Christophe Berra’s 40th minute goal saw Town to a 1-0 victory over Yeovil in their first ever visit to Huish Park. The Scottish international diverted Tommy Smith’s header from Stephen Hunt’s corner into the roof of the net to claim the Blues’ first away win of 2014.

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 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 Town trialist, in the 13th minute with Ebanks-Blake lurking behind him. But the Glovers were still on top, Luke Ayling 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 Smith’s header looked to be going beyond the far post until his central defensive partner 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 what had been a scrappy 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 made two changes up front at half-time, Kieffer Moore and Sam Hoskins replacing Miller, who had been a handful early on before presumably picking up an injury, and James Hayter.

Soon after the restart, Skuse saw a shot blocked, then at the other end Hyam similarly prevented Glovers midfielder Ruben Palazuelos’s strike. The half had started in the same scruffy manner as the first period with both sides looking to get the ball forward quickly at every opportunity.

Ebanks-Blake shot low to Stech in the 57th minute, then just before the hour mark Hunt was booked for a foul on Webster right in front of the technical area. Soon after, Jonny Williams replaced the Irishman, Town having been planning to withdraw Ebanks-Blake prior to Hunt’s booking.

Mings replaced Ebanks-Blake on 65, Cresswell moving to left midfield. Moments later, Williams curled a shot well over.

There was a scare for the Blues a minute later when Moore took down a ball over the top but the advancing Gerken forced him wide and then blocked his shot. Soon after, Yeovil midfielder Joe Edwards was booked for a dive midway in the Town half.

The Blues came close to a second in the 70th minute when Cresswell’s freekick from the left ran loose but neither Murphy nor Anderson could apply the decisive touch and Stech claimed.

As the game moved into its final 15 minutes the match was surprisingly open, the impressive Williams stumbling when he looked to have got behind the Yeovil backline, then Anderson missing a low cross from the left.

At the other end, Morgan headed over but from an offside position, however, overall the home side were looking short on ideas, sending in too many high balls which the Town defence headed away.

On 82 Murphy broke through the middle before feeding Anderson to his right but the winger screwed his shot well wide. Green replaced Anderson for the final five minutes.

Cresswell shot just wide, then Skuse took the ball to the edge of the box before hitting a low curling effort which Stech did well to push past his right post.

From Cresswell’s corner, Mings headed to the Yeovil keeper. As the game moved into four minutes of added time another Cresswell strike deflected wide.

Yeovil thought they’d equalised a minute later when sub Moore shot on the turn from the edge of the area but saw his shot hit the inside of the post and almost impossibly fly across the face of goal to safety.

Play quickly moved to the other end, Murphy bringing the ball to the edge of the box before hitting a low strike which Stech did well to push wide.

Despite the late scare, Town claimed their first away win of 2014, their most recent prior to that came on Boxing Day at Doncaster.

It was another typically attritional Championship game. Town came through Yeovil’s early spell on top, then took a chance once they were in control.

The Blues had the better of the game in the second half — Williams adding some quality when he was introduced - with Yeovil only really threatening once before Moore’s late strike against the post and in the end probably deserved the points, although Glovers fans will go home feeling somewhat unfortunate not to have grabbed a late draw.

With Reading and Brighton also both winning, the Blues remain in ninth, four points from the play-offs.

Yeovil: Stech, Ayling, Webster, Duffy, McAllister (c), Lawrence, Edwards, Palazuelos, Holmes (Morgan 730, Miller (Moore 46)), Hayter (Hoskins 46). Unused: Dunn, Twumasi, Lanzoni, Dawson.

Town: Gerken, Chambers (c), Cresswell, Berra, Smith, Skuse, Hyam, Anderson (Green 85), Hunt (Williams 62), Ebanks-Blake (MIngs 65), Murphy. Unused: Loach, Tabb, Richardson, Taylor. Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire). Att: 5,920 (Town: 1,091)

Photo: Action Images

runaround added 22:29 - Mar 11 Not the best performance by any stretch of the imagination but a win is a win. First half hour we very awful & would have been out of the game against better opposition we then got the goal following a glut of corners. Second half we were much better & could & should have scored more. A much better performance is required in the next few games against better outfits than Yeovil. Nearly 1100 of us there tonight, great atmosphere on the terrace, Mick McCarthy's having a party.....

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theobald1985 added 22:33 - Mar 11 oddball i cant stand mcarthy im here and am always pleased when town win. it dosent change the fact that this long ball defensive stuff is no good does it. we nicked a goal and shut up shop against yeovil for a scrappy 1 nil win -that dosent make up for a season of dour football and a manager whos favorite players happen to be some of the worst
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thebeat added 22:33 - Mar 11 oddball we might have won but didnt you expect us to? It was Yeovil, i know i expected it. Still we play 2 wingers and we win, surprise surprise, strange that.
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CharlieITFC added 22:35 - Mar 11 I have to say, I was slightly confused when Mings came on. But moving Cressy to left mid and Williams to his favoured position seemed to work really well. Interesting and now VERY BIG game on Saturday, COYB
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clive_baker added 22:35 - Mar 11 Great win. Yeovil are no world beaters but it's still tough to win away from home so credit to the lads, great to get a clean sheet too. Next 4 games are massive against 4 good teams who are in and around where we want to be. Wigan (H) Brighton (A) Derby (H) Forest (H) Nice after a lot of travelling to only have the trip to Brighton between now and the end of 5th April, but we're up against some quality sides. Massive ask but I think we need 9 points from these 4 which would leave us right in the mix on 60 points with 21 left to play for. COYB

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Jimmy86 added 22:35 - Mar 11 Massive respect to the town away following. Just slightly over 1000 on a long distance mid week game is fantastic. An important 3 points and it a good reaction, having lost on saturday. Good to set up with proper wingers and we were seemingly a bit more pro active away from home. Bit of a shame we did our now usual go 1 nil up and then look to defend tactic though. Williams has gotta start on saturday and I wonder if mick would be tempted into playing cresswell ahead of mings. Great 3 points COYB

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oddball added 22:38 - Mar 11 1981 your the biggest munchkin on this site :-). A cyber warrior who insults and talks rubbish, go get a life you loser :-)
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Foreverdon_Blue added 22:38 - Mar 11 A very good win tonight. I wasn't overly confident about this game because of Yeovil's recent run of form so credit to the lads! Big game now on Saturday!
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oddball added 22:40 - Mar 11 Bottom line is we are still in with a shout of the play offs, whens the last time we could say that hmmmmm..... :-)
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blueboy1981 added 22:49 - Mar 11 oddball ........ - begins with:- B ............. and ends with:- S - that is all you EVER post. A fine one to talk about ME - as a 'loser'. The mirror, and perhaps a lingering look in it from yourself may just be a reasonable suggestion before you go to bed. Don't get too excited about the win it may affect your sleep. Goodnight.
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RaymondovicBlue added 23:10 - Mar 11 to whoever down bored me above... that's fine... but I was commenting on the ground not my fellow travellers ... ask the volume went upwards and was lost. want criticising the performance either... just saying it was workmanlike and if we can't rip Yeovil open .... nor seemingly try for much of the game ( especially first half) then top ten is fine by me. GREAT response from players applauding fans after the game. 3 points is 3 points however won... well done lads.

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bluemagic74 added 23:11 - Mar 11 Nice1 town well won on to the next biggest game of season and dnt get much easier after that, we can do it keep the Faith boys nice1 mm and tc
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RaymondovicBlue added 23:16 - Mar 11 to whoever down voted me above... that's fine... but I was commenting on the ground not my fellow travellers ... ask the volume went upwards and was lost. wasn't criticising the performance either... just saying it was workmanlike and if we can't rip Yeovil open .... nor seemingly try for much of the game ( especially first half) then top ten is fine by me. GREAT response from players applauding fans after the game. 3 points is 3 points however won... well done lads.

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RaymondovicBlue added 23:17 - Mar 11 to whoever down voted me above... that's fine... but I was commenting on the ground not my fellow travellers ... ask the volume went upwards and was lost. wasn't criticising the performance either... just saying it was workmanlike and if we can't rip Yeovil open .... nor seemingly try for much of the game ( especially first half) then top ten is fine by me. GREAT response from players applauding fans after the game. 3 points is 3 points however won... well done lads.

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Walk_the_Wark added 23:37 - Mar 11 We won- we should have- changes nothing. And those starting to bleat about the playoffs again- are you SERIOUS?????
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mal1978 added 23:52 - Mar 11 Firstly, having lived near Yeovil, its great to see a club of that size get into the championship. Kudos to Gary Johnson, he's done magnificently on small resources. The game. We started poorly, got into the match, and once we strung a number of corners together we got the breakthrough, although the first half was even. Second half they took their best threat off in Miller, he's a big lump and won most aerial balls. The game was still even, but they didn't really look like scoring, other than a cracking effort which looked in all the way from where we were sitting, but it somehow hit the inside of the post and stayed out. We then had a couple of good chances towards the end. Williams on loan from palace is good, but has excellent 5-10 yard pace, will cause havoc in this league, but needs to bulk up a bit as he was outmuscled off the ball a few times, but looks a great prospect. Some of our shooting was woeful tonight though, some really awful efforts. I agree with Mick, we just about shaded it, but no more than that. But its 3 points, and we remain in the top half, and I am happy with that, we will not make playoffs though, not being pessimistic, we just are not quite there yet.

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blue added 00:02 - Mar 12 Well done lads was there tonight albeit first visit there under the cosh for most of the first half.HYAM AND HUNT not favoured tonight but soon as subs come on made a difference to the game. Sylvan not fully up to scratch yet but getting there , murphy needed more support and williams and green made a very good impact, dazzling runs. What saved us tonight was the post and swinging past the other upright us fans had our scare for the night . 3 points needed shame other sides around us collected points aswell . Roll on saturday 3 points a must .

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syntaxerror added 00:03 - Mar 12 Even when we win, the Scum trolls come out... Sigh
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Tractamatt added 00:14 - Mar 12 I'm not a troll I'm a realist if any of you eternal optimists can see us getting more than a lucky point from our next 4 games with the way MM sets the team up then I'm afraid your deluded, I love my team but I like others on here don't let that cloud my judgement.Great to get a win and kudos to those that made it to the game Tonight but 18 shots 3 on target and 1 goal is not the stuff to get wins against the likes of Wigan and Derby

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fatbanners23 added 00:15 - Mar 12 The blinkered anti-MM brigade struggling to argue now we've won, other than those that would argue black is white if it meant they could prove MM isnt a good manager. good solid win tonight. great to just be near the playoffs, the transformation since MM came in is amazing and if we keep that upward trend going next year could well be our year
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Tractamatt added 00:27 - Mar 12 Fatbanners if we don't score goals we don't Win games. If we don't Win games we go nowhere or down. Under MM we are not setup to win we are set up to be hard to beat and defend we invite teams on and the next 4 teams are going to beat us if MM doesn't change this!
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martleshamitfc added 00:31 - Mar 12 A MUST win game against Wigan to have any chance of the play offs! Gerken Chambers, Berra, Smith, Cresswell, Taylor, Hyam, Skuse, Williams, SEB, Murphy
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martleshamitfc added 00:42 - Mar 12 Over 1000 fans at Yeovil tonight, 1200+ due to go to Brighton, this must make the players so proud, well done to the fans who make these trips, the players must love this support and dedication, I tip my cap as I am well impressed and only wish I could do the same!
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Miles added 00:45 - Mar 12 Great win. Very solid performance. We weren't great first half but took our chance when it came. Much better 2nd half. Williams looks a real player. Made lots of positive runs and was a constant threat. Mings on was a great substitution. Cressy was very good down the left and we didn't lose anything defensively. Murphy was outstanding tonight. Must have won every header that came his way and was unfortunate not to score. Great to get the 3 points and love seeing chambos fist pump!

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BourneBlue added 01:17 - Mar 12 Sorry although the team looked balanced with 2 wide men, neither of them looked like they had the skill or speed to take people on and get in a telling cross. I am sure Taylor would have been an improvement on Anderson (his shot on 80 mins was woeful)and things started happening once Cressey was moved further forward. What has Taylor got to do to get a regular slot because Anderson certainly has not done it?

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