Glovers clinch promotion to Championship
A stunning goal from the division's top scorer helped Yeovil record an historic 2-1 npower League One play-off final victory over Brentford which secured npower Championship football next season, 10 years after their elevation from the non-League game.
The Glovers', who had never even played in the Football League until 2003, got off to the perfect start when Paddy Madden curled home the opener with the outside of his foot after just five minutes, a lead that was doubled when Dan Burn's header bounced through a crowd of bodies just before the interval.
Brentford enjoyed the lion's share of possession throughout and set up a nervy second half when Harlee Dean nodded home from eight yards out. But their hopes of ending their play-off hoodoo, which now stretches to seven unsuccessful attempts, were ended thanks to an inspired display from Yeovil goalkeeper Marek Stech.
Gary Johnson, who experienced Wembley heartache with Bristol City in 2008, spent the opening exchanges worrying about captain Jamie McAllister who required treatment following a bloody clash with Clayton Donaldson.
But his concern was soon replaced with unbridled joy as his side took the lead thanks to Madden's 24th of the campaign. League One's Golden Boot winner had failed to score since April 6 but he took just five minutes to end that six-game drought, curling an exquisite right-footed shot into the top corner with the outside of his boot from the edge of the box.
Having soaked up a spell of Brentford pressure Yeovil showed the Bees how to be clinical in front of goal. Ed Upson sent a hanging corner to the back post and Fulham loanee Burn's downward header found a way between three players before landing over the line. Shaleum Logan hacked the ball clear but the goal was quite rightly awarded.
The Glovers did endure a scare in added time when Jake Bidwell's cross was met by Marcello Trotta but Stech plucked his header out of the top corner.
With Brentford manager Uwe Rosler's half-time team talk ringing in their ears Dean and Toumani Diagouraga were both off-target within a minute of the restart, and their positive start to the second half was rewarded in the 51st minute when Dean met Adam Forshaw's corner with a close-range header to halve the deficit.
Bradley Wright-Phillips was then inches away from an equaliser just two minutes after his introduction with an effort he knew little about. Donaldson forced Stech into a full-stretch save with a near-post header but the Czech stopper could only push the ball onto the former Charlton striker's shin and watch as it fell inches wide.
Stech pulled off another crucial save four minutes later, this time with his feet, to deny Forshaw. With time running out Logan's mazy run ended with a low shot that fell just wide after Wright-Phillips was denied by another Stech save. But Brentford's play-off heartache goes on while the Glovers celebrated their first ever promotion to the second tier.
