Yeovil Town maintained top spot in Coca Cola League 2 after a hard fought draw with Northampton at Huish Park on Saturday. With Scunthorpe falling to a last minute Boston goal The Glovers did not lose any ground on any of their close rivals.
Manager Gary Johnson reverted to his more or less usual League line-up after the changes for the Torquay LDV Vans Trophy match but it was the visitors Northampton who started the better and for the first ten minutes or so Yeovil were on the back foot.
Sabin had an early shot saved by Weale and The Cobblers kept up the pressure with a series of early corners.
Gavin Williams had the first Yeovil shot on goal but his effort sailed over but then following more Northampton pressure Yeovil went in front.
A neat interchange between Darren Way and Lee Johnson saw Way feed the ball through to an unmarked Phil Jevons who made no mistake beating ex-Manchester United keeper Paul Rachukba into the corner of his goal.
Low and Galbraith both went close for the visitors before McGleish saw Paul Terry head his lob over Weale off the line.
Generally though Yeovil had been creating the better chances with Gavin Williams and Phil Jevons both a constant threat to the visitors defence.
In midfield Way and Johnson were their usual industrious selves and at the back Roy O'Brien was having a majestic game at the heart of the Glovers defence.
But try as they might Yeovil could not make that vital breakthrough to secure a more comfortable lead and as they trudged off for their half time cuppa you could imagine an intense team talk from Gary Johnson coming up.
Half Time: Yeovil Town 1 Northampton Town 0
The start of the second half saw five changes as Gary Johnson took off Phil Jevons, who had been suffering from the after effects of flu, and Gavin Williams with a slight knock, to be replaced by Bartosz Tarachulski and Adrian Caceres, while the visitors changed Galbraith, Youngs and Cozic for Rowson, Smith and Bojic.
Although Yeovil had their moments the visitors were enjoying the lions share of the possession and putting the Yeovil defence under some concerted pressure.
In the early minutes of the half though it was Yeovil who should have perhaps done better as first Stolcers was blocked in the area and then Yeovil had yet another penalty appeal, their fifth this week, turned when Willmott appeared to handle in the area.
Northampton started to dominate again by the 50th. minute and Chris Weale came to the Glovers aid once again with a magnificent save from an overhead McGleish effort that he managed to tip around the post.
Weale repeated the feat moments later when he saved a point blank header from Willmott after Smith's shot had been somehow bundled away.
It was real "backs to the wall" time for Yeovil as this quality Cobblers side started to look for an equalizer.
Andrejs Stolcers had another effort fly over the bar and as things got a bit more intense Northampton had Williamson and Jaszczun booked, much to the delight of the Huish Park crowd.
Gary Johnson decided to bring on Andy Lindegaard for Kevin Gall on 74 minutes to see if he could change the flow of the game.
The visitors, though, were not to be denied and on 76 minutes they managed to grab that all important equalizer.
Low picked up the ball in his own half and ran at the Yeovil defence. With Michael Rose holding off before making that vital tackle Low managed to get past the Yeovil full back and fired in a wicked low cross just behind the ranks of Yeovil defenders, but far enough out to beat Chris Weale who stayed on his line.
The ball fell to Sabin who had the easiest of tasks to roll the ball into Weale's net to draw Northampton level. To be fair though it was not an unjust scoreline for The Cobblers had been building up a head of steam as the half wore on.
Yeovil seemed caught in two minds as to either defend their slender lead or be a bit more gungho and go for the second and Northampton took full advantage of their indecision.
Weale saved again from Sabin late on and Stolcers had a shot go into the side netting as both teams decided now was the time to settle for the one point.
Perhaps the most pleasing point of the afternoon was that as Northampton became only the second team to take a point away from Huish Park at least The Glovers had learnt how to hold on to a well earned point and not give things away at the death a la Boston and Swansea last season.
Full Time: Yeovil Town 1 Northampton Town 1
Sat 2nd Oct 2004,
3pm kick-off.
Conditions: Mild with possibility of shower
Pitch: Excellent
Scorers: Phil Jevons (14), Eric Sabin (79)
Attendance: 5,944
Referee: Mick Russell
Assistants: Eric Mackrell; Mike Mullarkey
Bookings:
Yeovil: None
Northampton:
Yeovil Town : (4-4-2)
1. Chris Weale 7. Paul Terry 14. Roy O'Brien 25. Liam Fontaine 3. Michael Rose
9. Kevin Gall 6. Darren Way 8. Lee Johnson 20. Gavin Williams 11. Phil Jevons 27. Andrejs Stolcers
Subs: 5. Colin Miles 10. Adrian Caceres (46, for Williams) 13. Steven Collis (GK) 16. Andy Lindegaard (76, for Gall) 18. Bartosz Tarachulski (46, for Jevons)
Northampton Town : (3-4-3)
26. Paul Rachubka 3. Tommy Jaszczun 5. Chris Willmott 6. Fred Murray 10. Joshua Low 21. David Galbraith 15. Bertrand Cozic 27. Lee Williamson 8. Tom Youngs 11. Scott McGleish 18. Eric Sabin
Subs: 14. David Rowson (46, for Galbraith) 17. Steve Morison 19. Martin Smith (46, for Youngs) 20. Pedj Bojic (46, for Cozic) 22. David Hicks
