Yeovil Town secure vital win over Northampton

Full-time: Yeovil Town 1 Northampton Town 0. Yeovil Town boss Terry Skiverton had compared his side's season to an 800m race and last night they overtook five teams at the start of the final straight with a fully deserved win over Northampton.

A second goal in as many games from Jon Obika meant the Glovers surged out of the relegation zone and up to 16th place.

Their task is far from over, of course, but they have given themselves a fighting chance of retaining their League One status for another season.

Just as importantly as Obika's goals has been the fact that Yeovil have now gone three games without conceding - a run that has coincided with the arrival of Bristol City goalkeeper Chris Weale.

Victory was nothing less than the Glovers deserved last night and they will travel to crisis club Stockport County on Saturday in great heart.

Unsurprisingly, Skiverton chose the same side that had beaten Swindon 1-0 on Saturday and they had the better of the opening stages with David Noble raiding down the left and seeing a shot deflected for a corner.

Then on 13 minutes Gavin Tomlin collected a quick free-kick and shot from 25 yards. The ball bounced off Cobblers goalkeeper Chris Dunn and was cleared behind for a corner. From the set-piece Obika's turn and shot was superbly cleared off the line by Danny Jackman.

Then Obika used his strength to shake off his man and hit a low left-footed shot that Dunn did well to hold on to under pressure from Tomlin.

Northampton's first effort of note came on 36 minutes when Jackman swung in a free-kick and Adebayo Akinfenwa headed just over.

After the break Yeovil right-back Danny Hutchins superbly nutmegged his man but sliced his cross behind the attackers in a move that summed up the 'nearly but not quite' nature of much of the play thus far.

Northampton hit back with a volley from Scott Vernon that was well held by Weale before a fine effort from Obika.

The youngster weaved his way past a couple of would-be tacklers before striking an outside-of-the-foot effort that Dunn did well to push away from goal.

Then Obika almost turned provider, teeing up Gary Roberts to hammer a stinging left-footed drive just wide as Yeovil again started the half the stronger.

Obika's Spurs team-mate Andros Townsend's showed some magic by cutting in from the right flank to drive a left-footed shot that the diving Dunn did well to turn behind for a corner.

But the threat on the break from Northampton remained and a neat move involving Vernon and Jackman saw Jared Hodgkiss get in to hit a weak shot that Weale easily dealt with.

The increasingly confident Hutchins had the next effort for Yeovil but Dunn was not unduly troubled from long range before Jackman fired over at the other end.

Yeovil's first substitution saw Andy Welsh replace Warne with Townsend switched to the right wing.

Welsh almost scored with a header moments after coming on and Tomlin looked set to net the rebound before the referee pulled him up for a foul.

Then Giles Coke dragged a shot just wide for Northampton and the tension ratcheted up another notch when Luke Rodgers replaced Tomlin.

The goal Yeovil deserved came on 79 minutes. Roberts won a midfield tussle with Abdul Osman, Rodgers poked the ball through and another left-foot effort from Obika snaked across Dunn and past his outstretched right hand.

Welsh should have sealed the points when he was sent racing clear by Obika but he was denied his first Yeovil goal by the body of Dunn.

It was almost to prove costly seconds later when Jackman's free-kick was glanced past Weale by Mark Hughes but it bounced back off a post into the keeper's arms.

The referee found four minutes of added time from somewhere and Weale produced a fine save to deny Jason Crowe's pointblank header to preserve the win.

Yeovil Town (4-4-2): Weale; Hutchins, Forbes, Peltier, Smith; Warne (Welsh 69), Roberts, Noble, Townsend (Alcock 87); Tomlin (Rodgers 74), Obika. Subs not used: Schofield, Murtagh.

Northampton Town (3-5-2): Dunn; Crowe, Hughes, Doig; Hodgkiss (Prijovic 84), Coke, Osman, Jackman, Davis (Larkin 85); Akinfenwa, Vernon (Anya 68). Subs not used: Holt, Dolman.