuilkin sent in a fierce shot from a narrow angle and the clearance landed at Pell’s feet. His piledriver was on target, but unfortunately cannoned into a defensive head. McQuilkin found the side-netting with another attempt, whilst at the other end, a long range effort from Paul Wotton failed to trouble Cornell.
With 25 minutes played, Yeovil took the lead. A shot was cleared by Ryan Green, but it came straight back to Edward Upson who rifled a low 20 yard shot into the corner of the net. Nicky Featherstone twisted one way and then the other before his shot took a deflection for a corner. Pell’s header was well saved, and then Elder tried an audacious overhead kick which was only just too high. Pell picked up a throw from Rob Purdie, turned cleverly and sent a swerving effort just wide. However, Hereford seemed to be missing the approach play of their unavailable wingers, and the more incisive play from their League One opponents always seemed more likely to bear fruit.
HT: HUFC 0 YEOVIL TOWN 1
Delroy Facey and Yoann Arquin joined the fray after the break in a positive switch of tactics. Joe Heath floated a cross for Elder, who was unable to apply sufficient power. Ayling and Oli Johnson looked lively for the away side, producing some promising moves. A timely clearance from Green found a fortunate Upson, who delayed pulling the trigger just long enough to allow Purdie to make the block. A decent back-header from Elder was easily saved.
Andy Williams’ return to his former stomping ground had gone largely unnoticed before the interval. 57 minutes had elapsed when, for the first time, the obligatory (and largely good-natured) jeers reserved for a former favourite, were in evidence. And, of course, the inevitable response was the arrival of the second goal. Williams chased a ball down the right flank, turned inside Joe Heath and unleashed a terrific curling shot into the top corner, giving Cornell no chance. Memories arose of a similar strike during the Bulls demolition of Forest Green from a different era! All stuffing seemed to be knocked out of the home side by this. Passes went astray, horns retracted, and confidence ebbed sadly away. For their part, Yeovil seemed determined to enjoy a rare away victory, as they kept control.
Agard’s brisk run and low ball looked dangerous until Michael Townsend intervened. An Upson corner whistled through a forest of legs, with Williams the last of many to fail to touch the ball as it careered unmolested across the six yard box. Williams then showed determination to win the ball and unselfishly square it for Dominic Blizzard to pass into the goal. 72 minutes gone, and game over. That old adage about being able to “concentrate on the league” seems apposite, though it does little to relieve a sense of disappointment.
FT: HUFC 0 YEOVIL TOWN 3
Attendance: 2469, with 348 from the second cider town.
HUFC: Cornell, Purdie, Green, Townsend, Heath, McQuilkin (Facey 46), Pell. Featherstone, Clist, Clucas (Arquin 46), Elder.
YEOVIL TOWN: Stewart, Ayling, N’Gala, Huntington, Blizzard, Upson, Ehmer, Wotton, Williams, Johnson (Gibson 91), Agard.