The friendly face of Thatchers

Yeovil Town came within a whisker of getting automatic promotion as champions yesterday, denied by several dubious decisions, not least an offside call that would have levelled the scores in their top of the table clash with Worthing Town.

Never offside in a million years, shite decision #ytfc pic.twitter.com/kFfmeW7ba4

— Toby Hullyer (@toby_ytfc) April 6, 2024

Had the goal stood, had an earlier penalty been scored (both chalked off against Rhys Murphy) then 2-2 would have been enough. Chelmsford ended up drawing against Slough that means Yeovil have to lose all their remaining games to allow Chelmsford the automatic place. No other team can overtake Yeovil.

The public address system boomed out before kick-off that we would not be witnessing the presentation today. Who would have thought, with Yeovil 2-0 down and Chelmsford 1-0 up with minutes to the end , that this decision would prove the announcement right.

Surely the fact none of there players appeals for offside and also that the linesman takes ages to flag tells you all you need to know #YTFC pic.twitter.com/HikVbrIZf3

— l_white06 (@l_whiteytfc) April 6, 2024

There are the predictable “sack the manager” posts on the Yeovil sites this morning.

The Yeovil performance yesterday was not as calamitous as the posts or the scoreline suggests. The third goal was scored with the final kick of the game and was inconsequential.

The game was won and lost with the quality of striking. Joe Pearson, Worthing’s no 10 is a class act who could, should he bother, make progress in the football league. He is not a Vardy but he is a class above any other striker in our league. Several other Worthing players impressed and I hope they will go up with Yeovil.

They played really well and we played below our best, but there is no reason to sack Mark Cooper on this performance. I am much more concerned about the lack of intent shown at other games I have witnessed (Slough and Weymouth).

You can judge for yourself from the extended highlights.

Extended Highlights 🎥

The Glovers suffered a 3-1 defeat against Worthing in the Vanarama National League South.#YTFC 💚 pic.twitter.com/txFW7bRK3X

— Yeovil Town F.C. (@YTFC) April 6, 2024

Up north; tea with St Johnstone

It is my normal practice to spend the first week of April in Perthshire and I have assumed St Johnstone as one of my two Scottish teams (the other being Partick Thistle). Partick held station with a 1-1 draw with Dunfermline, can they have better luck than last year and clinch promotion?

St Johnstone won away at Hibs 2-1. I returned to my Mum last night to discover my brothers had returned from the Highlands and had bought me a St Johnstone mug , having made an excursion to the club shop in Perth.

To my Scottish pals #ytfc may have had a mare but well done St Johnstone FC . pic.twitter.com/mRYs0sxtr0

— Henry Tapper (@henryhtapper) April 6, 2024

McDiarmid Park looks remarkably like Huish Park to me!