Impressive Yeovil Town defeat Southend United 2-0 to move into Emirates FA Cup First Round
National League South leaders Yeovil Town defeated National League opposition in Southend United, to move into the Emirates FA Cup First Round for the first time in two seasons.
Jake Wannell and Jordan Young were on the scoresheet for Yeovil in front of a loud Huish Park, defeating a Shrimpers team that travelled to Somerset low on numbers (14).
Despite naming just 12 senior players in their matchday squad, Southend made it very tough for the Glovers, and will be disappointed not to have scored in their period of dominance 20 minutes either side of half-time.
Yeovil took their chances, and now await their next FA Cup opponent, with the First Round draw taking place on Sunday October 15 at 2:30pm on ITV 1.
The home side had the dream start, taking the lead after just two minutes. Deep in Southend territory, Jordan Young floated a free-kick into the box, that found centre-back Jake Wannell, who struck the ball on the volley and fired it into the net.
Town went close again nine minutes later, as former Shrimper Rhys Murphy brought down a nicely placed long ball, and threaded a pass through to Will Dawes. Dawes’s shot from just outside the Southend area was fired over the bar
Yeovil remained on top for the first 25 minutes, before the visitors enjoyed an extended spell of possession running up until half-time.
Southend’s best chance in that period came after 36 minutes, when Jack Wood was untouched on a darting run across the outside of the Yeovil area, before unleashing a strike at Joe Day.
The former Newport, and Bristol Rovers goalkeeper pulled off an acrobatic save to his right to put the ball out for a corner. The resulting corner ended in a powerful Dan Mooney shot, that went just wide of Day’s goal.
After 41 minutes, Southend’s 16-year-old academy product Beau MacDonald replaced Mooney, who had an illness in the lead-up to the game.
Yeovil remained in front in the final minutes of an entertaining first half, with both sides feeling like they could walk away as winners in an hour’s time.
The Shrimpers started the second half as the brighter side, forcing Day into another great save. Oli Coker’s deep free-kick met the head of Ollie Kensdale, whose header was the closest Southend came to a goal. Frank Nouble was fouled in the build-up however, with the chance resulting in a Yeovil free-kick.
Against the run of play, the Glovers increased their lead to two after 67 minutes, with Young finishing a well-worked counter-attack in the aftermath of a Southend corner, to fire Town into the next round.
Dawes and Young combined to hit the visitors on the break, with the latter slotting home for his sixth goal of the season, and second in the FA Cup.
Yeovil move into the first-round proper for the first time in two campaigns, after last season's disappointing loss to Somerset rivals Taunton Town. They now await their opponent in tomorrow’s draw.
Despite defeat, Southend now have an opportunity to focus on their impressive start to their league campaign and will be excited by their imminent takeover.
