Christophe Berra’s 40th minute goal has seen Town into a 1-0 lead at Yeovil at half-time.
Mick McCarthy handed Sylvan Ebanks-Blake his full league debut for Town in place of Paul Taylor in the Blues’ first ever game at Huish Park.
Luke Hyam, Paul Anderson and Stephen Hunt returned in midfield with Taylor, Paul Green and Jay Tabb amongst the subs and the injured Frank Nouble not travelling. Carlos Edwards and Teddy Bishop made the trip but were left out of the 18.
The home side won an early corner and after the ball was cleared, Tom Lawrence struck a powerful shot just past Dean Gerken’s left post.
On nine James Hayter hit an effort over from the edge of the box having been found by Lawrence, then Ishmael Miller saw a strike blocked with the home side on top in the opening stages.
Hunt crossed too close to Yeovil keeper Marek Stech, a one-time trialist, in the 13th minute with Ebanks-Blake lurking behind him. But the Glovers were still on top, skipper Jamie McAllister hitting a low shot through to Gerken two minutes later.
The Blues created their first significant chance of the game in the 20th minute when Anderson burst through the middle and found Daryl Murphy to his left but the Irishman sliced well wide much to the home fans’ amusement.
Just before the half hour, Cole Skuse smashed a half-volley well wide with the Blues starting to make some headway, albeit unconvincingly. On 35 Hyam was booked for a foul on Duane Holmes.
Anderson found Ebanks-Blake at the far post with a left-wing cross a minute later but the Town striker was unable to get in a header under pressure. The ball fell to Hunt, who shot wide.
The Blues were getting on top and in the 38th minute the lively Anderson played the ball into Murphy’s feet, he laid it back to Ebanks-Blake and his strike was blocked by Byron Webster.
Murphy headed the second of several successive Town corners wide but the pressure was building and from the fourth flagkick, the Blues went in front.
Hunt sent the ball over from the left and Tommy Smith’s header looked to be going beyond the far post until his central defensive partner Christophe Berra slammed it into the roof of the net for his fourth goal of the season.
Anderson shot well wide from distance soon after the goal but neither side looked like scoring again in the closing minutes of the first half.
Town came more into the game as the period wore on and their first real spell of pressure led to Berra’s goal. Yeovil had started brightly, creating a number of early opportunities but faded as the Blues imposed themselves in the latter stages.
Yeovil: Stech, Ayling, Webster, Duffy, McAllister (c), Lawrence, Edwards, Palazuelos, Holmes, Miller, Hayter. Unused: Dunn, Twumasi, Lanzoni, Dawson, Moore, Morgan, Hoskins.
Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Cresswell, Berra, Smith, Skuse, Hyam, Anderson, Hunt, Ebanks-Blake, Murphy. Unused: Loach, Mings, Green, Tabb, Richardson, Williams, Taylor. Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire).