Yeovil 2-0 Notts County
Notts County fell to defeat on the opening day of the season against Yeovil at Huish Park.
Notts were retaining the ball well in the opening stages but it was Yeovil who again threatened on 11 minutes. Otis Khan cut in from the left side and beat two defenders before pulling his shot inches wide of Adam Collin's post from the edge of the area.
Yeovil did eventually make their pressure pay and went ahead on 16 minutes, and it was in controversial fashion. A long ball was aimed into the Notts area looking for Kevin Dawson, and Notts shot stopper Adam Collin looked to have claimed it well in the aerial challenge. However, somehow it would appear the ball broke loose to Dawson who was presented with a tap in. Notts players were appealing for a foul by Dawson on Collin but they fell on deaf ears, and were waved away by the officials.
It was 2-0 to the hosts on 21 minutes, and it was Kevin Dawson again involved. He cut inside onto his left foot before unleashing a low shot which Adam Collin did well to get down to, but he was unfortunate to see his save fall straight into the path of Otis Khan who made no mistake from 12 yards, placing into the bottom corner past two onrushing defenders.
It could have been 3-0 just minutes later. Otis Khan beat the offside trap on the left side and was one-on-one with Collin, but he dragged his shot well wide.
It was again Yeovil who next threatened, Kevin Dawson firing from range and Collin was relieved to see his shot flash past the far post.
Notts had their first real chance of the game on 28 minutes. Rodman found a yard of space in the centre of the park and his lofted ball found Forte, but the Magpies striker couldn't keep his shot down.
On 30 minutes, the lively Kevin Dawson hit another shot from distance but it was high and wide of the goal and was never going to trouble the goalkeeper.
Good defending on 32 minutes from Haydn Hollis allowed him the time to pick out a delightful ball behind the Yeovil defence to Jonathan Forte. He raced onto it and went down under pressure, it again looked like a foul but the referee waved play on. Forte remained down and received lengthy treatment before hobbling from the pitch, but was fortunately able to continue.
It was Forte who had the next chance for Notts, almost working an opening in the box but defender Dolan managed to get in a timely block.
Rodman hit a shot from 30 yards on 41 minutes that was goalbound but deflected wide.
And Rodman was again involved two minutes later, showing good strength to draw the foul in a central location 30 yards from goal. Both Carl Dickinson and Stanley Aborah were stood over the ball but it was Aborah who struck it, a cleanly hit right-footed curling effort but it was straight into the keeper's arms.
It proved be the final action of the half, with Yeovil going in at the break 2-0 up.
Notts started the second half brightly, Forte racing away down the left side and his cross almost found Stead near the penalty spot but Nathan Smith was on hand to clear for the Glovers.
The Magpies were piling on the pressure, winning two corners in succession with the latter being headed narrowly over the bar by Thierry Audel.
On 55 minutes, Dickinson put in a sumptuous ball into the box looking for Forte, but the striker couldn't quite get the ball under control.
The Magpies made their first substitution of the game on 56 minutes, with new signing Vadaine Oliver replacing Jon Stead.
Yeovil hit the post on 59 minutes. A foul was committed 25 yards from goal by Richard Duffy on Thomas Eaves. Dolan stepped up to take the free kick, which was inches away from making it three for Yeovil with Collin beaten to his left, the ball hitting the base of the woodwork.
Aborah had the Magpies next shot on target, a cleanly taken free kick from 30 yards after Rodman was fouled in the middle. His right footed shot was well saved by Krysiak in the Glovers goal.
Notts made their second change on 62 minutes, Graham Burke and Alan Smith replacing Elliott Hewitt and Stanley Aborah.
There were huge appeals for a penalty less than 30 seconds later, Oliver rising well to flick the ball on with Tootle arriving late into the box to get onto the end of it. The Notts man took a touch past the defender and looked to be fouled, but the referee again waved away Notts' penalty claims.
On 68 minutes Rodman broke well down the right wing as Notts looked for the goal to halve the deficit. His deep cross found Dickinson at the back post but his looping header could only find the roof of the net to the.
Alex Rodman was in the thick of the action two minutes later. Vadaine Oliver chested down a Matt Tootle through ball into the path of the winger, and he cut inside and struck a piledriver from 20 yards which was inches over the crossbar to the agony of the visiting fans behind the goal.
It was a lively 5 minutes for the Magpie's number 23, as Rodman again cut inside just two minutes later and hit a left footed lofted shot from 20 yards that was comfortable for Krysiak in the Yeovil goal.
It was all Notts at this stage, and Forte's cross on 77 minutes found Burke in the middle, and his goalbound effort was blocked 6 yards from goal.
Yeovil had a rare chance on 80 minutes. Adam Collin's clearance could only find Kevin Dawson, but Hollis put his body on the line to block the shot.
It was Forte on 82 minutes with Notts' best chance of the game. Rodman played in the striker and he twisted and turned and managed to get the shot away with his right foot but Krysiak smothered his effort from 6 yards.
Matthew Butcher next threatened the Magpies goal, as he curled a shot just wide of Collin's right-hand post on 85 minutes.
With the game fading out, the hosts retained possession for long spells in the final minutes and limited Notts to just one more chance, Dickinson launching a ball into the Glovers' box but Vadaine Oliver couldn't direct his header goalwards.
The four minutes of added time passed uneventfully, leaving Notts still waiting to pick up their first three points of the 2016-17 Sky Bet League Two Season.