Yeovil Town left it late to secure their second victory of pre-season on Tuesday evening (03-08).
Tom Knowles' second-half strike proved the difference in a competitive affair in the county town.
The hosts certainly held their own against their National League opponents and proved a worthy test for the Glovers.
The first half was played in a rather timid fashion, with both sides seemingly more focused on organisation and structure rather than landing the killer blow.
With 11 minutes on the clock, Yeovil Town carved their first opening, some intimate play between Charlie Wakefield and Matt Worthington released the latter on the right flank, but his drilled pass from the edge of the six-yard box was marshalled well into the goalkeeper's gloves.
Taking the onus upon himself, a marauding run from Wilkinson released Town's sole trialist on the left flank, he then cut inside and beat two defenders, but fired his effort from the edge of the box wide.
As the half progressed, the Glovers did become slightly more adventurous, Alex Bradley's drilled pass found Reuben Reid who worked space for himself well but his effort could only find Lloyd Irish's gloves.
Town's right-back was once again involved in the next chance. A speculative effort from Bradley caught everybody in attendance off guard, most notably Irish who was thankful to see the ball fly wide of his post.
The second half saw the hosts start with added impetus, forcing the game onto Yeovil with a number of set pieces.
Grant Smith was called into action for the first time a minute after the restart, tipping over a towering header from a well-weighted corner.
Growing into the half, the Glovers fashioned a chance in the 56th minute, with the trialist making room well on the right flank and finding Max Hunt in the six-yard-box but he got too much under his header.
Attacking changes on the hour mark looked to ignite a spark for Yeovil, with Tom Knowles and Joe Quigley replacing Lewis Simper and the sole trialist.
Despite the changes, it was the starters that created Town's next chance, with Reid laying the ball off to Josh Staunton who couldn't direct his first-time effort on target.
As the game entered it's final ten minutes, the Glovers began to assert themselves, dominating the ball inside the Taunton half.
The pressure almost told as Darren Sarll's third change Dale Gorman fired narrowly over the bar from the edge of the area, striking the roof of the net.
Eventually, Sarll's positive changes paid dividends in the 86th minute, as substitutes Gorman and Knowles combined from a set-piece, with Knowles volleying the Glovers ahead. There was some debate over who got the final touch on the goal, with wide-man Wakefield claiming he got a knick on the ball as it flew towards goal.
Ultimately, the late strike was enough to separate the two sides in what was a good run out for Sarll's side who continue their pre-season schedule in Weston-super-Mare on Saturday.
Yeovil Town: Smith; Barnett, Wilkinson (Gorman), Hunt, Bradley; Staunton, Worthington, Wakefield, Trialist (Quigley); Simper (Knowles), Reid.
Subs not used: Evans, Haste.
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