Yeovil Town v Charlton Athletic: Memories of 2005 at The Valley (From Yeovil Express)

Yeovil Town v Charlton Athletic: Memories of 2005 at The Valley

2:00pm Thursday 19th November 2009

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YEOVIL Town play host to Charlton Athletic on Saturday in an eagerly-awaited Coca-Cola League One clash at Huish Park.

Charlton were, not that long ago, plying their trade in the Premier League and a decent club under Alan Curbishley as manager.

But things have not gone terribly well for the Addicks in recent years and now find themselves in League One alongside other crest-fallen clubs such as Leeds United, Southampton and Norwich City.

Amazingly, it was only four years ago when Yeovil visited The Valley to face Charlton in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup.

Charlton were still in the Premier League, while the Glovers were in League Two and the trip to The Valley will be remembered well by the 4,500-strong army of travelling supporters.

Yeovil may have lost 3-2, but they gave their more illustrious hosts a real fright on the afternoon.

Now Yeovil and Charlton will lock horns once more on Saturday – but this time on a level playing field with both teams now in League One.

But as the build-up to Saturday’s match begins to gather speed, Yeovil Express football writer Steve Sowden looks back to that day in February 2005 when the Glovers gave the Premier League club a big scare at The Valley in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup on January 29, 2005.

His report can be read below.

FOOTBALL sometimes boils down to ifs, buts and maybes. That is probably what the Yeovil Town players and fans were probably thinking about when travelling back to Somerset one Saturday evening.

The cup dream is over, promotion is - as it always has been - the priority, and the championship would be a great way to end the season.

But the memories of Saturday and the 3-2 defeat at The Valley will live long in the memory. Yeovil did not achieve a famous giant-killing, they came close to grabbing a replay, but above all else it was Mission Accomplished by the glorious Glovers.

Yeovil boss Gary Johnson had said before the game that he wanted his players to give a good account of themselves. They not only did that, but surpassed the expectations of many and had it not been for the width of a goalpost and a goal-line clearance then Yeovil could quite easily have taken their place in the hat for Monday's Fifth Round draw.

Words such as gallant, valiant, glorious in defeat, plucky and determined have all been used to describe Yeovil's performance. But the word that springs to mind more readily that most is `pride.' How proud everyone at Yeovil Town FC and its supporters can feel as the days go by following the epic day out at Charlton Athletic.

Not many outside of Yeovil had given the Glovers much hope when paired with Charlton, but Saturday saw them give the Premiership outfit a real run for their money. This was the day when Yeovil showed their true ability - the skill and mental toughness to mix it with some of the best in the land. Perhaps Yeovil fans, who watch them week in and week out, fail to appreciate how good a team they are backing - until they come face to face with a side boasting a top seven pedigree in the Premiership.

Many of the newspaper scribes at The Valley were somewhat surprised at Yeovil's standard of play and how they had been able to give Charlton a real scare.

Charlton began the better of the two sides as Yeovil adjusted to their new surroundings and a near 23,000 crowd.

But it was not long before the Glovers found their rhythm and style and began to take the game to their more illustrious hosts.

A few chances had fallen to Charlton, but it was Yeovil who nearly broke the deadlock when Paul Terry saw a great effort hit the post with Addicks' keeper Dean Kiely beaten, while Darren Way saw his rebound deflected.

While Yeovil's 4,500-strong army of supporters lapped up the excitement and backed their team with wonderful vocal encouragement, Charlton's fans were rather subdued - a perfect illustration of how uncomfortable they were feeling.

But the Londoners nearly got the breakthrough when following good build-up play Bryan Hughes sent a cracking shot narrowly over.

It was Hughes, however, who did finally give the Charlton fans something to shout about when he scored with aplomb in the 37th minute. Hermann Hreidarsson played the ball back after heading on Talal El Karkouri's floated free-kick and Hughes was on hand to knock home past Yeovil keeper Chris Weale.

For many lower league sides that might have spelt the end of the adventure and with it the opening of the floodgates. But Yeovil are not like many lower league sides and there are not too many lower league sides like Yeovil which boast such a strong and glorious cup-fighting tradition.

Yeovil were level just before the interval when a superb run by Kevin Gall saw him weave his way into the penalty area having left several Charlton players in his wake.

Gall, arguably the game's man of the match, went to shoot but Jerome Thomas toe-poked the ball out of the way only into the path of Terry who shot past Kiely.

It was the moment the travelling thousands had wanted. Yeovil to score - the first Yeovil goal in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup since Eric Bryant netted the winner in the Glovers famous 2-1 victory over Sunderland exactly 56 years ago to the day.

The Jimmy Seed Stand end of the ground where the Yeovil fans were congregated erupted as one. Yeovil had desperately wanted to score, especially against a Premiership side, even more so away from home.

From that point of view it was as if the `big hope' had been realised and Yeovil could relax, enjoy and perhaps spring a surprise.

Unfortunately perhaps Yeovil relaxed slightly too much because no sooner had the second-half begun and they found themselves trailing 3-1.

First of all the excellent Danny Murphy got down the right and crossed for Francis Jeffers - the archetypal `fox in the box' Johnson himself is always looking for - netted from close range in the 51st minute and then Shaun Bartlett extended the lead moments later.

Dream over, fly the white flag, heads down, damage limitation exercise for Yeovil - or that is what many on-lookers would have predicted. But not so said Yeovil's ever-battling players.

Yeovil striker Bartosz Tarachulski got the ball in the back of the net, but it was ruled out for offside by referee Rob Styles and the Polish frontman was booked for ignoring the whistle.

Hero Terry had to be replaced in the 58th minute because of injury for fit-again Michael Rose. As Yeovil readjusted Charlton nearly scored again but Weale did well to prevent Murphy from netting.

Tarachulski, dangerously cavorting with a possible second bookable offence, was sensibly removed from the fray by Johnson with Arron Davies being introduced to the action in the 61st minute.

And it was that man Davies who suddenly re-ignited Yeovil's passion and determination moments later with a great goal.

The brilliant Gall played the ball back to Davies and not even the highly-rated Kiely could stop his long-range shot from sneaking into the corner of the net.

Charlton were rattled and rocked. Yeovil were on the crest of the wave and the wind was beginning to gather pace in the Glovers sails as they attacked in waves.

Andrejs Stolcers stormed down the left and his cross skimmed the roof of the net, and then Davies again saw a lob go narrowly over.

There was only one team in it as Charlton had to defend for their lives and Yeovil marched forward with plenty of attacking zest.

Yeovil latched onto a wayward Charlton pass and Davies was put away with just Kiely to beat. His shot was blocked by Kiely and diverted into the path of Yeovil's top striker Phil Jevons, but with the goal at his mercy the former Everton and Grimsby man was denied by a dramatic goal-line clearance from El Karkouri.

That was the moment when Yeovil fans must have felt the possibility of earning a more than deserved replay was slipping away. It was a glorious opportunity and perhaps, on any other day, Yeovil would have scored.

But then again we are back to `ifs, buts and maybes' - but nothing should detract from what was a truly memorable performance and a great day out for the Glovers.

Yeovil had run Charlton perilously close. No wonder the Charlton supporters and players clapped the Glovers off the pitch - such was their admiration for the side coupled with the relief of getting into the Fifth Round.

Never can I remember Yeovil getting such applause from the supporters of an opposing team. It brought a tear to my eye and it was one of those moments when you felt proud to be a Yeovil supporter. There are not too many occasions to look back on like that - but Yeovil's 3-2 defeat at Charlton was certainly one of them and will live long in the memory.

And I am sure I do not speak alone when I say that everybody associated with the Glovers not only helped to enhance the club's growing reputation, but also helped to highlight the magic of the FA Cup.

The only worrying thing was that the performance helped to enhance the growing reputation of Gary Johnson as one of the best managers in the lower leagues.

But the longer he stays at Yeovil the better because the longer he does stay the better the club we love to support will get and more opportunities for the Glovers to tackle the Premiership big guns will come our way.

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