Football: Yeovil Town 3, Preston North End 1

A SECOND-HALF rally from Yeovil Town saw them gain their seventh straight victory in the npower League One tonight to keep them very much in the race for promotion.

Yeovil found themselves trailing at half-time to a 30th minute Chris Beardsley effort, but they fought back brilliantly during the second-half.

James Hayter equalised in the 73rd minute and then winger Nathan Ralph proved a match-winner with an 80th minute goal to give Yeovil the lead.

Hot-shot striker Paddy Madden then netted Yeovil’s third in time added on at the end of the game – his 17th of the 2012-13 season, with 16 of those coming since he signed for the Glovers, initially on loan from Carlisle United.

PHOTOS: Yeovil Town's Nathan Ralph (above) and James Hayter (below).

But the biggest cheer was for Nathan Ralph who has suffered a terrible season due to injury problems and there was joy throughout the Huish Park camp when he pounced to grab the all-important second goal.

He had a knee problem which required an operation earlier in the season and then an ankle knock saw him sidelined again.

But he was thrilled to not only get the chance to have a run-out, but also to get his first goal of the season – and what an important one it was.

With promotion rivals Bournemouth, Brentford and Sheffield United all winning as well tonight – Yeovil remain in seventh spot level on points with United and Brentford, who are fifth and sixth respectively, on 54 points.

Bournemouth have taken over pole position following their 2-1 win at Crewe Alexandra and lead the table on 58 points.

An exciting end of the season looks on the cards with just four points separating the top seven sides.

But Yeovil officials will be disappointed with the attendance at HuishPark tonight – 3,661.

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Yeovil Town FC.