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Pilgrims 1-2 Yeovil Town

Coca Cola League

Two strikes from Yeovil captain Terry Skiverton were enough to give Yeovil their first victory in Boston since 1991 and only their third win since the two sides first met fifty years ago. It wasn't however a very impressive win, with neither side really getting to grips with the rather uneven surface. Manager Steve Evans decided to give Brad Maylett a start at the expense of Dean West - playing a 3-5-2 formation with Daryl Clare and Jason Lee up front. Yeovil started with former Lincoln striker Marcus Richardson, after signing him up last Wednesday before the transfer deadline day. In front of the Sky TV cameras for their first live televised match since winning the Conference title at Hayes in 2002, Boston dominated the opening minutes. A long-range effort by Maylett was deflected behind for a corner and Alan White's resulting shot was cleared off the line by Michael Rose giving Maylett another chance to fire in a shot which was just wide of the post. After ten minutes Yeovil took the lead against the run of play. Breaking forward they won a corner and SKIVERTON rose to head home Lee Johnson's flighted corner unopposed on the six yard line. Boston continued to attack, winning a series of corners, but Yeovil blocked their efforts. Chris Holland saw a looping shot from the edge of the area go just too high. Boston equalised after a contraversial moment on twenty-two minutes. A deep cross from the left by Austin McCann was headed back by Jason Lee to Simon RUSK who drilled the ball into the bottom left corner. The linesman raised his flag to indicate that Daryl Clare was offside, but the referee over-ruled him and allowed the goal to stand. On the half-hour Paul Ellender got a crucial touch to push the ball away from Kevin Gall as he powered towards Nathan Abbey in the Boston goal.

Boston again began to win corners. From one Jason Lee flicked the ball towards Daryl Clare, but the off form striker failed to get his head in contact with an open goal in front of him, so the ball went wide. Clare then almost made amends when Maylett burst past his marker on the right, got to the byline and knocked the ball back to Clare whose shot rebounded off the post. Play switched to the other end when Nathan Abbey had to make a good save to keep out a scorcher from Darren Way. A minute into the second half Daryl Clare had the ball in the net from close range after being picked out by Maylett's cross. But once again the flag was raised and this time the offside decision stood. On the hour Boston should have taken the lead. A deep free kick by Austin McCann found its way through to Jason Lee who tapped the ball into the path of Clare whose shot from four yards out was somehow blocked by Adam Lockwood. Boston then brought on Jermaine Easter for Clare. Danny Thomas had a run down the left wing and spotted Simon Rusk rushing towards goal in the centre. Thomas crossed to Rusk, but he didn't quite connect sweetly and sliced the ball wide. On 78 minutes David Noble was replaced by Lee Thompson. Four minutes later Yeovil regained the lead. A corner by Johnson was flicked on by Andrejs Stolcers to SKIVERTON who slotted home from six yards out. The game concluded with neither side creating any further chances. After the match Steve Evans commented: "We are not far away, but we are far enough that we know we need to have to do a lot of work."

United team: Nathan Abbey, Brad Maylett, Alan White, Austin McCann, Paul Ellender, Simon Rusk, David Noble (Lee Thompson 78), Chris Holland, Jason Lee, Daryl Clare (Jermaine Easter 70), Danny Thomas. Subs not used: Dean West, Stephen O'Donnell, Courtney Pitt.


Match report copyright © Ken Fox, 2005.