Cambridge United were made to rue a number of missed goal scoring opportunities at Huish Park, with second half strikes from Nathan Smith and Alex Fisher giving Yeovil Town a 2-0 victory.
Greg Taylor, Adam Phillips and Harrison Dunk returned to the U’s starting eleven, as three changes made by Shaun Derry from United’s defeat to Coventry City in the week.
Having had three penalty claims waved away in the previous encounter at the Ricoh Arena, United were denied another inside ten minutes in Somerset with Billy Waters hitting the deck under a Yeovil challenge. The officials however deemed the striker to have made the most of the incident and instead awarded the Glovers a free kick.
However United continued to probe the hosts, with Brown, Ikpeazu and Waters all pressing well together to dispossess Yeovil regularly high up the pitch.
The U’s first opportunity at goal came on the counter midway through the half, with O’Neil playing a sweeping cross field ball to release Waters, who in turn dinked a delightful cross into the path Ikpeazu, where the striker directed a header over the bar.
Thomas James zipped a low strike across the moist turf towards the U’s near post on 23 minutes which David Forde watched wide, before Artur Krysiak was called into action at the other end to stop Liam O’Neil’s sweetly struck half volley minutes later.
The best chance of the first period though fell at the feet of Waters, who dragged a left footed shot wide when played through one on one with Krysiak, following an exquisite piece of passing play between Phillips and Brown five minutes before half time.
Brad Halliday spurned the U’s next opportunity after the break with the right back unable to sort his feet in time to stab a rebound on target, following an initial save from Krysiak who had denied Uche Ikpeazu.
The U’s were made to pay for their missed opportunities though, when a Glovers free kick ten minutes into the second half, was headed into the six yard box and volleyed past David Forde by Nathan Smith to open the scores.
United continued to push forward and had Yeovil pinned into the final third for periods, however a second goal for the Glovers that was side footed home from eight yards by Alex Fisher, who had been substituted onto the field only seconds before, ended the game as a contest ten minutes from time.
Jevani Brown rattled the inside of the post moments later, but the result was out of United’s hands were forced to travel back to the Abbey without a point.
Yeovil Town: Krysiak, Smith, Wing, Gray, Dickson, Zoko (Fisher, 83 mins), Surridge (Seager, 60 mins), Green, Sowumni, James, Santos
Cambridge United: Forde, Halliday, Taylor, Taft, Dunk, Brown, O’Neil (Maris, 66 mins), Deegan, Phillips (Carroll, 66 mins), Waters, Ikpeazu
Attendance: (2,569) (151)