Hit-man Dean is Yeovil hero

YEOVIL Town took a big step towards their goal of npower League One football for a seventh successive season this week.

A pair of goals from Dean Bowditch helped to defeat Notts County — arguably the side most neutrals wouldn't mind seeing disappear from League One following their 'acquisition' of manager Martin Allen from Barnet — by two goals to one, leaving the Glovers on 50 points.

That is just one less than Athletic, who sit two places and a point better off in 15th.

Despite the victory over struggling County, Terry Skiverton's men have found life tough this term at Huish Park.

Nine games have been lost on home soil, a divisional record not surpassed by any side bar the bottom-four, while the Glovers' meagre goal tally of 20 is worse than every other team with the exception of Swindon.

Bowditch is the main strike threat Yeovil possess and his double in midweek took him to 13 for the season, while Tottenham striker Jonathan Obika, an England under-20 international, has two in his four since arriving on loan from White Hart Lane.

Athletic's defenders will also have to be watchful of the talented Shaun MacDonald.

The Swansea City midfielder and full Wales international is now in his fifth separate loan spell with Yeovil and announced his re-arrival last month by netting a hat-trick in a remarkable 5-1 demolition of play-off contenders Leyton Orient at Brisbane Road.

Speaking of major collapses, those intrepid fans who made the journey in fancy dress to Somerset for last season's penultimate league clash won't need any reminding of just how bad Athletic were that day.

Dave Penney's last game in charge saw his men go down without a whimper, losing 3-0 to goals from Gavin Tomlin and Gavin Williams (two).

Kieran Lee and Chris Taylor, who came on as a substitute, are the only Athletic players in action that day who are likely to feature again this weekend.

Yeovil, who have four wins from their last six matches, have a pair of former Stockport players in their current line-up.

Former Premier League man Andy Welsh and Oli Johnson – the latter is on loan from Championship side Norwich – both started their professional careers at Edgeley Park.