League One
Saturday 23rd April 2011
The second leg of my Easter treble was a day trip to the vibrant market town of Yeovil situated on the southern tip of Somerset.The town was first recorded in the Domesday Book as Givle, a thriving market community with a population of around 1,000. In 1205 the town was granted a charter by King John and by the 14th century had gained the right to elect a portreeve.
From the nineteen century Yeovil became a centre for the glove making industry as the town’s population rose, achieved borough status in 1854 and electing its first mayor.
In recent years the town has achieved a few firsts, being the pioneers in launching biometric fingerprint scanning in nightclubs and the first Council to ban Heeleys roller shoes, as well making skateboards, roller blades and skates illegal. (spoil sports!)
Yeovil Football Club formed in 1890, sharing their original home with the local rugby club before relocating to Pen Mill Athletic Ground, however the present club originated from Yeovil Casuals who formed in 1895.The club became Yeovil and Petters United when amalgamation with Petters United before finally adopting the Yeovil Town name from 1907.
The club played at The Huish between 1928 and 1990, which was famous for its 8 foot side-to-side slope and the scene for the biggest FA Cup giant killing of all time, when the Southern League side beat First Division Sunderland in the FA Cup 4th Round in 1948/49 in front of a 16,318 record crowd.
The Glovers won the Southern League title on three occasions and in 1979 became founder members of the Alliance (Conference) League. The club had spells in the Isthmian Premier after suffering relegation, but after winning promotion in 1996-97 the club made rapid progress culminating in a place in the Football League after clinching the 2002-03 Conference title.
Built in 1990, at the time Huish Park was the country’s largest new non-league ground in decades, set in the Yeovil suburbs with the old slopping pitch at The Huish covered by another Tesco superstore.The Cowden and Agusta Westland Community stands are similar in design, both cantilever single tiered stands decked out with green seats with white lettering. The differences are the former has a control box, press area and disabled sections while the later has executive boxes along the back, players tunnel and dugouts.
Away fans are housed in the Copse Road Terrace which is an open terrace and opposite is the Blackthorn Terrace which is fully covered. I stood on this terrace for the game and must mention the in house band that generates a good atmosphere in the ground, amongst their ranks is a very impressive trumpet player, who does a great rendition of the ‘Rocky’ theme.
There’s electric scoreboards on three sides of the ground with the largest behind the away terrace and in each corner there is a set of tall floodlight pylons.
The current capacity is 9,665 (Seating 5,212) and the record attendance is 9,527 v Leeds United for a League One clash on 25 April, 2008.
Yeovil came back from a man down and a two goal deficit to clinch a point with an injury time equaliser from Shaun MacDonald.The Glovers faced an uphill battle after ex-Toon defender Paul Huntington was sent off for two bookings early in the second half
Bournemouth took command, going in front through a Danny Ings' penalty after Nathan Smith fouled Adam Smith, then Ings looked to have clinched the win when he swept home a Liam Feeney's cross on 68 minutes.
With ten minutes remaining the visitors confidently made three substitutions in readiness for the pending home fixture with Bristol Rovers in 48 hours, but somehow collapsed in the final five minutes
Yeovil's Adam Virgo converted a penalty after Harry Arter's handball, then sub Fletcher could have restored the two goal cushion at the other end. before conceding a corner a minute later. From Craig Alcock's corner kick MacDonald rose highest to head the ball home and earn The Glovers an unexpected draw.
The drive up from Dorset took around an hour. I dropped the breadknife and the kids off in Yeovil town centre then headed straight to the ground to secure a decent parking spot, giving plenty of time for a pint of ‘Green and White Ale’ and a deliciously filling Cornish pasty in the marquee beer tent at the stadium.I also met another member of the 100FgC for the first time before kick off - Squad#151 Jon Blake. Jon is a Bournemouth support who now resides in South Shields but was down visiting family in Christchurch, and like me, was also going to Dean Court on Monday.
Debra(aka the bread knife)thought that Yeovil was a smashing little town and apart from a mini riot involving Bournemouth fans outside Wetherspoons, they had a pleasant afternoon(..and not a skater boy to be seen…Eddy) It’s a pity I didn’t get the chance to see the town for myself but I still had a smashing afternoon in Yeovil, where I saw an entertaining game of football at Huish Park.
Matchday stats
YTFC 2(Virgo 86pen MacDonald 90+3) AFCB 2(Ings 55pen 68)
att.6,150
Admission £18(terrace)
No comments:
Post a Comment