Yeovil Town's unbeaten run is over after a dramatic late collapse saw them lose 3-2 to Barrow at The Shay. Leading by two goals with a quarter of an hour to play, the Glovers conceded three times to suffer their second home league defeat of the campaign. The defeat leaves Yeovil fourth in the National League with 28 points from eight wins, four draws and three losses, a position they will be keen to consolidate.
Ben Tollitt was the standout performer for the hosts, scoring twice to seemingly put his side in control. His first goal arrived in the 29th minute and he doubled the advantage just after the hour mark, a finish he later described as one "which he took superbly." That should have been enough for a Yeovil side sitting fourth in the National League, but the match turned on its head in a frantic finale. The team's recent form of three wins, one draw and one loss from their last five games had been encouraging, but this result cuts their points gap to the leaders, Boreham Wood, to 13.
Barrow's bench makes the difference
Barrow manager Adam Murray's triple substitution at half time and further changes later on proved decisive. Substitute Seb Thompson began the comeback by pulling a goal back in the 74th minute. Seven minutes later, fellow replacement Innes Cameron levelled the scores. The momentum had swung completely and Yeovil's task became harder when Raheem Conte was sent off in the 89th minute for a second bookable offence. Deep into added time, Cameron struck again to complete the turnaround and secure a 3-2 win for the visitors.
For Yeovil, the defeat halts a positive run of form that had seen them take ten points from their last five games, a sequence that included a win at AFC Hornchurch just days earlier. In that match on Tuesday 27 October, goals from Z. Westbrooke and J. Daly secured a 2-1 victory. The nature of the loss will be a particular frustration as they prepare for a quick return to action. The Glovers have scored 35 goals this season while conceding 18, a healthy goal difference of plus 17 that shows their attacking threat.
Manager Mark Cooper was left to rue the late capitulation, stating his team must learn to manage games better when in a commanding position. Barrow's Adam Murray praised the impact of his substitutes. The result leaves Yeovil in fourth place, while Barrow's victory pushes them into the top half of the table.
This story first appeared at Halifax Courier
