Football: Confidence booster for Yeovil Town

YEOVIL Town’s pre-season campaign got a welcome boost this evening with a 2-1 success over Exeter City at Huish Park.

Admittedly, on paper, this win might not set the world alight, but it might give some renewed optimism and confidence among the Glovers.

Footballers are just like any football fan and they are buoyed by wins and after recent defeats against Torquay United and Swansea City, this win over League Two side Exeter City will be warmly welcomed by all concerned.

Ed Upson gave Yeovil an early third minute lead, but that advantage was wiped out in the 75th minute when Matt Grimes.

But Yeovil regained the initiative and the winner when Paddy Madden, the Glovers’ player of the season last year, gained his first goal of the summer with a confident strike.

PHOTO: Paddy Madden - Yeovil Town's player of the season in the 2012-13 campaign.

The big talking point in the opening half was when Exeter had midfielder Tommy Doherty sent-off for kicking-out at Upson and then having an altercation with Yeovil defender Byron Webster.

The win may be immaterial on the surface; but it may be vitally important psychologically in Yeovil’s preparation for the start of the season; while it might also be a clue towards manager Gary Johnson and his thinking behind his preferred starting line-up for the opening game at Millwall on August 3.

The starting line-up tonight looked very much like the team which won the League One Play-Off Final at Wembley back on May 19 – apart from in defence where new signing Alan Tate took his place alongside fellow newboy Danny Seaborne.

The only players missing from Yeovil line-up from that glorious day at Wembley were injured skipper Jamie McAllister and, obviously, centre-half Dan Burn who is now on loan at Birmingham City.

Johnson made a number of substitutions in the second period with Michael Ngoo, Sam Hoskins, Billy Clifford, Joe Jones and Joel Grant all getting a run-out.

But could Johnson be looking at sticking in the main with the tried, tested and trusted players who did so well last season to kick-off the new adventure in The Championship? 

A crowd 1,180 was at Huish Park for this evening’s game.

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Yeovil Town FC.