It was an evening of what might’ve been for Yeovil Town, as they were held by Maidenhead United at York Road.
Despite Olufela Olomola opening the scoring with his first goal of his third loan spell, the talking point will be the officials, who ruled out Reuben Reid’s late goal for offside.
However, on the balance of play, a point can be seen as a fair result, with the hosts enjoying vast spells of pressure, especially in the second half.
There were just two changes from the Glovers’ last National League outing ten days ago. Alex Bradley made his first league start of the season in the place of a suspended Dale Gorman, with Lawson D’Ath also making his first start replacing Jordan Barnett.
It was an eventful start, with both sides having a goal ruled out within the opening quarter of an hour, as they pushed for the opener. Yeovil Town were first to have a goal ruled out, as Luke Wilkinson saw his header chalked off for a foul.
A matter of moments later, Maidenhead midfielder Remy Clerima headed the ball in the back of the net but he was adjudged to be offside.
However, with 18 minutes on the clock, Town would find an opener. A superb strike for Olomola on his left foot gave Maidenhead goalkeeper Dan Gyollai no chance as the ball powered beyond him and nestled into the bottom corner.
Maidenhead weren’t deflated by the equaliser and almost found a leveller in the 24th minute. After Kane Ferdinand’s free-kick cannoned off the bar, the hosts followed it up but a spectacular clearance from Stockport loanee Ben Barclay quelled their efforts.
As the half grew on, both sides enjoyed spells of pressure, but it was Maidenhead who scored the second goal of the evening in the dying embers of the half. Ferdinand rose highest following a long-throw in and saw his header squirm beyond Grant Smith.
On the balance of play, an even score line at the interval was a fair reflection, but the Glovers would have been frustrated not to have been able to hang on to their advantage until the break.
The second half opened with a far more tense affair, with neither side eager to give up too much territory with the scores level.
An injury to earlier goal scorer Olomola altered the Glovers attacking prowess for a vast spell of the second half, as Town struggled to get his replacement Reuben Reid into the game.
It took until the 63rd minute for a clear-cut chance of the half to fall for either side, and it went the way of the hosts who forced a strong hand from Smith as he denied Dan Sparkes’ effort at the edge of the box.
Town’s first sight of goal of the second half fell with ten minutes remaining, after a stinging free-kick from Knowles was frustratingly fired straight into the Maidenhead wall. However, just a minute later he found room for a shot at the edge of the box but failed to find the target.
Late in the day, Yeovil could feel aggrieved not to get a second, as substitute Reid bundled the ball into the back of the net, only to have the goal ruled out for offside, much to the dismay of all in green behind the goal.
On the balance of play, it can be said a point was a fair result as the Glovers look ahead to a trip to Chesterfield.
