Match Report: U19 vs Portchester Town
Yeovil Town U19 - 5
AFC Portchester U19 - 0
Two goals a-piece from George Geraghty and Alec Thomas helped the Young Glovers seal a 5-0 win sending them 3rd in the National League Alliance League Division E.
Yeovil Town put in a dominant home performance to see off their visitors from Hampshire as goals from George Geraghty, Ollie Hughes and Alec Thomas helped the Young Glovers return to winning ways at Alvington.
The home side began the match with great intensity and Geraghty hit the crossbar in the opening exchanges before a Hughes curler went narrowly over.
The opening goal came in the 22nd minute when Seb Woods and Hughes combined to set up Geraghty who tucked away the loose ball to make it 1-0.
Yeovil were moving the ball around in imposing fashion and skipper Blake Watts strode out of defence beating two defenders before seeing his low strike saved.
The visiting keeper made a string of impressive saves to deny Woods and Hughes and keep the scoreline close, before Denzel Gurung saw a strike from distance fizz narrowly wide.
As the half entered the final stages Geraghty, chasing the golden boot title, grabbed his second of the match and eighteenth of the season to make it 2-0. Moments later, Thomas and Archie Bryce combined well down the right to set up Hughes who clipped in from close range to make it 3-0 at half time.
Yeovil began the second half in similar fashion and extended their lead when Alec Thomas lashed in a strike at the near post to make it 4-0 on 52 minutes.
Midfielder Gurung then had to leave the field with an ankle injury and was replaced by Ethan Davies who set up alongside Will Jones in the midfield engine room.
The visiting keeper made an acrobatic double save to deny Thomas and then Geraghty before Manager Jamie Phillip sent on James Horrocks, Archie Rodber and Jayden Coles with the game seemingly won.
In the 78th minute Watts set up Thomas for his second of the afternoon, with the midfielder driving the ball into the top corner to make it 5-0.
Portchester created their best opportunity in the closing minutes but the striker shot straight into the arms of Ryan Collins before the final whistle then sounded.
It was an impressive display from a hungry looking Yeovil Town who were always on the front foot and seemed keen to prove a point and now head into their final home game on April 29th at Huish Park in good form.
Manager Jamie Phillip said:
“A great performance all round today from the boys, they did everything we asked from them both in and out of possession” he then went on to say how the U19 model needs refining for next year to further enhance the players experience and development. “I think today just shows what the lads can do when they are fresh after having no midweek games so it’s something we want to refine and review in a few weeks time”.
The Under 19 squad face Met Police U19 next Wednesday playing at Huish Park Stadium on the main pitch for a 12:30 KO, for their final home game of this season.
Match report credit: Matt Partridge.