The second XI continued their unbeaten season with a convincing win over Yeovil College this week. On a lovely sunny afternoon, a full ninety minutes of football was in store for a smaller squad than usual, with Oscar W once again leading the team with his compatriot Ollie S as his deputy. Dr. Manning was the man with the whistle and the game kicked off promptly and soon settled into a midfield scrap as both sides tried to assert dominance early on. After some early pressure from Yeovil, Sherborne took the lead on 12 minutes with James E adding to his season’s tally with a shot from the edge of the box that evaded the Yeovil keeper. This was the result of some excellent build up play with James K being particularly effective on the right wing, playing some lovely reverse passes that the Yeovil defence could not handle. Two minutes later, Sherborne were two up. Ollie S pounced on a loose ball as the Yeovil defenders scrambled to clear and clinically finished on the turn. Ollie’s classy football was a constant threat to the Yeovil defence and he hassled and harried them all afternoon.

At the other end of the pitch, Freddie CC was solid in defence as well as assertive in attack, his elegant left foot distributing the ball well and linking very effectively with James E. Piers L at right back was calm under pressure and robust in the tackle, as well as marauding forward with gusto, adding another element to the attack. Oscar W and Charlie T were rock steady in central defence too. Charlie tried his luck from a free kick mid-way through the first half which, on another day, may have found the net. The game settled into a spell of attack and defence. Yeovil threatened the Sherborne goal on a few occasions but were well kept out by Casper G in goal. He pulled off some fine saves and distributed the ball really well, his long kicking giving the Yeovil defenders a real headache. As the half continued, Sherborne continued to press and chances began coming thick and fast, just the final finish was lacking. On 36 minutes, James E struck home from close range following a Casper G kick, and Ollie S parried shot and a simple tap home. This was just reward for an increasingly dominant performance. The midfield of Harry S, Ollie M and Wilf T were pulling the strings, with Ollie stylishly distributing the ball and Wilf and Harry adding attacking trickery. Christian W came on and added bight to the right wing, working well with Piers. Ned J shored up the midfield with his introduction as Sherborne continued to press for more goals. This they did on 44 minutes with captain Oscar W heading in from a fine corner, James E adding an assist to his two goals.

The second half began much as the first half had ended with Sherborne dominating. A questionable offside was chalked off, denying Ollie S a well taken second, as the midfield pairing of Wilf T and Ollie M continued to dominate proceedings, Ollie linking the play nicely, safe in the knowledge that Ned J had his back. Yeovil tried to press but again, came up against a strong resistance from the defence. Yeovil’s spirit was broken further on 53 minutes when Wilf T hit home from the edge of the box, after excellent build up play on the right from Christian W and Piers L, and an assist from Ned J, teeing him up nicely for a fine finish. After a couple of further chances, Ollie M, James E, Harry S and Ned J going close, the game ebbed and flowed with Sherborne, largely, dominant. With some calmness in front of goal, a few more goals should have been added but this was a fine performance, with a clean sheet, from the whole team against a spirited, but ultimately toothless, Yeovil team.