Paul Huntington gives 10-man Glovers a massive lift

YEOVIL TOWN 1 MK DONS 0

at Huish Park

Paul Huntington's first-half header proved enough for ten-man Yeovil Town as they defeated MK Dons for their first victory since October.

The 1-0 success saw the Glovers climb to third from bottom in npower League One as they registered a third successive league clean sheet.

Second-half substitute Jean Paul Kalala lasted just six minutes before seeing red for a clash with former Yeovil wide man Michael McIndoe. However, it was not enough to derail the hosts.

Manager Terry Skiverton said: "I felt that it was one of those games where again we created a lot of chances but we looked a lot stronger.

"We had to sit back because we could not retain the ball and, to be fair, the sending off worked in our favour because then it slowed up their tempo a little bit.

"I am pleased with the attitude, the commitment and desire that we had for defending and that for me was excellent today. We were defending as a team."

Skiverton named an unchanged starting eleven to the one that drew 0-0 at Plymouth Argyle on Saturday, dropping only defender Stefan Stam from the bench. The boss revealed that the Dutchman no longer figured in first team plans and would need to find football elsewhere.

On five minutes the Dons were given a warning of Yeovil's attacking intent when Andy Williams' whipped cross from the left was inches away from a diving Dean Bowditch.

The Glovers went one better as Huntington notched his second of the season. The visitors failed to clear a corner, allowing Andy Welsh time to cross to an unmarked Huntington who found the net.

Five minutes later Nathan Smith beat his marker on the left before firing straight at David Martin and Shaun MacDonald came close from 30 yards following a crunching challenge on Steven Gleeson.

Smith's deft right-footed ball forward on 24 minutes allowed Dean Bowditch a shooting opportunity, but after creating an angle his effort was comfortably parried.

Three minutes before half-time only the athleticism of Yeovil 'keeper John Sullivan kept his team ahead, as Jabo Ibhere and Sam Baldock were allowed to head towards goal before the 'keeper tipped over.

The Glovers responded positively and Sam Williams should have done better, trying to convert Welsh's wicked delivery with a header.

MK Dons dominated the opening exchanges of the second half and Sullivan bravely dived at the feet of Baldock to smother the ball on 50 minutes after Huntington's clearance struck his own man.

However, Andy Williams spurned a clear opportunity on 57 minutes, beating Martin to a ball over the top only to strike the upright with a lob.

Bowditch fired straight at Martin from 20 yards on 62 minutes before a deflection prevented Paul Wotton's first-time effort from a poorly defended corner hitting the target.

Four minutes later Welsh could have scored, racing clear of the MK Dons' defence on the counter-attack, only to delay a shot, allowing Dean Lewington to track back.

The Glovers were reduced to ten men with eight minutes to spare when Kalala raised his hand to McIndoe after the pair leapt into a challenge.

The French midfielder continued his dispute with Baldock as he left the pitch, while McIndoe, who had received a verbal battering from the home support all match, got a booking.

Despite four minutes of added time, Yeovil dug deep to ensure MK Dons failed to get a sniff of goal.

Yeovil Town (4-4-1-1): Sullivan; Ayling, Huntington, Ehmer, Smith; Welsh, MacDonald, Wotton, Bowditch (Calver, 90); S. Williams (Kalala, 77); A. Williams. Subs not used: Upson, Gibson, Baggridge.

Scorer: Huntington 11.

Booked: Wotton.

MK Dons (4-4-2): Martin; Woodards, Doumbe, O'Hanlon (McKenzie, 64), Lewington; Guy (Chadwick, 53), Leven, Gleeson (Johnson, 74), McIndoe; Baldock, Ibhere. Sub not useds: Powell, Chicksen, Carrington, Searle.

Booked: MacKenzie, McIndoe, Leven.

Attendance: 3,508.

Referee: Simon Hooper (WIltshire).