United remained unbeaten at home when they beat league newcomers Yeovil Town 1-0 this afternoon. Steve Basham scored his eighth goal of the season when he shot on the turn to convert a rebound from a Dean Whitehead free-kick, given for a high foot on Paul Wanless after twelve minutes. Basham also had a header well saved by Chris Weale and Whitehead had a good shout for a penalty from the rebound. In the second half Scott McNiven had a chipped shot cleared off the line following some good set-up work by Basham.

Ian Atkins made one change from the side that drew at Boston last week, with Jefferson Louis making his first start of the season in place of Andy Scott, who broke his leg at York Street. Stand-in captain Paul McCarthy was forced out of the game at half-time to be replaced by the actual skipper Andy Crosby. After 68 minutes Mark Rawle came on for the largely disappointing Louis, and Derek Townsley replaced Basham up front with just a couple of minutes remaining.

Today’s referee was Frazer Stretton who has a reputation for controversy and who didn’t disappoint, making many questionable decisions, although in his favour he only showed one yellow card, to Yeovil’s Gavin Williams for a bad trip on McNiven. The attendance was a healthy 6,301, the second best in the division today. Statto99 has promised us a match report tomorrow.

United remain fourth after this victory, but Yeovil have dropped two places to eighth. Hull remain top despite not playing today, they entertain bottom side Carlisle tomorrow. Mansfield stay second on goal difference after beating York 2-0 and Swansea won 2-1 at Orient to stay third on goals scored. Doncaster have risen to fifth after they won 3-1 at Macclesfield and Huddersfield have climbed to sixth, leapfrogging Torquay whom they beat 1-0. Bristol Rovers are now ninth after they won 4-0 at Darlington, where Dave Savage scored his first for the Gas.

Kidderminster stayed second from bottom after going down 2-1 at home to Southend, who scored a last minute winner. Boston United have climed up to 20th after beating Cheltenham Town 3-1, Mark Angel scoring the Pilgrims’ third. United’s next league opponents, Bury, won 2-1 at Cambridge while elsewhere Rochdale and Northampton shared a 1-1 draw and Lincoln won 3-1 at Scunthorpe. In the Conference Ben Abbey scored Gravesend’s first in their 2-2 draw at Morecambe.