Yeovil 0 Northampton 2

Last updated : 27 August 2003 By Footymad Previewer

New boys Yeovil learned the hard way that life is going to be much more difficult in Nationwide Division Three than it was in the Conference which they won at a canter.

Despite winning this match 17-4 on shots, they were punished for their failure to take chances and also defensive work which did not match that of the visitors' Paul Reid and Ian Sampson.

Northampton struck an early blow when Reid moved up for a fifth minute corner. Yeovil failed to clear cleanly and the former Rangers man crashed a low shot past Chris Weale.

Yeovil hit back strongly with Kevin Gall and Gavin Williams always prominent in some intelligent attacking, but the final touch eluded them with Kirk Jackson unlucky in the 19th minute with a header that was cleared off the line by Luke Chambers.

Although the Cobblers were under the kosh, they broke to go 2-0 up four minutes before the interval. Josh Low, their record signing from Oldham, repaid another slice of his £165,000 transfer fee with a clinical finish.

The second half was all Yeovil territorially. They mounted constant raids, so much so that it was stoppage time before Northampton had a goal attempt in the second half.

Again it was Low who got clear and Weale saved bravely when a goal seemed certain.

Yeovil's second-half attacks had brought 11 goal attempts with Jackson having the clearest chance in the 62nd minute. Keeper Glyn Thompson blocked his shot and when Gall picked up the rebound he fired straight at the keeper.

Yeovil's manager Gary Johnson said: "It's a long time since we went two matches without scoring but we are creating the chances and when I went into the dressing room I said to the lads, 'I can't throw things around because you did everything right except score'." In the Northampton camp, manager Martin Wilkinson was understandably happy. "We have beaten a useful team," he said.

"They put us under pressure but we defended well and that makes six points from two games. We were without Chris Wilmott but Ian Sampson came in at the back and although he has lost a bit of pace he did a great job alongside Reid."