YEOVIL TOWN WOMEN 2

MK DONS WOMEN 1

TEN-PLAYER Yeovil Town Women marked the return of Jamie Sherwood as manager with a 2-1 victory over MK Dons Women in their FA Women’s National League South clash at the Clayson Stadium.

After a cagey opening 10 minutes, goal scoring chances came in quick succession. Yeovil captain Annie Heatherson, with space out wide, whipped a great cross into a dangerous area for Kelly Aldridge, fresh from Army exercise, but she could not quite get her foot onto the ball.

The cross was cleared, MK Dons immediately countered and should have broken the deadlock.

Yeovil’s opener came soon after as Heatherson again found herself on the left wing with a clever cut to lose her defender and the ball in was heading for Aldridge again but it was Laura Bright of MK Dons whose looping header evaded the goalkeeper to nestle in the net.

In defence there was a hustle and energy about Yeovil in an attempt to match the physicality of MK Dons. With the fouls mounting up an eventual free-kick from a deep lying position almost found Aldridge again but her header skimmed just wide.

The game boiled over on 30 minutes as Sarah Wiltshire found herself for the third time knocked to the ground and for her reaction was shown a red card.

Although Yeovil were down to 10 players MK Dons were sitting back letting Yeovil enjoy possession.

Sherwood’s charges should have doubled their lead, full-back Halford on a marauding run found herself in so much space to shoot on the edge but too many touches meant the youngster was soon under pressure.

MK Dons nearly scored when striking the post just before the break but the ball rebounded to safety.

The second half started with even possession but MK Dons were playing with a higher pressure.

However, it was Yeovil who looked more likely to score as it was déjà vu for Aldridge having minutes earlier scuffed an effort from distance she fired a great shot off the underside of the bar from 25 yards but it bounced the wrong side of the line.

Then it was Heatherson’s turn as her header was straight at Emma Kirby in the MK Dons goal.

Yeovil started to feel the pressure of the visitors as they made substitutions and tactical changes to go for goals.

As Yeovil cleared their line, MK Dons failed to deal with it and the gambling Meesha Dudley-Jones picked the ball up just on halfway and made a beeline for the goal.

With defenders recovering, Dudley-Jones expertly created space with a quick jink inside to the corner of the 18-yard box and unleashed a bullet strike into the far top corner.

Yeovil fans were vocal and pushing the home side on as the MK Dons pressure kept coming but the defending was resolute from Yeovil.

Beth Howard in the home goal did not have much to do all game until 65 minutes when a stunning double save on the goalline kept MK Dons out.

Yeovil’s fans were even more vocal when Aldridge, one on one with Kirby, was upended outside the box after taking the ball around the stopper with an empty net gaping.

The match official felt the brunt of the fans’ noise as he only brandished a yellow card.

MK Dons continued to pile the pressure on with four and five players in attack but Yeovil stood firm.

Dons did pull a goal back when Yeovil’s Dan Carlton ran a ball out for a goal-kick which was given as a corner. The ensuing chaos of bodies in the box meant the ball found its way in at the front post.

Charlotte Buxton then denied MK Dons a leveller right before full-time with another perfectly timed tackle in the box.

Yeovil return to the Clayson on Sunday, November 24 for a League Cup game against Southampton Women.

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