Yeovil 1
(Barnett 66′)
United 2
(Lemonheigh-Evans 76′, Holman 90′)
‘Gary Time’ action returned on Sunday afternoon as United came from behind to take the points following stunning goals from Connor Lemonheigh-Evans and Dan Holman.
A sensational strike by Jordan Barnett gave the hosts the lead in the 66th minute, before Connor Lemonheigh-Evans equalised direct from a corner ten minutes later. It was substitute Dan Holman who snatched the points with a 90th minute winner with his shot across goal finding the bottom left corner.
Gary Johnson named three changes in the side that slipped to defeat at Eastleigh five days ago; Asa Hall, Chiori Johnson and Joe Felix replaced Tom Lapslie, Jack Sparkes and a suspended Armani Little.
In the 5th minute, Johnson played Lemonheigh-Evans through up the right flank, before his cross was put out for a corner. Lemonheigh-Evans’ corner curled towards the back-post forcing Dillon Barnes to punch clear. Four minutes later, Lemonheigh-Evans played Danny Wright through, but his shot across goal was blocked.
In the 21st minute a shot from Tom Knowles deflected goal-ward forcing Shaun MacDonald down to make an impressive save to deny the hosts the lead.
United went close in the 29th minute when Lemonheigh-Evans and Dan Martin linked-up down the left flank, Martin’s cross found Felix in the centre, whose header was just wide. The hosts went close a minute later when a Yeovil free kick was only half-cleared, Knowles’ effort from just outside the box was deflected and United were just able to clear.
It was the skipper who came close to breaking the deadlock in the 39th minute; a half-clearance by the hosts fell for him just outside the box, his first-time volley drifted just wide of the left-hand post.
Three minutes into the second half, some good play up the left for United resulted in a cross from Lemonheigh-Evans finding Ben Wynter beyond the far-post whose low-driven effort was just wide. United went close again on 50 minutes, a great cross by Hall found Wright in the centre whose header was just wide of the left-hand post.
It was the hosts who took the lead in the 66th minute, Barnett’s well-struck shot from outside the box found the top right-hand corner. United were not deterred and continued to run at the Yeovil defence. In the 75th minute it was substitute Sinclair Armstrong who came close to equalising. O’Connell drove through the Yeovil half after a free kick by Gorman hit the two-man United wall. As the Yeovil defence retreated, Keelan O’Connell played Armstrong through on goal, but his low-driven effort was saved by Barnes.
Moments later United were rewarded for their persistence. A superb corner from Lemonheigh-Evans curled into the far corner, Barnes could only watch the ball sail past.
Holman came close in the 82nd minute, Hall played him through on goal before the forward drove a low effort just wide.
The hosts found their footing minutes later and forced successive corners which Gary Johnson’s men did well to defend. In the 87th minute MacDonald was forced to parry a Gorman corner over the bar. On the counter-attack Lemonheigh-Evans played Armstrong through on goal, with the QPR youngster firing into the net, before the referee’s assistant flagged for offside.
It was Dan Holman who struck in the final minute of normal time. Lemonheigh-Evans created a pass full of vision when he lobbed the ball up for Holman, who took one touch before slamming the ball into the bottom left corner from a tight angle, sending the travelling Yellow Army into raptures.
United: 37. Shaun MacDonald, 2. Ben Wynter, 3. Dan Martin, 7. Connor Lemonheigh-Evans, 8. Asa Hall (c), 9. Danny Wright, 14. Chiori Johnson, 19. Klaidi Lolos (25. Sinclair Armstrong 60′), 21. Dean Moxey (30. Dan Holman 70′), 29. Joe Felix (16. Keelan O’Connell 67′), 31. Joe Lewis.
SUBS NOT USED: 1. Mark Halstead, 5. Ali Omar.
Yeovil: 37. Dillon Barnes, 3. Jordan Barnett, 5. Max Hunt, 7. Matt Worthington (15. Sonny Blu Lo-Everton 59′), 8. Dale Gorman, 11. Tom Knowles, 13. Morgan Williams (9. Reuben Reid 83′), 19. Charlie Wakefield, 21. Jack Robinson, 23. Ali Yussuf (10. Joe Quigley 58′), 32. Josh Staunton (c).
SUBS NOT USED: 14. Alex Bradley, 12. Max Evans.