Despite the luxury of a 26th. second goal from Pablo Bastianini Yeovil Town slumped to their third defeat of the season at Swindon's County Ground yesterday.

Gary Johnson made only one change from the side that beat Ipswich in the Carling Cup, bringing in Luciano Alvarez to replace Matty Harrold now that the Argentinean's International clearance had come through.

Yeovil had a dream start pushing forward straight from the kick off and when Nathan Jones put over a great cross Pablo Bastianini brushed aside both O'Hanlon and keeper Tom Heaton to thump home from close range.

The Yeovil fans who had arrived in their hundreds went into raptures but the euphoria was not to last.
Swindon hit back immediately and built up a concerted period of pressure. Fallon in particular was causing the Yeovil defence problems and was showing the sort of form that had attracted Gary Johnson to get the Swindon player in on loan last season.

In the middle of all this pressure though Yeovil were still causing the home side the odd problem.

First Lee Johnson let fly with a 25 yarder and then Arron Davies tried the same but Swindon keeper Heaton dealt with both efforts with ease.

Swindon were keeping up the pressure and a goal seemed almost inevitable for despite the three man Yeovil defence doing well the intense pressure inevitably would gain it's reward.

When the goal came it was again that man Fallon who caused the trouble. A cross from Whalley was turned into his own net from skipper Terry Skiverton under intense pressure from Fallon.

Yeovil's penalty bad luck continued when Davies was brought down by Smith well inside the box but the M.I.B waved play on much to the Yeovil players' disgust.

Luciano Alvarez was having a good debut for Yeovil and he nearly put the Glovers back in front in the 37th. minute but his header went just over.

Cureton should have done better in the 39th. minute when he fired in from long distance and then Nathan Jones had two chances to put Yeovil ahead again. It was end to end stuff.

First Jones fired in a free kick that went just wide and then another strong run down the left saw the Welshman's shot saved well by on loan Manchester United keeper Heaton.

Heaton was certainly having a fine debut for Swindon.

Half Time: Swindon Town 1 Yeovil Town 1

Sadly for Yeovil the next 45 minutes was to be something of a disaster with a penalty miss, three conceded goals and a sending off when a solid concentrated period was called for.

Smith started the downwards spiral when he fired in a great shot from the edge of the area only to see it hit the cross bar but Fallon was on hand to nod home the rebound.

Yeovil bounced back well with Alvarez and Bastianini showing good form up front but without any luck.

For the home side Gurney's presence was causing Yeovil some problems and his non stop running was clearly upsetting the Yeovil midfield.

On the hour mark Gary Johnson brought on Paul Terry for Arron Davies but the swap failed to stop Swindon going further ahead when Shakes found the other half of the Manchester United connection, Colin Heath, who fired home powerfully giving Weale no chance.

Yeovil didn't let their heads drop though, and with the powerful Bastianini causing havoc in the Swindon box every time he got the ball hopes sprung eternal amongst the Yeovil faithful.

Those hopes seemed to have come to reality in the 74th. minute when Gurney took out Nathan Jones on another of his enterprising left flank runs.

Mr.Walton didn't hesitate and Lee Johnson stepped up to take the spot kick. His effort though was brilliantly read by Heaton who saved to his right.

In the 81st. minute Fallon nearly increased Swindon's lead but his header went just wide with the goal at his mercy and with Gall on for Johnson it was time for Yeovil's last stand.

Minutes later a clash between Efetobore Sodje and Rory Fallon saw Sodje shown the red card for retaliating after Fallon allegedly spat at him but his departure was the last thing Yeovil needed.

Yeovil continued to press and Terry Skiverton made amends for his own goal when he headed home from a corner.

Yeovil went into overdrive and Bastianini could so easily have made it 3-3 but his shot was saved and before you could blink an eye Swindon were down the other end adding yet another goal to their tally to further ruin Gary Johnson's weekend.

A long ball out of defence was met by Chris Weale who almost handled outside his box. He was unable to control the ball and it fell to Roberts who side footed into an empty net. Game over and yet another weekend at the foot of the table.

On a more positive note though Yeovil have not been outplayed once this season and with promise that Bastianini and Alvarez are showing up front happier days must only be just around the corner.

Full Time: Swindon Town 4 Yeovil Town 2

Gary's Post Match Press Comments:

That game was what derby matches are all about wasn't it?

GJ: "Yes, we were OK for the first minute, but to be fair Swindon got the game back pretty quickly and early enough for them to get their tails up a little bit. That's what they did and they took their chances when they came along."

And Yeovil didn't?

GJ: "No we didn't. Their keeper made a couple of decent saves. But if I start dissecting this game it will drive me crazy at the moment, especially with a game on Monday. The boys didn't really compete individually. Individually they didn't really show their strengths today and that's why we got beaten.

"There are one or two players that were OK. I thought Pablo led the line really well and he was a bright spark that came out of the game. But unfortunately the others were poor on the day."

Was it the service to the two strikers, perhaps?

GJ: "No it was more than that. It was a lot more than just service, and it was probably a little bit of everything. We are still adapting at this level and the boys need to be pretty sharpish at adapting from now on."

You went 3-1 down but there were chances to get back and you could have gone away with a 3-3.

GJ: "Yes there was. But Sodje's sending off was a stupid sending off and obviously I've had to tell him that and of course he will be fined. It was an unprofessional thing to do just at that point.

"That is the last thing that you want. But that was how the game went. People were making the wrong decisions every now and again, and too many wrong decisions cost us the game."

You obviously saw the Sodje incident.

GJ: "Sodje says that Rory spat at him, but whether he did or didn't it was a totally unprofessional thing to get involved in at that point.

"You have to wipe your face, get on with it, and wait for another day."

You had just won a corner and he was just coming up for that corner.

GJ: "Yes and we scored from that corner."

And with him on the pitch you've got a far better chance.

GJ: "With ten minutes to go you want eleven men on the pitch. It is very unprofessional. I told him at the start of the game as well to be careful as they might like to wind him up. It's not right to spit in somebody's face - allegedly - but Sodje's reaction was unprofessional."

You lose him on Monday now.

GJ: "Yes, that's no problem because we've got Locky on the bench. He's been playing well and he's been waiting for his opportunity and he is ready to take it."

And Lee Johnson shouldered the responsibility for the penalty.

GJ: "Yes, exactly and you wanted him to score out there with ten minutes to go. But he didn't. We changed him pretty soon after, but he'll be as disappointed as everyone else of course because that was a good opportunity for us to get back into the game."

You kept the Yeovil spirit and you really had a go at it until the end of the game.

GJ: "Yes, but the spirit doesn't get you results sometimes. It helps you get results but you have got to have a bit of quality as well and on the day I don't think we had the bit of quality that we needed.

"Swindon's front two played our back three very very well."

Yes, your central defenders were always involved in the match.

GJ: "Yes, Swindon play a game where they get the ball forward very quickly. Rory Fallon was having a terrific day today and winning everything and when that happens it is going to cause you problems."

Because it was a derby, was that the kind of affair that you expected?

GJ: "Not necessarily because it was a derby, but because it was that kind of game. Both teams needed to win, and now, more than ever, it's a big cup final for us on Monday."

Are you glad to be at home?

GJ: "I'm glad there's another game quickly coming up. I don't want to spend a whole week thinking about this game. I will be talking to them all individually and letting them know what I expect of them and that's all I can do.

"I am a bit calmer now I'm out here. We're all as disappointed as our supporters and our directors. But this is the sort of situation that will sort the men from the boys."

Watching you from the back of the stand you seemed to be watching in disbelief at the edge of your technical area.

GJ: "Well you do when you're getting beaten, especially after you have had such a good start. Our pattern of play was not quite getting there and there were things not quite working for us and you end up standing there showing a bit of frustration."

Luciano started brightly but faded. Was it a lack of match fitness?

GJ: "Yes, maybe a lack of match fitness. He was unlucky a couple of times. He was there or thereabouts but Pablo was the shining light on the day."

With the goals, I think almost all of them were preventable. Defensively were you disappointed with the way Swindon were winning?

GJ: "Yes, I was really disappointed with our display. I thought that Rory Fallon totally dominated our centre-backs on the day."

Even allowing Smith to run as far as he did and get into his stride and do things like that.

GJ: "Yes, well if Rory holds it up well, gets his flicks and gets the runners in then he makes it a dangerous game. I know how to play that game because I played it for seven years at Cambridge.

"We know it can be very potent if your centre-forwards are on song, which Rory was on the day."

Gary what's the situation with Kevin Gall and Carlisle?

GJ: "The situation with Kevin Gall is that as with every player when I get an enquiry, where someone is willing to put money up with their enquiry then you have to give the player the option to say whether he wants to stay or go and if so we carry on with negotiations. That's what we've always done and Kevin decided he wanted to stay."

What's the situation with Lee. Are Swansea coming back?

GJ: "I don't know. I am only hearing what you are hearing. Everything that Swansea are saying at the moment is public and not to us. We had a situation where a club's chairman has said that he was going to make an offer.

"He made that offer. Obviously when a player is 24 and is going to be out of contract then the club has to ask what is your offer and that is normal for the simple reason that you don't know what the offer is until it comes up.

"I think this is where some of the supporters got the idea maybe that Lee instigated the move. Of course it wasn't - it was Swansea that instigated the interest."

You obviously brought him off. was that half to do with the penalty?

GJ: "Yes, I think so. Sometimes it affects people and I just felt that at the time he wasn't being effective and we needed to change things."

How close are Phil Jevons and David Poole?

GJ: "Very close, we hope. It's down to a little bit of fitness with them. Once you are injured you can't always do the full training. We'll see. I'll assess it and I'll see what sort of team we can put out on Monday.

"It's a cup final now and the next two or three games are like cup finals because you can't get adrift too far."